What are the mainstream technologies in metallurgical enterprises
In the current process of industrial development, as a fundamental industry, the continuous innovation and development of technology in the metallurgical industry are of great significance for improving production efficiency, ensuring product quality, reducing energy consumption, and reducing environmental pollution. The following will discuss in detail the mainstream technologies of metallurgical enterprises.
1、 Mineral processing technology
Mineral processing is the front-end process of metallurgical production, which aims to select useful minerals from the ore, discard a large amount of gangue minerals, and provide high-grade concentrate for subsequent smelting. Modern mineral processing technology mainly includes methods such as gravity separation, magnetic separation, and flotation.
Re selection is a method of separation that utilizes the density differences of different minerals in the ore, and is commonly used to process coarse-grained ore. Magnetic separation is based on the magnetic differences of minerals, which has a significant effect on the separation of magnetic minerals. Flotation is the process of utilizing the differences in physical and chemical properties of mineral surfaces, by adding flotation agents, to allow useful minerals to adhere to bubbles and float out of the slurry surface, thereby achieving separation.
With the continuous progress of technology, mineral processing technology is also constantly innovating. For example, new and efficient beneficiation equipment is constantly emerging, and the application of automation control technology makes the beneficiation process more precise and stable, improving the efficiency and quality of beneficiation.
2、 Smelting technology
Pyrometallurgy
Fire metallurgy is a method of extracting metals from ores using high-temperature conditions. Common pyrometallurgical processes include blast furnace ironmaking, converter steelmaking, electric furnace steelmaking, etc.
Blast furnace ironmaking is the process of reducing raw materials such as iron ore, coke, and limestone in a blast furnace to produce molten iron. Converter steelmaking is the process of removing impurities from molten iron by blowing oxygen in the converter to produce molten steel. Electric furnace steelmaking mainly uses electricity as energy to melt and refine scrap steel.
Hydrometallurgy
Hydrometallurgy is a metallurgical process carried out in solution, suitable for processing low-grade and complex ores. Common wet metallurgical processes include leaching, extraction, electrolysis, etc. Leaching is the process of dissolving useful components in ore into a solution, then separating and enriching them through extraction and counter extraction methods, and finally obtaining metal products through electrolysis and other methods.
Electrometallurgy
Electrometallurgy includes electrolytic metallurgy and electrothermal metallurgy. Electrolytic metallurgy is the process of extracting metals, such as aluminum, from solutions or melts using the principle of electrolysis. Electrothermal metallurgy is the use of electrical energy to generate high temperatures for smelting and refining, such as in electric arc furnace steelmaking.
3、 Refining technology
Refining is to further improve the purity and performance of metals, remove impurities and gases from them. Common refining techniques include steel refining, aluminum refining, etc.
Steel refining technologies such as LF furnace refining and RH vacuum refining can effectively remove impurities such as sulfur, phosphorus, oxygen, and hydrogen from steel, improving the quality of steel. Aluminum liquid refining usually uses methods such as blowing refining and flux refining to remove hydrogen and inclusions from the aluminum liquid.
4、 Continuous casting technology
Continuous casting is a process of directly casting molten steel into billets, replacing traditional mold casting processes and greatly improving production efficiency and metal yield. The development of continuous casting technology includes efficient continuous casting, near net shape continuous casting, etc.
Efficient continuous casting improves the drawing speed and casting quality by optimizing process parameters, improving equipment, and other means. Near net shape continuous casting aims to minimize subsequent rolling processes and directly produce billets with shapes close to the finished product, reducing production costs.
5、 Rolling technology
Rolling is the process of rolling billets into various specifications through a rolling mill. Modern rolling technology is developing towards high precision, high speed, automation, and intelligence. For example, hot rolling technology can achieve continuous and efficient production of hot-rolled plates; Cold rolling technology can produce cold-rolled products with excellent surface quality and high dimensional accuracy. Meanwhile, the application of advanced control technologies such as computer control and model predictive control in the rolling process has improved product quality and production efficiency.
6、 Energy saving and emission reduction technologies
In today's increasingly strict environmental requirements, metallurgical enterprises are paying more and more attention to the application of energy-saving and emission reduction technologies. The recovery and utilization of waste heat and energy, treatment of waste gas and wastewater, and comprehensive utilization of waste residue have become important guarantees for the sustainable development of metallurgical enterprises.
The recovery and utilization technology of waste heat and energy includes waste heat power generation, blast furnace gas residual pressure turbine power generation, etc., which effectively improves energy utilization efficiency. Waste gas treatment technologies such as desulfurization, denitrification, and dust removal have reduced the emission of atmospheric pollutants. Wastewater treatment and comprehensive utilization of waste residue achieve the recycling of resources and reduce their impact on the environment.
Mineral processing, smelting, refining, continuous casting, rolling, and energy conservation and emission reduction technologies constitute the mainstream technology system of metallurgical enterprises. The continuous development and innovation of these technologies are driving the metallurgical industry towards efficiency, quality, and environmental protection. In the future, with the continuous progress of technology and changes in market demand, metallurgical enterprises will continue to increase their investment in technology research and development, explore more advanced, green, and intelligent metallurgical technologies, and provide solid material support for the development of the national economy.
