The management of airborne emissions from silicon and ferrosilicon production is, in many ways, similar to the management of airborne emissions from other metallurgical industries, but certain challenges are highly branch-specific, for example the dust types generated and the management of NO X emissions by furnace design and operation. A major difficulty in the mission to reduce emissions is that information about emission types and sources as well as abatement and measurement methods is often scarce, incomplete and scattered. The sheer diversity and complexity of the subject presents a hurdle, especially for new professionals in the field. This article focuses on the airborne emissions from Si and FeSi production, including greenhouse gases, nitrogen oxides, airborne particulate matter also known as dust, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals. The aim is to summarize current knowledge in a state-of-the-art overview intended to introduce fresh industry engineers and academic researchers to the technological aspects relevant to the reduction of airborne emissions.

Airborne emissions from metal production represent a health, safety, and environmental challenge to which more and more attention is being directed. Industries worldwide, as well as authorities and others, are resolute in their aim of limiting, reducing, and ultimately eliminating these emissions. Many lessons can be learned by sharing information between industrial branches, as many industries face similar challenges. Certain challenges are, however, highly branch specific. For the Mn ferroalloy industry, such examples include the types of dust generated in the primary processes and the management of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and mercury with respect to furnace design and operation. This article covers airborne emissions from manganese ferroalloy production, including greenhouse gases, nitrogen oxides (NO x), sulfurous gases, PAH, airborne particulate matter, and trace elements, including mercury and other heavy metals. The aim is to summarize current knowledge in a state-of-the-art overview intended to introduce fresh industry engineers and academic researchers to the technological aspects relevant to reduction of airborne emissions.

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Producing high-silicon alloys in submerged arc furnaces (SAF) involves the generation of an intermediate process gas, consisting of silicon monoxide (SiO) and carbon monoxide (CO). Combustion of process gas from the taphole can be an environmental challenge. SiO gas burns to fine SiO2 particles which can cause poor working conditions and fugitive particulate matter emissions. The high combustion energy of SiO and CO is a source of high heat load. It is also the source of thermal NOX generation. A measurement campaign was conducted at the Elkem Thamshavn plant in Norway to investigate the composition of tapping gas from a silicon furnace. Over a 3-day period, the gas extracted from the tapping of the furnace was analyzed with Agilent Micro-GC, Protea atmosFIR, and Testo 350. The dust concentration in the gas was measured with a LaserDust instrument from NEO Monitors. Using the plant’s existing flow and temperature measurements, mass and energy flows were calculated. Linear regressions were calculated for three predictors of NOX formation in the taphole gas. From these calculations, the relation between total energy added to the tapping gas and NOX showed the best correlation.