Title: De novo synthesis in iron ore sintering

Authors: Mengmei Zhang; Alfons Buekens

Addresses: State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China ' State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

Abstract: The sintering of iron ore is a significant industrial source of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDD/F). Owing to the recycling of residues and their presence in iron ores and cokes breeze, chlorine and volatile organics are always present in the feed, inevitably leading to de novo formation of chlorinated aromatic compounds. During the European Union research project 'Minimisation of dioxins in thermal industrial processes: mechanisms, monitoring and abatement (MINIDIP)', iron ore sintering was selected to investigate the de novo route of forming chloroaromatics. All along the sintering process samples (feed, belt siftings and dust separated in the three successive fields of an electrostatic precipitator or ESP) were collected and then analysed and tested for their thermal behaviour and de novo synthesis. Laboratory experiments concentrated mainly on dust taken from field two of the ESP, to evaluate the effect of reaction temperature and time, oxygen content, water vapour, carbon addition, inhibitors, etc. This paper, consolidating and revisiting these experimental data, tries to throw more light on formation and destruction of chloroaromatics in iron ore sintering.

Keywords: iron ore sintering; dioxins; PCDD/F; chlorobenzenes; chlorophenols; polychlorinated biphenyls; PCB; de novo synthesis; inhibition; chlorine; volatile organic compounds; VOCs; chloroaromatics; reaction temperature; reaction time; oxygen content; water vapour; carbon addition; inhibitors.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2016.082114

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2016 Vol.60 No.1/2/3/4, pp.111 - 135

Received: 30 Apr 2016
Accepted: 19 Aug 2016
Published online: 07 Feb 2017 *

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