Smelting Process Research Articles

Analysing Metal Melting Methods for Green Transformation of Scrap Metal: Case Study of Latvia using MCDA and SWOT Analysis

Abstract Metal is one of the most widely used materials in the world. It was a crucial driving force in technological development since the industrial age and continues to push us forward to this day. As metal consumption grows, so does the amount of scrap metal generated. Proper utilization of this waste is crucial in mitigating the negative environmental impacts of the metalworking industry. The processing and use of raw materials is often associated with high resource consumption and high emissions. The utilisation of scrap metal instead of raw metal can lead to up to 10 times less electricity consumption and up to 30 times fewer CO2 emissions. However, selecting the most suitable scrap metal processing technology is crucial, particularly in the case of the metal melting furnace which is the backbone of the industry. The efficiency of this process determines the environmental indicators for the entire scrap metal melting process. This paper conducts an analysis of 8 types of metal melting furnaces based on 11 environmental criteria. Furthermore, a SWOT analysis is conducted to evaluate the efficiency of the metal smelting process in Latvian metalworking enterprises and the potential for future expansion.

Development of an industrial solid waste ecological analysis model in Shanghai, China.

Amid China's rapid economic expansion, the country's industrial solid waste (ISW) problem is escalating. As each sector generates distinct types of ISW, a multi-indicator assessment of each sector is essential to address China's New Solid Waste Policy. To investigate the ISW situation of each sector and perform a comprehensive assessment, we formulate an industrial solid waste ecological analysis framework based on ISW generation and ISW flow in the sector. Various indicators (i.e., solid waste utilization coefficient, solid waste threat coefficient, and solid waste threat intensity) are employed to assess the utilization of solid waste generated for each sector, as well as the threat of solid waste originating in each sector to society. Ecological network analysis probes the interrelationships between diverse sectors. Taking Shanghai in 2017 as an example, the study indicates that some sectors (e.g., production and supply of electric power and heat power (EH) and metal smelting and rolling processing sector (MS)) exhibit higher direct ISW generation and the direct industrial solid waste value-added coefficient (SVAC) for common industrial solid waste (CISW). Specifically, the direct CISW generation of EH and MS is 539.21Mt and 277.00Mt respectively. The direct SVAC of EH and MS is 157.06kg/103RMB and 126.27kg/103RMB respectively. These sectors should prioritize reducing emissions at the source. Additionally, the threats to society from various sectors are relatively insignificant for the CISW, while for the hazardous waste (HW), all sectors pose a considerable threat to Shanghai's society. Moreover, some sectors (e.g., mining industry) exhibit the highest mutualism relationships in the CISW and the HW. Enhancing mining sector technologies is a vital strategy for mitigating ISW sources. Specifically, MI has 9 pairs of mutualism relationships in the CISW and 8 pairs in the HW. These insights will provide empirical evidence for tackling the ISW problem in Shanghai.

THERMODYNAMIC AND EXPERIMENTAL SIMULATION OF THE SMELTING PROCESS OF MEDIUM CARBON FERROMANGANESE WITH THE USE OF ZHEZDINSKY MANGANESE ORES

This article presents the results of a complete thermodynamic modeling and experimental study of the process of smelting medium-carbon ferromanganese using Zhezdinsky manganese ores. Full thermodynamic modeling of the process of smelting medium-carbon ferromanganese was carried out in the HSC Chemistry 6 software package. Thermodynamic modeling of the smelting process was carried out in the temperature range of 898–1989 K. Thermodynamic analysis for modeling the smelting process was carried out for four real charge compositions depending on the basicity of the slag (CaO/SiO2 – 1,4; 1,6; 1,8; 2,0). Based on the obtained thermodynamic data, an experimental study was carried out on the smelting of medium-carbon ferromanganese in a Tamman laboratory high-temperature furnace. В качестве шихтовых материалов были использованы марганцевая руда Manganese ore MnTot. was used as charge material – 48,23 %, SiO2 – 12.48 %, Al2O3 – 2,76 %, Fetot. – 3,45 %, ferrosilicomanganese grade SMn-17, not less than 90 % lime CaO. According to thermodynamic data, the optimal composition of the slag was established, which provides the highest extraction of manganese into the alloy and metal-slag separation. The chemical composition of the metal obtained in the laboratory is as follows, %:Mn – 83–84; Si – 1,5-3; C – 0,95-1,68; P –0,13-1,6; which corresponds to GOST 4755-91. Slag chemical composition, %: MnO – 10,92-17,90; SiO2 19,02-21,45; CaO 36,92-40,43; FeO – 0,33-0,77. Keywords: ferromanganese, ferrosilicomanganese, thermodynamics, manganese ore, laboratory smelting, slag basicity.

