ELECTRIC ARC SMELTING: Airborne Emissions from Mn Ferroalloy Production

Airborne emissions from metal production represent a health, safety, and environmental challenge to which more and more attention is being directed. The objective of this article is to summarize current knowledge in a state-of-the-art overview aimed at introducing fresh industry engineers and academic researchers to the technological aspects relevant to the reduction of airborne emissions from manganese ferroalloy production. The methodology includes an analysis of the types of airborne pollutants generated during primary processes, focusing on greenhouse gases, nitrogen oxides, sulfurous gases, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, airborne particulate matter, and trace elements such as mercury and other heavy metals. Key results indicate significant progress has been made in emission levels, which are consistently decreasing due to various industrial initiatives and collaborative knowledge-sharing efforts among businesses and countries. However, challenges persist due to the scarcity of published information and the interdisciplinary nature of the subject, which complicates the collection of relevant data. The emphasis on cross-fertilization of ideas between industrial branches is crucial for achieving further advancements in emission reduction.