Steel slag abrasive materials for blasting

Abstract

Systems and methods for producing a blasting medium from a slag and using the blasting medium. A slag produced during steel making processes is poured at a high temperature. The poured slag is then further processed to produce the blast medium. The blasting medium is used to clean a surface via blasting.

1 . A method of producing a blasting medium, the method comprising:
 pouring, at a temperature of 1300 to 1900° C., a slag obtained from a steel making process; and   processing the slag to produce the blasting medium.   
     
     
         2 . A method of abrasive blasting, the method comprising:
 pouring, at a temperature of 1300 to 1900° C., a slag obtained from a steel making process;   processing the slag to produce a blasting medium; and   cleaning a surface by blasting the blasting medium on the surface.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the processing step comprises:
 cooling the slag to form a crystalline slag; and   atomizing the crystalline slag to produce a blasting medium comprising slag particles.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the slag particles have a particle size in a range of 50 to 500 microns. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the atomizing includes grinding. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the crystalline slag is substantially in cubical shape. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the cooling includes air cooling. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the pouring is conducted at 1600° C. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the blasting is conducted with a gas pressure of 3.5 to 9 bar. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the blasting of the blasting medium is conducted using a compressed gas. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the slag includes 15 to 30 wt. % FeO and Fe 2 O 3 , 30 to 50 wt. % CaO, 6 to 12 wt. % MgO, 10 to 20 wt. % SiO, and 5 to 10 wt. % Al 2 O 3 . 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the blasting is configured to de-scale steel, deburr a material, shot-peen a material, and/or remove paint from a surface. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the blasting medium has a hardness of 6 to 8 Mohs. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the blasting medium includes particles in fine shape, nominal shape, coarse shape, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . A method of abrasive blasting, the method comprising:
 pouring, at a temperature of 1300 to 1900° C., a slag formed in an electric arc furnace in a steel making process;   cooling the slag to form a crystalline slag;   atomizing the crystalline slag to produce a blasting medium comprising slag particles with a particle size in a range of 50 to 500 microns; and   cleaning a surface by blasting the blasting medium on the surface.