Late Roman metallurgical site patterns, the case studies of two smelting sites in Western Cyprus

During the last decades it has been shown that copper production in Cyprus continues in large scale at least until the 7th and perhaps until the 8th c. CE (Kassianidou, 2013a; Socratous et al., 2015; Kassianidou et al., 2021), and not only until the 4th c. CE as suggested in the past (Bruce, 1937, Zwicker, 1986). Nevertheless, the character of the Late Roman copper production, its spatial organisation, scale and significance are still being explored (Kassianidou, 2022). This study aims to investigate the procurement of raw materials used in the copper smelting practices during the Late Roman period in Arsinoe, current Polis Chrysochous, Western Cyprus. Two copper slag heaps located within the Polis Chrysochous area, one dating between the 3rd and the 8th c. CE and the second one between the 4th and the 6th c. CE, are used as case studies to explore and understand the human effort in bringing together all the materials needed for the copper smelting industry. More specifically, human labour, ore, fuel, flux, clay, and water are major components in the smelting process. The availability and accessibility of these materials at two different smelting sites and landscapes have been investigated through Geographical Information Systems (GIS) spatial tools combined with previous analytical studies (Socratous et al., 2015; Sdralia et al., 2023). We suggest that the Argaka slag heap is the outcome of an industrial oriented metallurgy prioritising access to human labour, the presence of the nearby city and proximity to the coast through which the copper would have been exported, in establishing its location. In contrast, the Pelathousa slag heap formed at a small scale metallurgical site, located much closer to all the materials needed and less susceptible to labour force considerations.

Modeling of thermal processes when melting ice on power lines

An analysis of the problem of ice formation on power line wires was carried out, and a review of work in the field of melting ice on various lines was carried out. Existing achievements and problems are noted. One of the reasons for the low equipment of lines with automated melting systems is the need to transfer the line from the operating state to the melting mode. One way to solve the problem is to combine these modes by loading the line with additional current without increasing the power transmitted to consumers. A set of issues on modeling thermal processes in the ice shell of power line wires during ice melting is considered. Limiting the power of heat generation in wires leads to the need to build a sufficiently accurate mathematical model to guarantee melting at different values of wind speed and temperature. A study of wire heating processes was carried out using models of stationary and non-stationary thermal conductivity. An algorithm is proposed for solving the thermal problem when a heated wire penetrates an ice shell, based on simulating the movement of the interface between the solid and liquid phases of water. The features of modeling the melting and crystallization process using a numerical method are described. When ice transitions to a molten state, melting reflects a change in density and the formation of an air gap, accompanied by a significant decrease in heat flows to the lower region of the ice shell. The results of numerical modeling of the process of melting an ice shell with a wire at different values of the convective heat transfer coefficient are presented. When analyzing the modeling results, conditions were identified for the occurrence of unacceptable overheating of a wire freed from ice. Various options for constructing a control system for the smelting process have been proposed to prevent overheating of the wire.

Metallurigical Analysis of Third to Fifth Century Swords with Ring Pommels Excavated in the Asan-Cheonan Region

This study conducts a metallurgical analysis of three swords with ring pommels (Hwandu sword) manufactured during the Proto–Three Kingdoms period and the Baekje period and excavated from the Asan and Cheonan. Specifically, we carried out analyses based on a metallurgical microscope, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy. the swords were made of bloomery iron produced through direct smelting and formed by hammering hypoeutectoid steel. It was also confirmed that other heat treatment techniques than shaping were not applied to them. In addition, all of them have a high carbon content and the crystal grains are well refined, so it is believed that the hardness and strength are high. Moreover, the analytic results of nonmetallic inclusions, No.2 swords have glassy slag and the others verified the existence of fayalite and wüstite on the glassy matrix. And a high Ca content overall. The results of comparing the swords with other swords with ring pommels excavated from the corresponding region indicated that heat treatment techniques were not applied to these artifacts despite the existence of such techniques. Thus, we analyze that the study subjects were produced as ceremonial items rather than weapons. Furthermore, the calculation results of ratios, such as CaO/SiO<sub>2</sub> and (Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/SiO<sub>2</sub>)/(CaO/SiO<sub>2</sub>), indicate that the study subjects were produced based on a similar smelting processing system. Based on the analytic results, this study also suggests a possibility of the addition of slag generation agents or the use of iron ores with a high Ca content.

