The report gives results of a review of the state-of-the-art for fouling, foaming, corrosion, and scaling control in the treatment and recycle of process waters of integrated iron and steel mills. Areas examined were: (1) the character of the wastewaters generated in the different processes associated with iron and steel making, (2) current treatment practices of the recirculating systems, and (3) corrosion, scaling, fouling, and foaming problems encountered in the treatment processes and current methods for solving them. Much of the iron and steel industry wastewater is derived from noncontact cooling and scrubbing operations. Present technology appears adequate for treatment and control of the noncontact cooling waters. Treatment of the scrubber waters, which are highly contaminated with suspended and dissolved solids and a variety of pollutants, consists of removing the suspended solids and heat loads, decreasing the dissolved solid content by blowdown, and recycling the process water. Chemical scales and deposits constitute a major problem, and are minimized by controlling the chemical stability of the recirculating waters through acid addition and blowdown. Research and development recommended for process water treatment under a high degree of recycle include effective scale inhibition and control, and automatic process water chemical stability monitoring.

"IIT Research Institute." "January 1979." Includes bibliographical references. "Contract no. 68-02-2617, task no. 2-2, program element no. 1BB610."