Cradle to Consumer
Identity ID
5a8ac617-5dcc-4e75-b351-e7ecaa17e405
Materials
Associated ID
a20f7c00-1e5b-4370-b0d1-b3ce2bae4cb2
Included activities starts
Included activities ends
Description
This dataset is a market dataset representing the consumption market of the region. The dataset includes the transport of the product from the gate to the consumption end, and the transport service is calculated based on the transport situation of the product in the region. This process refers to the production activity of smelting 1 kg of ferrosilicon by the submerged arc furnace process. Ferrosilicon is a ferroalloy composed of iron and silicon, with a silicon content of 75%, commonly used as a deoxidizer in steelmaking. This dataset includes the main raw and auxiliary materials and energy inputs of the production process, as well as the output of products and recoverable waste and emissions to air and water; the high-temperature flue gas generated during the smelting process is converted from thermal energy into electrical energy through a waste heat boiler and generator set, output as a by-product. The data inventory is formed by merging multi-source data, and the data representativeness is optimized using industry standards such as the 'Cleaner Production Standard - Iron and Steel Industry (Ferroalloy)' and the '3140 Ferroalloy Industry Coefficient Handbook'.
Activity Description
Ferrosilicon is produced from silica, using the carbon in semi-coke as the reducing agent. After proportioning and mixing, the materials are smelted in a submerged arc furnace, where silica is reduced to silicon and the silicon combines with iron from auxiliary steel scrap to form ferrosilicon. The production process comprises burden preparation and feeding, electric-furnace smelting, tapping and ingot casting, finished-product processing and packaging, submerged arc furnace flue-gas treatment, and microsilica densification.
1. Burden preparation and feeding: Silica, semi-coke, and steel scrap of the required particle sizes are conveyed from their storage bins by belt conveyor to the batching station and proportioned at specified ratios. Dust generated during batching and feeding is captured by hoods installed above the relevant equipment, treated in a bag filter, and discharged through a stack after meeting the applicable standard.
2. Electric-furnace smelting: Ferrosilicon is produced continuously in a semi-enclosed electric furnace. Current from the transformer enters the furnace burden through the electrodes. Resistance heating in the electrodes and burden, together with arc heat at the electrode tips, heats the burden and drives a series of reactions that ultimately produce ferrosilicon.
3. Tapping and ingot casting: Molten metal and slag collect at the furnace bottom and are tapped periodically through the tap hole.
4. Finished-product processing and packaging: Solidified ferrosilicon blocks are stored in the semi-finished-product area, fed manually or by belt conveyor to a jaw crusher, and screened into products of different particle sizes. The products are weighed, bagged, packed, and moved by forklift to the finished-product warehouse for storage.
5. Submerged arc furnace flue-gas treatment: High-temperature flue gas from the ferrosilicon furnace enters a waste-heat boiler. The generated steam drives a condensing turbine-generator set, converting recovered heat into electricity for on-site use.
6. Microsilica densification: Microsilica collected by the furnace bag-filter system is discharged into a pneumatic conveying line and transferred to a densification tank. When the material reaches a specified level, valves and fans are switched to densify it. Gas generated during feeding and densification is vented through fiberglass filter bags. Once the required bulk density is achieved, the microsilica is discharged into bags and sent to the product warehouse for storage and sale.
Process Description
Ferrosilicon is an iron alloy composed of iron and silicon. Ferrosilicon is an iron-silicon alloy made from blue carbon, steel scraps, quartz (or silica) as raw materials and smelted in an electric furnace. Since silicon and oxygen easily combine to form silica, ferrosilicon is often used as a deoxidizer in steelmaking. At the same time, since SiO2 releases a large amount of heat when it is generated, it is also beneficial to increase the temperature of molten steel while deoxidizing. At the same time, ferrosilicon can also be used as an alloying element additive and is widely used in low-alloy structural steel, spring steel, bearing steel, heat-resistant steel and electrical silicon steel. Ferrosilicon is often used as a reducing agent in ferroalloy production and chemical industry.
Time period
2023
2026
Geography
China,Jiangxi
Macroeconomic value
Business-as-Usual
Data validation
Yes
Technology
Current Technology
Technology comment
Submerged arc furnaces use carbon as a reducing agent to reduce oxides in ores to produce ferroalloys. The mixed charge is added into the furnace, and the electrodes are buried in the charge. Heating is achieved by arc heat and resistance heat generated by the electric current passing through the charge. The molten metal and slag collect at the bottom of the furnace, and iron and slag are regularly tapped through the taphole. The production process is continuous.