Improved back propagation neural network method for predicting sulfur content in hot metal

Blast furnace smelting is a traditional iron-making process. Its product, hot metal, is an important raw material for the production of steel. Steelmaking efficiency can be improved and steel product quality can be stabilized by using proper hot metal. Sulfur is an important indicator reflecting the quality of hot metal, it is necessary to establish an accurate prediction model to predict the sulfur content of hot metal, to effectively guide the production process. There is a non-linear relationship among the factors influencing the desulfurization effect during the blast furnace smelting process, and the back propagation neural network (BPNN) model has a strong ability to solve nonlinear problems. However, BPNN has the disadvantages of slow convergence speed and easy to fall into local minima. To improve the prediction accuracy, an improved algorithm combining Kmeans and BPNN is proposed in this paper. The study showed that compared with the BPNN model and case-based reasoning (CBR) model, the Kmeans-BPNN model has the lowest RMSE and MAPE values, which indicates a high degree of fit and a low degree of dispersion. The Kmeans-BPNN model has the largest HR value, which indicates the highest prediction accuracy. The proposed Kmeans-BPNN prediction model achieves a hit rate of 96%, which is 4.5% higher than before the improvement. It can effectively improve the prediction accuracy of hot metal sulfur content.

Interfacial desulfurization reaction between binary Ni-Al/Ti/Ta alloy melt and CaO ceramic refractory

Reducing the sulfur content to be lower than 1 ppm is widely acknowledged to be an effective way to improve the oxidation properties of superalloys. CaO refractories are usually used to reduce the sulfur content during smelting process. Since the compositions of superalloys are quite complex, the role of the reactive elements, such as Al, Ti and Ta, on the desulfurization process remains unclear. In this work, the interfacial reactions of binary Ni-5Al, Ni-5Ti, Ni-5Ta melts with the CaO refractory are investigated. The results show that desulfurization at the interface between the melt/refractory will occur in all the three binary alloy systems when smelting at 1500 °C. The interfacial reaction layer formed by the desulfurization reaction between CaO and Ni-Al is about 250 μm, which is much larger than the tens of microns formed by the reaction between CaO and Ni-5Ti/Ni-5Ta. A model is established to describe the interfacial desulfurization reaction: xCaO(s) + y[S]Ni(l) + z[M]Ni(l) = yCaS(s) + Ca(x−y)MzOx(l/s). During the reaction process, CaS is found to be the desulfurization product, while Ca(x−y)MzOx is the transfer medium which connects the melt and CaO refractory, transferring the sulfur and Al/Ti/Ta in the melt so as to promote the desulfurization reaction.

Characteristics and applications of iron oxide reduction processes

Abstract The present review handles the main characteristics of iron oxide reduction and its industrial applications. The reduction of iron oxide is the basis of all ironmaking processes, whether in a blast furnace or by direct reduction and/or direct smelting processes. The reduction characteristics of iron ores control the efficiency of any ironmaking process and the quality of the produced iron as well. Many controlling parameters should be considered when discussing the reducibility of iron ores such as equilibrium phase diagrams, reduction temperature, pressure, gas composition, and the nature of both iron ores and reducing agent. The different factors affecting the main routes of ironmaking will be highlighted in the present review to give a clear picture of each technology. Moreover, further innovations regarding the reduction of iron oxides such as the reduction by green hydrogen will be discussed.

Experimental investigation of the phase equilibria of CaO–Al2O3–TiO2 slag system at 1500 °C with p(O2)=10−3 atm

