Application of iron and steel slags in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions: A review

Abstract

The comprehensive consideration of climate warming and by-product management in the iron and steel industry, has a significant impact on the realization of environmental protection and green production. Blast furnace slag (BFS) and steel slag (SS), collectively called iron and steel slags, are the main by-products of steelmaking. The economical and efficient use of iron and steel slags to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is an urgent problem to be solved. This paper reviewed the carbonization and waste heat recovery of iron and steel slags, and the utilization of iron and steel slags as soil amendments, discussed their application status and limitations in GHG reduction. Iron and steel slags are rich in CaO, which can be used as CO2 adsorbents to achieve a maximum concentration of 0.4–0.5 kg CO2/kg SS. Blast furnace molten slag contains a considerable amount of waste heat, and thermal methods can recover more than 60 % of the heat energy. Chemical methods can use waste heat in the reaction to generate gas fuel, and iron in slags can be used as a catalytic component to promote chemical reaction. Waste heat recovery saves fuel and reduces the CO2 emissions caused by combustion. When iron and steel slags are used as soil amendments, the iron oxides, alkaline substances, and SiO2 in iron and steel slags can affect the emission of CH4, N2O, and CO2 from soil, microorganisms, and crops, and achieve a maximum reduction of more than 60 % of the overall GHG of paddy fields. Finally, This paper provided valuable suggestions for future GHG reduction studies of iron and steel slags in energy, industry, and agriculture.