To be Updated with new approved abstracts

In a previous paper, the ORIEN Technology was introduced as a new, compact, energy intensive and self-sufficient as well as environmentally friendly iron and steel technology that has numerous advantages compared to the classical iron and steel production technologies. The purpose of this paper is to describe the basic physicochemical principles of this process.
The core of the technology, that can otherwise be named a direct iron-ore to steel technology, is a special direct liquid-state reduction of unique iron-ore cold-pressed briquettes in a single electric furnace unit achieving simultaneously the reduction of iron ore in the briquettes and converting it into steel based on the principles of the energy self-sufficiency. The output of ORIEN process is a unique iron melt of a special type in which the carbon exists in non-equilibrium colloidal form and can be controlled to vary widely from 0.04% to 30%.
Based on these fundamentals the new ORIEN technology can be used to produce various degrees of iron melts with different carbon contents in a single electric furnace unit and to replace the classical heavy flowsheet of agglomeration/sinter/pelletizing, coke batteries, blast furnace and BOF convertors. This opens the road for a paradigm shift for fundamental environmental protection, saving energy, decreasing cost and increasing the quality of the steel.

One of the most important steelmaking industry issues in the world, from the recycling of galvanized steel scrap, is the benefit or provision of the powders produced in electric arc furnaces (EAF) and Converters LD / BOF. Transportation costs, disposal in appropriate places and the increasing environmental demands, are doing many steel companies in the world seek ways to avoid, minimize and/or properly treat their powders and particles.
The experimental methodology of this project includes a complete characterization of powders and involved particles; in this case, the LD steel sludges; using chemical analysis by Atomic Absorption Analysis by X-ray diffraction, Microscopies Optical Co-located, and Scanning Electron Microscope-SEM.
It is concluded that the complete characterization of this waste, used to treat or process powders, sludges, and fine particles produced by both the Electrical arc furnace (EAF) and Converters LD / FOB, and coking plants as a result of the production process of steel and related.

This work describes a process of steel waste treatment— primarily steelmaking— of thick sludge, through a technique of ultrasonic bombing aiming to recover the metal content of this waste. During the manufacturing process of steel in LD converters, the liquid iron designed in oxidizing atmosphere converter, solidifies in the form of small spheres with a wide range of sizes. However, not all the spheres are perfect, because some will ultimately not be able to complete spheres formation due to variations in size, cooling speed, and surface tensions. The smaller the size of the spherical particles, the greater the degree of oxidation, which forms a dust that generates a "cement" ligand upon contact with water, and aggregates the other spheres with non-metallic particles involved in the production of steel (slag; Coke; Cao; etc.). This "dust" fills even some of the cavities’ hollow spheres. After washing of gases, the "sludge" formed will contain steel bead, which will then be bonded with each other and with impurities through the aggregate action of fine particles, here called "dust". The technique in question consists of the application of ultrasonic waves on a pulp, formed by the addition of water to the thick sludge. This ultrasonic bombing promotes dispersion of micro-particles of sludge binders and, consequently, of larger particles, causing individualization and cleaning of the interior of the hollow particles. After the break, the particles that make up the pulp will be completely released. The pulp is then forwarded to a gravity concentration step for recovery of spherical particles of high metal content (90 to 96% Fe). Each ton of recovered metallic material is used as scrap in steel fabrication while avoiding the consumption of 1.4 t of ore, 1.5 t of CO2 generated, and 440 kg of Coke consumption, to the same productivity of steel.

In this article, we will share some info about blast furnace main iron trough wear conditions and how to improve the efficiency of main iron runner trough with making 3D laser scans analysis.
We are working in Kardemir Blast Furnace 5 and we are process engineers. In Blast Furnace 5, we have 2 main iron runner troughs and their dimensions are 13 (length) x 1,3 (width) meters and they can keep nearly 32 tons of iron inside. We are checking their temperatures with 24 of thermocouples. We are using castable refractories based on alumina and silicon carbide aggregates.
In each campaign we are usually getting 230 k ton hot metal from the troughs and after that we are wrecking the trough and repair with castable refractory and it costs so much for us. And inside we discussed this and try to make a 3D laser scan analysis for trough. After the scan we saw the wear areas of the troughs and learned that we can get nearly 35 k ton hot metal more from the troughs. So this is really great for us and it decreased our costs for castable refractories.
So we have really improved the efficiency of our main iron troughs.

One of the main parameters in the gas flow distribution in a Blast Furnace is the size distribution. In the CSA Blast Furnaces, the sinter fines extraction was improved through sieves adjustments in the stock house, and a better gas flow control into the Blast Furnace was observed. In this paper, it is possible to evaluate the influence of the improvement in the sinter screening process in the BF gas flow, and its impact in the reduction of thermal load standard deviation on the wall in the upper part of the Blast Furnace. By BF stable gas flow, an increase in the top gas efficiency and a decrease in the variation of the thermal load on the wall were observed. Fuel rate and Hot Metal production were also improved as a consequence of better gas flow distribution into Blast Furnace.

SER Jet-Emulsion Process is a new, compact, energy efficient, environmentally friendly and waste-free iron and steel technology. Its physicochemical fundamentals based on the theory of self-organization at significant deviation from thermodynamic equilibrium as well as its industrial features and advantages have been described in our previous publications.
In this paper, a mathematical model of one of the main units of this process, the refining column or the gravitational separator is described. The model is based on the 'first principles' Monte Carlo method, in which the particles of charge materials and reaction products interact. The model simulates elastic and inelastic interactions, as well as the chemical transformations that take place in this process.
The mathematical model was extensively tested especially in the separation of the constituents of fine-dispersed dust from manganese production.
The obtained regularities, reflecting the process dynamics in space and time were proven important for the choice of design and regime parameters of the column reactors.