The phase diagram CaO–Al2O3–TiO2 slag system is of great importance for metallurgical processes, such as the utilization of Ti-bearing slag and optimization in Al–Ti alloy steel smelting process. In the present work, the high-temperature phase equilibrium experimental technique was adopted, and the type and composition of equilibrium phases were identified by Electron Probe Micro Analysis (EMPA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The iso-thermal section of CaO–Al2O3–TiO2 system at 1500 °C in Ar atmosphere was constructed for the first time. There are 10 three-phase fields (Liquid + CaO+3CaO·2TiO2, Liquid+3CaO·2TiO2+4CaO·3TiO2, Liquid + CaO·Al2O3+4CaO·3TiO2, CaO·TiO2+CaO·Al2O3+CaO·2Al2O3, CaO·2Al2O3+CaO·TiO2+CaO·6Al2O3, Liquid + Al2O3+Al2O3·TiO2, Liquid + CaO·TiO2+CaO·6Al2O3, Liquid + CaO·6Al2O3+Al2O3, Liquid + TiO2+Al2O3·TiO2, 4CaO·3TiO2+CaO·TiO2+CaO·Al2O3), 13 two-phase fields (Liquid + CaO, CaO+3CaO·2TiO2, Liquid + Al2O3, Liquid+3CaO·2TiO2, Liquid+4CaO·3TiO2, Liquid + TiO2, Liquid + CaO·TiO2, Liquid + Al2O3·TiO2, CaO·TiO2+CaO·2Al2O3, Liquid + CaO·6Al2O3, Liquid + CaO·Al2O3, 4CaO·3TiO2+CaO·TiO2, 4CaO·3TiO2+3CaO·2TiO2), 3 single-phase solid solution fields (4CaO·3TiO2(ss), 3CaO·2TiO2(ss), TiO2(ss)), and 2 independent single liquid phase fields. Besides, taking the Ti-bearing slag system as an example, the influence of oxygen potential on the activity of (TiOx) was discussed; furthermore, the reasonability of the valence state approximation of element Ti was farther evaluated.

Experimental Manufacturing of Ferromanganese Alloy from Man-Made Manganese-Containing Wastes

The results of experiments on manganese pellets based on beneficiated manganese-containing sludge and the melting of ferromanganese alloy with their use are presented. Via beneficiating manganese-containing sludge (16.32% Mn), a concentrate with a manganese content of 35.2% was obtained. The composition of the charge used to prepare manganese pellets is proposed, and the conditions affecting their strength are determined. It was established that manganese is present in the composition of calcined pellets in the form of jacobsite MnFe2O4 and hausmannite Mn3O4. The formation of a phase of ferrobustamite (Ca0.79Fe0.21)SiO3, a ferrosilico-calcium binder that helps increase the strength of pellets, was found. Ferromanganese alloy was obtained as a result of the melting of calcined manganese pellets in a high-temperature Tamman-type unit. The Fe-Mn-Si alloy corresponds to the DIN 17 564 as-grade FeMn70Si in terms of manganese (63.76%) and silicon (17.21%) contents. The content of limiting impurity elements—carbon and phosphorus—in ferromanganese alloy is within acceptable limits. The structure of Fe-Mn-Si alloy and slag formed during their smelting process were studied.

Zinc and Lead Metallurgical Slags as a Potential Source of Metal Recovery: A Review

This article presents the mineralogical and chemical characteristics of zinc and lead smelting slags, with particular reference to the slags formed during the simultaneous production of Zn and Pb by the Imperial Smelting Process. These slags, because of the presence of many metals in their composition, mainly in the form of crystalline phases, are a valuable source for their extraction. Slags from Zn-Pb metallurgy are processed on an industrial scale using pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical methods, alongside which a number of experiments conducted to recover metals as efficiently as possible, including bioleaching experiments.

Slag chemistry, element distribution behaviors, and metallurgical balance of e-waste smelting process

The co-smelting of electronic waste (e-waste) in copper/lead pyrometallurgical processes is widely recognized as the preferred solution for sustainable development. However, aluminum and halogen elements in e-waste causes new challenges. To address this, the slag chemistry of high Al2O3-containing slag was studied, and the distribution behaviors of Au, Ag, Sn, and other elements in the copper alloy/slag/gas system were investigated in the presence of halogen elements (F/Cl/Br) using the equilibration method. The industrial practice of electronic waste smelting was modeled using METSIM, and the material and energy balances of one industrial process were obtained. Under the conditions of electronic waste smelting, the solubility of Al2O3 in the FexO–SiO2–Al2O3–CaO slag system decreased with increasing CaO content. When the CaO content was 20 wt%, and the Fe/SiO2 mass ratio was 0.62–0.95, the solubility of Al2O3 in the slag reached 20 wt%. When 1%–10% CaF2 was added, 93% of Au entered the metal phase. When the same amount of CaCl2 or CaBr2 was added, up to 32% Au entered the gas phase. When CaF2 was added to the system, 22%–49% of Ag entered the gas phase. However, when CaCl2 or CaBr2 was added, 3%–34% of Ag entered the gas phase. The proportion of tin in the gas and slag phases increased with increasing temperature or the addition of halides. The METSIM simulation results showed that under optimized conditions, the crude copper contained more than 90 wt% copper, the discharged slag contained approximately 0.5 wt% copper, and the recovery rates of copper, gold, and silver were ≥98%. The heat generated from raw materials and fuel accounted for the largest part of the heat income, representing 65.32% of the total.

