Experience in the use of electrical discharges for the treatment of dusts arising in the steel industry

The author describes how British Steel Stainless operates a viable process for the recovery of high value metallic wastes from dust generated by the electric arc stainless steelmaking process. The process uses a high power electrical discharge as the prime energy source. IT has not proved practicable to use plasma torches for this application, as their life is severely impaired and their energy transfer mechanisms are not suited to the process. Substantial benefits have accrued by replacing the plasma torches with carbon arcs