EVALUATION OF DUST GENERATED FROM BASIC OXYGEN FURNACE STEEL MAKING

A detailed characterization has been made of the dust generated during steel making in basic oxygen furnaces (BOF). Chemical composition and particle size distribution have been analyzed. X-ray diffraction, sca nning electron microscopy, and electron probe micro-analysis technique s have been used to identify the morphology and the nature of the majo r iron-bearing phases as well as the gangue constituents. The dust cha racteristics have been found to be widely different, depending on the type of process used in BOF steel making, namely, suppressed combustio n or total combustion. The type of dust abatement system (dry or wet) additionally influences the nature of the gangue constituents. The pos sibility of utilizing the iron-bearing major phases has been examined.