| dc.description.abstract | Refractory materials have the ability to withstand high temperatures without damaging their properties. They are used to protect production processes while maintaining their characteristics in extreme conditions. However, when they reach the end of their lifespan, these materials are usually discarded and dumped in landfills. This is harmful to the environment because landfills produce toxic leaches that can pollute groundwater and generate GHG emissions. Therefore, it is important to recycle these materials to reduce environmental harm. Before recycling any materials, it is crucial to analyze the particle size distribution of the waste materials to determine their properties and behavior in different conditions. In this thesis, the focus is on developing circular economy routes for steel and cement refractories. The particle size distribution analysis was conducted using a cross-flow air classifier and sieving to separate particles. The performance of the classifier was evaluated at three different air velocities (8,12,14m/s) and it was found that the separation performance was good when the sample had a size range of 5mm to 0.25mm. However, the classifier’s performance degraded when performed on a narrow size range (1 to 3mm and 0.5 to 1mm) for both cement and steel samples. This particle size distribution analysis is important for later chemical analysis and testing to understand the waste materials’ properties and enable their recycling for further use. | |
