Currently across the globe, the steel sector is one of the fastest growing sectors of the manufacturing industry. Usually in the stainless steel making process, lots of wastes are generated at the end of the process. As reported in literature, approximately one tonne of stainless steel wastes was originated when producing three tonnes of stainless steel. By and large, this represents critical problem of quantity as well as toxic ingredients, such as the chromium, lead, nickel, cadmium that could pose both occupational and environmental health threats.
Stainless steel Industries carries out hot working processes and acid pickling processes, where Oxide wastes (Mill scale) and ETP sludge forms as solid waste. As there are limited options to avoid these processes likely to last till Steels are being produced. Mill scale is in form of Metal oxides, while sludge is of Metal hydroxides. The management of the stainless wastes and recover the valuable metals from them are very important at the present period not only for the resource and economy but also for the environment.
This project is aimed to work on converting both solid wastes, Mill scale and Sludge in to Metallic form SS-DRI (Stainless steel Direct Reduced Iron). This metallic form can be again used as feedstock / scrap into melting furnaces to produce the metal. Thus, dumping of solid waste is prevented at large and conservation of resources. Proposed project is to develop the process which may result into prevention of losses to industry, reduction in pollution load and add employment. Thus, has potential to aid socio-economic upliftment, pollution abatement, waste treatment and management solution in Stainless steel sector of Industry