Improving Industrial and Environmental Safety When Implementing Technologies of Liquid-Phase Reduction of Iron Oxides

Abstract The article examines the main scientific and practical results of the research on improving the envi-ronmental safety of ironmaking processes through the implementation of liquid-phase iron oxide reduction technologies. The current state of industrial and environmental safety in coke-based ironmak-ing using traditional technologies and production processes (coking, sintering, and blast furnace) is described. The results of a comparative analysis of hazardous production factors and harmful emis-sions into the environment from traditional ironmaking technologies and liquid-phase iron oxide re-duction technologies are presented. It is established that the implementation of the liquid-phase iron reduction technology eliminates numerous hazardous technological operations and reduces the envi-ronmental impact of metallurgical production. It is shown that the automation of liquid-phase reduc-tion processes excludes the presence of workers in zones of high temperatures, intense radiation, and other hazardous production factors. The research results can be applied when implementing alterna-tive nonblast-furnace iron production methods.