Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg, Russia:

I. V. Butorina, Dr. Eng., Prof., e-mail: butorina_irina@mail.ru

Baltic State Technical University «Voenmeh» named after D. F. Ustinov, St. Petersburg, Russia:
M. V. Butorina, Dr. Eng., Prof., e-mail: marina_butorina@inbox.ru

Iron and steel industry takes a leading position in Russia. Occupational morbidity associated with noise among ferrous metallurgy workers is about a third of the total occupational morbidity. Noise levels at the workplaces of metallurgists and in residential areas exceed the limit values up to 26 dBA. To reduce the impact of noise, the best available technologies are used, the effectiveness of which varies from 3 to 25 dBA. The article describes noise protection measures for blast furnaces, BOF and electric arc furnaces, rolling shops, as well as auxiliary equipment. It is shown that the most effective measures include use of low-noise equipment, use of materials with a high sound insulation and sound absorption index, installation of silencers and soundproof hoods. The usage of measures related to changing the design of equipment and its individual elements can also be considered as promising areas for additional noise reduction.

1. Dynamics and development prospects of ferrous metallurgy enterprises. Available at: https://pandia.ru/text/77/421/5580.php (accessed: 15.03.2020).
2. Oleshchenko А. М., Kislitsyna V. V., Surzhikov D. V., Korsakova Т. G., Motuz I. Yu. Hygienic assessment of physical factors of the production environment at the workplaces of metallurgists. Sovremennye nauchnye issledovaniya i innovatsii. 2014. No. 1. Available at: http://web.snauka.ru/issues/2014/01/30815 (accessed: 12.08.2022).
3. Guidelines for noise and vibration control at ferrous metallurgy enterprises. Available at: https://meganorm.ru/Data2/1/4293750/4293750688.pdf (accessed: 12.08.2022).
4. Chebotarev А. G., Bulgakova М. V., Khakhileva О. О. Hygienic assessment of noise and pathology of the hearing organ in workers of mining and metallurgical enterprises. Gornaya Promyshlennost. 2017. No. 2. pp. 64–66.
5. SanPiN 1.2.3685-21. Hygienic standards and requirements for ensuring the safety and (or) harmlessness of environmental factors for humans. Introduced: 01.03.2021. Moscow: Izdatelstvo standartov, 2021.
6. FZ No. 219-FZ “On Amendments to the Federal Law “On Environmental Protection” and certain legislative acts of the Russian Federation”. Available at: http://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_165823/ (accessed: 12.08.2022).
7. Information and technical guide to the best available techniques. Production of cast iron, steel and ferroalloys (approved by Order of Rosstandart dated December 15, 2017 No. 2836). Available at: https://base.garant.ru/71940214/ (accessed: 12.08.2022).
8. SanPiN 2.2.1/2.1.1.1200-03. Sanitary protection zones and sanitary classification of enterprises, structures and other objects. Introduced: 10.04.2008. Moscow: Izdatelstvo standartov, 2008.
9. A noise barrier was installed along EWPW-3. Available at: https://выкса.рф/29368-shumozaschitnyj-jekran.html (accessed: 12.08.2022).
10. Ivanov N. I. Noise and vibration protection. Saint Petersburg: NITs ART, 2017. 267 p.
11 Zaborov V. I., Klyachko L. N., Rosin G. S. Noise and vibration protection in iron and steel industry. Moscow: Metallurgiya, 1985. 130 p.
12. Comparison of AC and DC arc furnaces. Available at: https://termolitmash.com/articles/sravnenie-dugovyh-pechej-postoyannogo-i-peremennogo-toka/ (accessed: 12.08.2022).
13. Elizarov К. А., Krutyanskiy М. М., Nekhamin S. М., Chernyak А. I. Comparative indicators of DC and AC arc steelmaking furnaces for foundries. Elektrometallurgiya. 2011. No. 1. pp. 9–15.
14. Schwietz J., Panic B. Utilisation of noise level emitted by the electric arc furnace (eaf) for optimisation of the feeding process of slag foaming materials. Metalurgija. 2022. Vol. 61. pp. 753–756.
15. Butorina I., Butorina M., Kuklin D., Shashurin A. Innovative approaches to noise reduction in metallurgy. The Bulletin Tabbin Institute for Metallurgical Studies (TIMS). 2022. Vol. 110 (1). pp. 68–80.
16. Butorina М. V., Butorina I. V., Ulamov Yu. V. Noise in flame furnaces and ways of its lowering. Chernye Metally. 2014. No. 5. pp. 23–26.
17. Andryushchenko А. К., Anikin М. К. Noise protection measures to reduce noise levels from the impact of metal pipes. Noise Theory and Practice. 2017. No. 4. pp. 50–59.