Pollution and Carbon Emissions Reduction in Steel Industry Based on Curing Process and Air Excess Coefficient

The steel industry is a major contributor to global energy consumption and pollutant emissions. This study focuses on optimizing the production of magnesium–calcium–carbon (Mg–Ca–C) bricks, a crucial refractory material in steelmaking, to reduce pollution and carbon emissions. The effects of curing temperature and time on Mg–Ca–C brick properties are investigated using an orthogonal experimental design. Furthermore, a novel air excess coefficient measurement instrument, based on an electrochemical zirconium oxygen analyzer, is developed for real‐time monitoring of drying kiln conditions. The optimal curing process is determined to be 170 °C for 12 h, resulting in a bulk density of 2.76 g cm −3 , apparent porosity of 8.15%, compressive strength of 66.34 MPa, and flexural strength of 22.46 MPa. The measurement instrument demonstrates an average accuracy of 98.1% and an average response time of 2.35 s. Optimization of the curing process, coupled with precise control of the air excess coefficient, leads to a significant improvement in Mg–Ca–C brick properties, contributing to reduced pollution and enhanced energy efficiency in the steel industry.