Design of Utilizing Blast Furnace Slag Heat
Abstract Despite being produced in large quantities every day, blast furnace slag has been discarded until recently. In order to fully tap its potential as a renewable energy resource, this paper proposes a novel design to utilize the residual heat of blast furnace slag. This design proposes an innovative process for collecting and transferring the residual heat from the cooling blast furnace slag to a rotary kiln for use in other applications. In addition, this paper discusses the potential environmental, economic and health implications of this design. Furthermore, the cost associated with implementing this design is discussed along with any potential drawbacks.
1. Introduction
With the world’s population continuing to rise, and energy demands continuing to increase, it is important to find new and efficient ways of utilizing our valuable natural resources. One such resource is blast furnace slag (BFS), which is an industrial by-product of the steelmaking process. BFS is composed of lime, silica and alumina, and is produced in large quantities on a daily basis. However, most of this material has been disposed of in landfills, its potential as a renewable energy source has gone untapped. As such, this paper proposes an innovative approach to utilizing the residual heat of blast furnace slag.
2. Design of Utilizing Blast Furnace Slag Heat
The proposed design consists of a system for capturing and transferring the residual heat of BFS. The design begins by collecting cooled BFS from the steelmaking process and then transporting it to a rotary kiln. In the kiln, the heat from the BFS is harnessed and transferred to a fluid, either hot water or steam. This heat is then used to generate electricity in a conventional power plant. Any excess heat, of which there is likely to be considerable, can then be used for industrial applications such as heating, cooling and process services.
3. Advantages and Disadvantages of the Proposed Design
The proposed BFS heat utilization design has a number of advantages. Firstly, it converts a typically discarded waste material into a valuable energy resource. This reduces the amount of energy wasted, as well as potentially reducing energy costs as BFS can be used as an alternative energy source to traditional energy production methods. Secondly, emissions associated with BFS utilization are considerably lower than those associated with other energy generation methods, due to the lack of combustion required during the process. Furthermore, BFS utilization presents a number of economic benefits to steel producers, as it allows them to make use of a discarded material, thus reducing their production costs.
However, there are also a number of potential drawbacks associated with the utilization of BFS heat. Firstly, the cost of capturing and transferring the residual heat from BFS is likely to be significantly higher than the cost of other energy sources. Furthermore, the collection and transportation process itself is likely to be complicated and time consuming. Finally, there is a risk that the process may produce air pollutants, if the kiln is not properly operated.
4. Conclusion
In conclusion, the utilization of BFS heat represents a promising alternative to traditional energy production methods. This paper has proposed an innovative design for capturing and transferring the heat from the cooling BFS to a rotary kiln for use in other applications. Furthermore, this paper has discussed the potential advantages and disadvantages of this design. Despite the high costs and the potential risk of air pollution associated with this design, the potential environmental, economic and health benefits make it a worthwhile consideration.
