Hand-held XRF sorting of spent refractory bricks to aid recycling

An improved methodology is presented for assessing the economic feasibility and effectiveness of recycling MgO-C Al2CO3-MgO-C refractory bricks, which are widely used in steelmaking industry. Since approximately 28 Mt bricks discarded each year, it logical to recycle them. When furnaces ladles relined, spent become mixed up, need be sorted before recycling. This study examined use a hand-held X-ray fluorescence analyser (HH-XRF) distinguish between oxide-based oxide-carbon-based materials, with special emphasis on (MC) Al2O3-MgO-C (AMC) bricks. HH-XRF analysis was conducted 18 oxide-carbon as well MgO-chromite bauxite-based refractories. diffraction, reflected light optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive spectroscopy were characterize confirm accuracy analyses. also underlined importance calibrating sorted. The successful distinguishing different both after cleaning. result important proves that provides method whereby MC AMC can quickly reliably.