A zero-emission collaborative treatment method for brown corundum fly ash and carbide slag: Producing silicon fertilizer while recovering gallium and potassium

Brown corundum fly ash (BCFA) is a fine dust generated during the smelting process of brown corundum. It is rich in gallium and potassium, and improper handling can cause severe environmental damage. This study proposes a cyclic process of calcification leaching, carbonation precipitation, and lye regeneration for the collaborative treatment of BCFA and carbide slag. The leaching efficiencies of gallium and potassium were determined to be 94.02 % and 85.32 %, respectively, under the optimized conditions (120 min, 180 °C, Ca/Si molar ratio 0.9, KOH 10 g/L) of calcification leaching. The contents of effective SiO2 and CaO in the silicon fertilizer were measured at 34.71 wt% and 33.02 wt%, respectively. During the carbonation precipitation process, gallium and aluminum were extracted from the filtrate and achieved respective contents of 2.1429 wt% and 32.99 wt% in the resulting coprecipitate. The carbonated lye was regenerated through a causticization reaction, and after four cycles, the regenerated lye maintained a consistently high leaching efficiency for gallium and potassium. This method achieves the comprehensive utilization of BCFA and carbide slag without generating any waste residue or wastewater. Additionally, it provides a novel approach for the collaborative treatment of similar solid wastes.

Missing data filling in soft sensing using denoising diffusion probability model

With the aim of addressing the problem of degradation in soft measurement accuracy due to missing data in industrial processes, a filling method based on the denoising diffusion probability model (DDPM) is proposed here to improve the accuracy of soft measurement modeling. First, missing regions are detected with the help of an improved Isolation Forest algorithm to obtain information such as the locations and numbers of missing data regions. Next, a data generation model is constructed based on DDPM and new samples are obtained. By adjusting the threshold for normal operation of the system and the weight sampler, filler samples that are similar to the distribution of the original data can be filtered from the new samples to form a complete dataset. The feasibility of the proposed missing data filling method is explored through numerical simulations, and its superiority in terms of improving the prediction accuracy of soft measurements is verified in regard to the nickel flash smelting process.

Enhanced thallium removal from zinc sulfate solutions using Lead(II) addition

Zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) solutions with high thallium (Tl) concentrations induce cathode corrosion during Zn electrodeposition. Existing Tl extraction methods consume excessive Zn and often result in incomplete removal. This research introduces an optimized technique that incorporates lead(II) (Pb(II)) to form a Pb–Tl compound during Zn cementation. An initial thermodynamic analysis of Tl–Pb–Zn–H2O system reveals challenges in fully substituting Tl using just Zn powder due to minimal potential differences. However, with Pb(II) integration, this potential difference can be boosted to 312 mV. Experimental findings demonstrate that using solely Zn powder, even at 50 times the theoretical quantity, achieved a Tl extraction efficiency of only 50.32%. By adjusting the ratio of Pb(II) to Tl(I) to 1:1, this efficiency soared to 98.93%, while the required Zn powder amount was reduced by 20 times. Using Back Scanning Electron Microscopy (BSEM), deposits of Tl and Pb on Zn powder were confirmed, with elemental distributions perfectly aligned. Tests on ZnSO4 solutions with a Zn2+ ion concentration of 60 g/L still resulted in a 94.07% Tl extraction rate. When applied to actual ZnSO4 electrolytes from a Zn smelting process, the extraction rate remained high at 92.02%. Overall, this research underlines the superior Tl extraction capability of Pb(II) enhanced method over conventional procedures.

