Modeling and Simulation of Metallurgical Processes in Ironmaking and Steelmaking

In recent years, improving the sustainability of the steel industry and reducing its CO2 emissions has become a global focus. To achieve this goal, further process optimization in terms of energy and resource efficiency and the development of new processes and process routes are necessary. Modeling and simulation have established themselves as invaluable sources of information for otherwise unknown process parameters and as an alternative to plant trials that involves lower costs, risks, and time. Models also open up new possibilities for model-based control of metallurgical processes. This Special Issue focuses on recent advances in the modeling and simulation of unit processes in iron and steelmaking. It includes reviews on the fundamentals of modeling and simulation of metallurgical processes, as well as contributions from the areas of iron reduction/ironmaking, steelmaking via the primary and secondary route, and continuous casting

Metallurgical Process Simulation and Optimization

Metallurgy involves the art and science of extracting metals from their ores and modifying the metals for use. With thousands of years of development, many interdisciplinary technologies have been introduced into this traditional and large-scale industry. In modern metallurgical practices, modelling and simulation are widely used to provide solutions in the areas of design, control, optimization, and visualization, and are becoming increasingly significant in the progress of digital transformation and intelligent metallurgy. This Special Issue (SI), entitled “Metallurgical Process Simulation and Optimization”, has been organized as a platform to present the recent advances in the field of modelling and optimization of metallurgical processes, which covers the processes of electric/oxygen steel-making, secondary metallurgy, (continuous) casting, and processing. Eighteen articles have been included that concern various aspects of the topic

Development of a thin steel strip casting process. Final report

This is a comprehensive effort to develop direct strip casting to the point where a pilot scale program for casting carbon steel strip could be initiated. All important aspects of the technology were being investigated, however the program was terminated early due to a change in the business strategy of the primary contractor, Armco Inc. (focus to be directed at specialty steels, not low carbon steel). At termination, the project was on target on all milestones and under budget. Major part was casting of strip at the experiment casting facility. A new caster, capable of producing direct cast strip of up to 12 in. wide in heats of 1000 and 3000 lb, was used. A total of 81 1000-1200 lb heats were cast as well as one test heat of 3000 lb. Most produced strip of from 0.016 to 0.085 in. thick. Process reliability was excellent for short casting times; quality was generally poor from modern hot strip mill standards, but the practices necessary for good surface quality were identified

Process Modeling in Pyrometallurgical Engineering

The Special Issue presents almost 40 papers on recent research in modeling of pyrometallurgical systems, including physical models, first-principles models, detailed CFD and DEM models as well as statistical models or models based on machine learning. The models cover the whole production chain from raw materials processing through the reduction and conversion unit processes to ladle treatment, casting, and rolling. The papers illustrate how models can be used for shedding light on complex and inaccessible processes characterized by high temperatures and hostile environment, in order to improve process performance, product quality, or yield and to reduce the requirements of virgin raw materials and to suppress harmful emissions

Recommendations for Control of Occupational Safety and Health Hazards: Foundries

"This document presents the complex processes surrounding metal castings work and the associated worker injuries and illnesses that are related to exposure to the chemicals and physical agents generated by or used in the casting process. The foundry operations that have been studied include: (1) handling raw materials such as scrap metal and sand; (2) preparing sand; (3) making molds and cores; (4) reclaiming sand and other materials used in mold and core production; (5) melting and alloying metals; (6) pouring; (7) removing cores and shaking out castings: (8) rough cleaning of castings including chipping, grinding and cut-off operations; (9) maintaining and repairing equipment used in coremaking, moldmaking, and in melting, pouring, shakeout, and rough cleaning operations; and, (10) cleaning foundry areas in which molding, coremaking, melting, pouring, and rough cleaning of castings occur." - NIOSHTIC-2CurrentPrevention and ControlEnvironmental Healt

Challenges and Prospects of Steelmaking Towards the Year 2050

The world steel industry is strongly based on coal/coke in ironmaking, resulting in huge carbon dioxide emissions corresponding to approximately 7% of the total anthropogenic CO2 emissions. As the world is experiencing a period of imminent threat owing to climate change, the steel industry is also facing a tremendous challenge in next decades. This themed issue makes a survey on the current situation of steel production, energy consumption, and CO2 emissions, as well as cross-sections of the potential methods to decrease CO2 emissions in current processes via improved energy and materials efficiency, increasing recycling, utilizing alternative energy sources, and adopting CO2 capture and storage. The current state, problems and plans in the two biggest steel producing countries, China and India are introduced. Generally contemplating, incremental improvements in current processes play a key role in rapid mitigation of specific emissions, but finally they are insufficient when striving for carbon neutral production in the long run. Then hydrogen and electrification are the apparent solutions also to iron and steel production. The book gives a holistic overview of the current situation and challenges, and an inclusive compilation of the potential technologies and solutions for the global CO2 emissions problem