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Ironmaking in Western Europe - Status quo and future trends
On the basis of operational data from three blast furnaces, the relation between the reduction processes and the thermodynamic parameters of the gas flux is established. Their influence on the mechanical energy is also determined. This relationship is due to mass-transfer processes resulting in the replacement of the light reducing gases CO and H2 by heavy CO2 and H2O. The mass-transfer processes, together with the temperature and pressure, increase the density gradient of the gas flux to 23.5–44.8 g/m³ m. That increases the force propelling the gas flux by 314.9–465.8 J/m³.
Statistical analysis of blast-furnace performance at NLMK between 2009 and 2014 reveals the thermodynamic and kinetic behavior of the reduction process. A method is developed for calculating the reducing potential of the hearth gas and for quantitative estimation of its utilization and the reaction rate. With the attainable productivity of 2.4–2.9 t/m day and fuel consumption 400–420 kg/t (in terms of total carbon), the properties of the hearth gases are sufficient to ensure near-optimal (around 70%) indirect reduction of Fe, but insufficient for batch heating in the shaft to the temperatures required for intense reduction.
The Seventh International Congress on Ironmaking was held in Cleveland (Ohio, U.S.) on May 3–7, 2015. The Congress was held simultaneously with the annual conference of the American Association of Iron and Steel Engineers, AISTech’2015, and the annual international exposition organized by the association. Papers on ironmaking were presented at the Congress and reports on steel production and rolling, environmental issues, information technologies, and industrial safety in ferrous metallurgy were delivered at the Conference. More than 800 people participated in the Congress, Conference, and exposition combined. Six presentations were given in the Congress’ plenary session and 198 presentations were delivered in the various sections.
Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH has further contributed to energy-efficient ironmaking by building the top gas pressure recovery turbine at blast furnace B which was successfully put into operation in April 2012 after a realization time of only 20 months: The turbine continuously recovers 8 to 9 MW electric energy from the furnace.