Method of handling, conditioning and processing steel slags

Abstract

An apparatus and method for separating metal rich slag and metal poor slag are provided. A slag pot is allowed to partially cool, agglomerating the metal in the pot. A portion of the partially cooled slag is poured down a first ramp, providing a metal poor slag. Optionally, this slag is cooled with water. The remaining slag in the slag pot is poured down a subsequent ramp, resulting in the separation of a metal rich slag. Optionally, the latter step is repeated with any slag remaining in the slag pot.

1 . An apparatus for separating metal rich slag from metal poor slag, comprising:
 at least two bay areas, each having an angled and generally flat surface provided between first and second ends, wherein the first end defines a high end and the second end defines a low end, such that liquid slag provided to a bay area adjacent to that bay area's first end will run down that bay area toward that bay area's second end; and   a water supply system provided for the bay areas, the water supply system applying water to the liquid slag on each bay area such that the liquid slag cools and turns into a crystalline form.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a dumping platform provided adjacent the first end of the bay areas, wherein liquid slag is poured onto each bay area from the dumping platform. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said dumping platform is configured to receive a slag pot. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein liquid slag is in said slag pot, and wherein said slag pot is configured to sequentially dump said liquid slag onto said bay areas. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said slag pot is configured to sequentially dump predetermined amounts of liquid slag into each of said bay areas. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein there are two bay areas. 
     
     
         7 . A method of separating liquid slag into fractions of metal rich slag and metal poor slag, comprising the steps of:
 providing at least two bay areas, each having an angled and generally flat surface provided between first and second ends, wherein the first end defines a high end and the second end defines a low end;   providing a slag pot containing liquid slag, wherein said liquid slag contains metal;   pouring an amount of liquid slag onto the bay area adjacent the first end of a first bay, such that the liquid slag spreads out across the bay area surface and runs down the first bay area toward the second end; and   applying water to the liquid slag on the first bay area such that the liquid slag cools and turns into a crystalline form, making a metal poor slag fraction;   pouring the remaining slag on the remaining bay areas adjacent to the first end of each of said remaining bay areas, such that the liquid slag spreads out across the bay area surface and runs down each bay area toward the second end of each remaining bay area; and   applying water to the liquid slag on the remaining bay areas such that the liquid slag cools and turns into a crystalline form, making one or more metal rich slag fractions.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein there are two bay areas. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first amount of slag poured to form the metal poor slag is between about 75% and 80% of the slag in the slag pot. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the metal rich slag crystallized in the second bay comprises about 85% to about 95% of the metal initially present in the liquid slag. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , further including the step of cooling said liquid slag prior to any pouring step. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said cooling step lasts between about 5 minutes to about 30 minutes.