Enhanced circularity of ferrous and non-ferrous fractions present in low quality steel scrap grades by assisting recycling with sensor-based sorting in the steel industry

Advanced steel scrap characterization, sorting and cleaning technologies offer great opportunities to support the production of high-quality steel products in the EAF (Electric Arc Furnace) and the increase of scrap rate at the converter.

Trials have been performed on several old steel crap grades for material upgrading (cleaning, size control, density increasing) in recyclers plants. BATs (Best Available Technologies) were selected and combined in multi-step processes, the primary treatment sequence was optimized and the machines were programmed with settings specific to scrap grade characteristics.

For a sensor-based sorting separation and purification steps were optimized to improve sorting of purely ferrous scrap and to valorize all the treatment by-products: Non-ferrous metals (Cu, Al), Carbon bearing materials (such as plastics, wood) and Mineral fraction.

Funding: This research has been performed within CAESAR project funded by Horizon Europe programme of the EU under Grant Agreement 101058520.