Desulfurization Behavior of FeNi-Based Expansion Alloy Melt Using CaO-SiO2-MgO-Al2O3-CaF2 Slag

The effects of slag components on the sulfur distribution ratio {(wt.%S)/[wt.%S]} were analyzed using thermodynamic calculations. On this basis, the effects of the slag with different binary basicities (wt.% CaO/wt.% SiO2 = 3.0, 5.0, 7.0, 9.0 and 11.0) and Al2O3 contents (wt.% Al2O3 = 12, 16, 20 and 24) on the desulfurization behavior were investigated. The results show that the binary basicity and Al2O3 content were the main factors that affected the desulfurization. And an increase in the binary basicity and a decrease in the content of Al2O3, increase the sulfide capacity of the slag. In the early stage of the smelting process, the desulfurization process was limited due to the high content of oxides, such as FeO and MnO in the slag, and the sulfur content in the alloy melt reached 35 ppm. After the final deoxidation of the Si-Ca alloy, the desulfurization rate was significantly increased, and the maximum desulfurization rate reached 44.12%. During the ladle standing, the sulfur content in the alloy melt changed little because of the limitation of kinetics. The rate-limiting step of the desulfurization process was the diffusion of sulfur in the alloy melt.

The Effect of Substituting FeO with CaO on the Rheological and Surface Properties of Silicate Melts

A comprehensive understanding of the structural impact of composition is crucial in designing converter slag to optimize its rheological and surface properties during the smelting process. In this study, glassy CaO-SiO2-FexO samples with varying CaO/FexO ratios were prepared to simulate the slag in the initial stage of converter melting. The viscosity and surface tension of the slag at 1300–1600 °C were measured, and the microscopic essence of physical properties was further analyzed using Raman spectroscopy technology. The findings reveal that as CaO replaces FeO, [SiO4]-tetrahedra gradually depolymerize from Q4(Si) to Q0(Si), while [FeO6]-octahedra gradually transform into [FeO4]-tetrahedra, resulting in a decrease in the degree of polymerization of the slag. The slag with a lower degree of polymerization exhibits reduced activation energy of viscous flow and increased surface tension. Therefore, it is of great significance to appropriately control the CaO/FexO ratio in the early stage of smelting to improve the rheological and surface properties of the slag.

Mechanism for metal loss in smelting of recycled spent lithium-ion batteries: The overlooked role of refractory materials

The pyrometallurgical process used to recover spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) involves high smelting temperatures. During the smelting process, the refractories dissolve into the slag. This can have negative effects on metal recovery. Nonetheless, issues related to the effects of refractories on separation of the slag and metal during smelting of spent LIBs have not received much attention. Therefore, in this study, the effects of refractories (Al2O3 and MgO) on metal recovery rates were investigated. The aim was to reveal the mechanism for metal loss from the slag due to the influence of refractories and the interfacial reactions between the slag and the refractories. The results showed that less MgO dissolved in the slag, and this resulted in a metal recovery rate higher than that seen with Al2O3. The Al2O3 refractory continued to dissolve in the slag so that the crucible matrix was no longer dense. Furthermore, the slag penetrated the crucible, resulting in accelerated dissolution of the Al2O3 refractory. The formation of spinel and transition layers at the interface between the MgO refractory and the slag generated a region of local equilibrium, slowing the penetration of slag into the refractory and reducing the dissolution rate of MgO. The difference in metal recovery rates was attributed to physical losses. Dissolution of the Al2O3 refractory led to an increase in the slag viscosity, which adversely affected settling of the alloy particles in the slag. This led to increased losses of the metal in the slag and reduced metal recovery with the Al2O3 refractory.

Rotary Kiln Temperature Control Under Multiple Operating Conditions: an Error-Triggered Adaptive Model Predictive Control Solution

The temperature of rotary kiln, as one of the essential equipment in zinc smelting process, determines the product quality and resource utilization. However, since rotary kiln is a large-scale and highly coupled system, there are plenty of variables affecting the rotary kiln temperature, bringing too much redundant information to describe rotary kiln dynamics. In addition, due to the variations in raw materials, production load, and market demand, there exist various operation conditions, making it difficult to achieve stability control of the rotary kiln temperature with traditional control methods. To solve these problems, an error-triggered adaptive model predictive control (ET-AMPC) is proposed in this article. Specifically, since rotary kiln temperature is hard to regulate due to redundancy among variables and strong nonlinearity, an orthogonal maximum mutual information coefficient feature selection (OMICFS) method is first proposed to determine vital variables affecting temperature most. Then, aiming at the problem of changing operating conditions of rotary kilns, an ET-AMPC method is proposed, which can precisely adapt to different operating conditions and achieve stability control. Finally, experiments on a numerical simulation case and an industrial rotary kiln show the strength and reliability of the proposed method, which reduces 10%–20% trajectory tracking error in the period of operating condition changing and improves the control accuracy effectively.