Total electric arc furnace (EAF) dust generation in the US has been estimated to be 730,000 tons (Collins, 1997) per year. EAF dust has been designated by the Environmental Protection Agency as a hazardous waste (K061) and must be treated in some manner to safely dispose of it in accordance with environmental regulations. In 1994, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Center for Materials Production (CMP) initiated a collaborative project funded jointly by the Department of Energy, the steel industry and EPRI utilities to conduct a study to evaluate the feasibility of minimizing the generation of EAF dust and reducing the amount requiring treatment/disposal. The program consisted of conducting 1) an in-depth review and summation of available dust generation information, 2) research work on the mechanisms of dust generation, 3) test-work to evaluate the effect of furnace operating practices on dust generation, 4) a series of demonstration trials on commercial-scale EAFs and 5) technoeconomic evaluations of potential process options for reducing dust generation and/or disposal. The three year program included conducting over 76 experimental trials and the collection of over 600 dust samples from four operating EAFs (1-ton, 25-ton, 135-ton, and 165-ton). Findings from this program indicate an overall potential for reducting the amount of dust to be disposed of by approximately 50
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