Four of the most powerful furnaces in the world
4 x 94.5 MVA
The ferrosilicon production plant is located on a land plot with a total area of 92.4 ha in Pavlodar Region
The ferrosilicon production plant is located 26 km from populated areas
Environmental Protection
- When smelting high-grade ferrosilicon in ore-smelting electric arc furnaces, gas and dust emissions are a natural part of the process.
- Gas and dust are captured by an aspiration system consisting of an air cooler, cyclones, and bag filters.
99.8% purification efficiency
The adopted technologies, main production equipment, and dust and gas collection units comply with Best Available Techniques (BAT) and specific technical standards in accordance with the “List of Best Available Techniques” approved by Order No. 155 of the Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated November 28, 2014.
It is essential that the criteria for achieving environmental protection objectives when determining the best available technique include:
01.
The lowest level of negative environmental impact per unit of time or per unit of production output
02.
Cost-effectiveness of its implementation and operation
03.
Use of resource-saving and energy-saving methods – a shift toward an integrated approach
Emissions to ambient air
- Under the adopted process technology, emissions comply with EU and Russian BAT requirements
Elimination of pollutant discharges to water
- The plant provides for reuse of process water. No discharge to water bodies is envisaged
Aspiration System
Use of separation, cyclones, and fabric filters.
Two-stage dust cleaning at ore-smelting furnaces consisting of:
- cyclones
- bag filters
Bag filters are installed at charge preparation, charge feeding to furnaces, and crushing of finished products.
Resource Conservation
Improving energy efficiency (use of energy-saving technologies)
In the selected process, alternative reductants are used to replace expensive coke, such as gas coal.
The reactivity of gas coal, determined by the rate of interaction of CO2 with carbon at 1050 °C, is 1.5 – 2 ml/g.s and is twice as high as that of coke nut (0.6 – 0.9 ml/g.s).
Use of highly reactive gas coal accelerates the reduction of silicon in the electric furnace.
The specific electrical resistivity of gas coal at low temperature is several orders of magnitude higher than that of coke nut. At 1300 – 1500 °C, the difference in resistivity decreases, however coal resistivity remains 5 – 6 times higher than that of coke nut.
Therefore, when replacing part of the coke nut with gas coal, the overall resistance of the furnace bath increases, which helps maintain stable deep electrode immersion and enables charging the theoretically required amount of carbon for oxide reduction, increases silicon recovery in the alloy, and reduces specific power consumption.
The plant has developed emergency scenario assessments and response measures to mitigate their consequences
Based on the above, we conclude that the modern process equipment used in operation of the ferroalloy plant, the application of advanced materials, and contemporary methods of work execution, production and labor organization ensure that the technology complies with Best Available Techniques.
Landscaping
Landscaping of the plant site is carried out in accordance with the Environmental Protection Action Plan
No impact on the natural environment
01. Soil and vegetation
02. Climate
03. Regional wildlife
04. Geological environment
Emissions and environmental monitoring includes:
- monitoring compliance with maximum permissible emission standards for atmospheric pollutants, quarterly measurements of impact on ambient air;
- monitoring waste management.