With the expansion of iron ore production in the iron ore quadrilateral in Minas Gerais, the lithology and the quality profile of the ores have significantly changed in recent years, to the iron ore notably received in the CSA from the second half of 2014. This has generated a strong impact in the Sintering and Blast Furnace processes, and there was a reduction in the share of hematite iron ore and an increase of itabirite iron ore. As a consequence, there was a significant increase of the silica, phosphorus, and alumina contents in the sinter feed and granulated ore. In this context, it is necessary to change the sinter product specification to be more comprehensive qualitatively and more restrictive quantitatively, in order to improve the performance and stability of the Blast Furnaces, in view of the new quality profile of iron ore.

Raw materials of iron ore sinter are made up of a mixture of various iron ore brands. And, depending on the type of blend condition of iron ores, the qualities of sinter and operation result will vary. Therefore, every time we evaluate new iron ore or set up a suitable blend condition, a complex and difficult sintering simulation (pot test) should have been performed repeatedly for each case. To solve these difficulties, a quality prediction model of iron ore sinter is needed, using various properties of ores. The characteristics of iron ores were extensively analyzed in terms of chemistry, mineralogy, physical properties, reactivity, granulation properties and sintering performances. A database of these characteristics of iron ore brands was built up. Models to predict the strength, yield and productivity of sinter were developed based on the database and their applicability was checked through pot tests. The correlation coefficients between prediction models(SSI, Sinter Strength Index and SPI, Sinter Productivity Index) and sintering indices(TI, Tumbler Index and Productivity) from pot tests indicated 0.79 and 0.76, respectively. As a result, the models could be applied to the blending design of sinter mix according to the plant operation conditions reflecting physicochemical properties of iron ore brands.

In reaction models for gaseous reduction of iron ore agglomerates, the formations of both unreacted-core shrinking (UCS) model for one interface, UCS model for three interfaces, and the developments of multi-stage zone-reaction models with and without considering solid-state diffusion are summarized; these models are used mainly for pellets, but are sometimes used for sinter. UCS model for six interfaces in consideration of quaternary calcium ferrite reduction process is newly developed for sinter. Comparisons of these reaction models for pellets and sinter are carried out by using experimental data on gaseous reduction of these iron ore agglomerates.

Analysis of the non-metal inclusions forming in the case of the adding of rare-earth metals in high-carbon steels for transport applications and the evaluation of the treatment effect on their mechanical properties were performed.
Experimental high-carbon steels were produced under follow schedules:
I – EAF – LF – VD – continuous-cast-slab – rolled rails;
II – LD – LF – RH – round continuous-cast-slab – rolled steel for wheels.
Alloy (63,5-66,8 % Ce, 32,9-36,1 % La) was used for modification of steel during the ladle treatment before and after degassing. The specimens for determining of inclusions composition were collected from the ladle and from rolled rail and wheel before and after degassing. Scanning electron microscope JEOL JSM-5900 LV with X-ray spectrometer INCA Energy 250 with zooms from 100 to 4000 and MIRAZ TESCAN with zoom up to 15000 were applied for examination of the inclusions.
It has been established that the composition and quantity of inclusions in the case of steel modification with REM depend on the time point of the adding of REM and on the technology of deoxidizing and adding of carbon during the ladle treatment. If the deoxidizing of steel with aluminum and the treatment with silicocalcium was not applied then in the case of modification with REM Ce and La oxysulfides with variable composition was formed mainly. These inclusions may contain impurities of Ca and primary oxide inclusion elements or do not contain them. In the case of aluminum-alloying steel treatments with REM and with silicocalcium are combined, the Ca, Ce and La oxysulfides, Al, Ce and La complex oxides and Ca sulfides was main kinds of inclusions. The size of majority of inclusions did not exceed 5-6 micrometers. The modification of steel with REM decreased the quantity of oxide inclusions in the steel.
In case of the quantity of dispersed REM inclusions is increased, the narrowing of pouring nozzle may occurs without the inclusion deposition on the refractory, which obviously is related to that the temperature gape of the crystallization is decreased. Furthermore the declining of inhomogeneity level of cast slabs and structure refinement should be noted.
In the terms of the chemical composition the experimental rails may be referred to rails for general purpose. After heat treatment under schedule developed for rails for general purposes the experimental rails showed higher toughness at a temperature +20 C and higher cross section reduction after tensile test.
After the heat treatment under schedule developed for low-temperature rails the experimental rails meet the requirements for this type of rails. But the commercialized steel for low-temperature rails contains more nickel and fewer carbon to meet the toughness requirements.
The essential deference between the microstructure of rail steel modified with REM and current steel was not observed. The main structural constituent is dispersed lamellar perlite with scattered regions of ferrite in the borders of perlite fields. The modification of steel had not influenced on the structure parameters. It may be concluded that higher toughness and plasticity of experimental rails are caused by the lower quantity of non-metal inclusions.

Assessments on the metallic iron phase morphology and carbon content, regarding the reduction of composite briquettes, were originally obtained. Targeting to appraise the nucleation, growth and the carburizing evolution of the metallic iron phase, the briquettes were firstly reduced in temperatures from 1000 to 1350�C, during times ranging from 5 to 45 minutes, under CO and N2 atmospheres. With the objective to define the microstructures formed along the briquette�s cross sections, they were examined in Optical and SEM microscopes and submitted to a Chemical Micro Analyzer. Four metallic iron phase morphologies were characterized: i) iron granules, generated during the initial reduction times and nucleated at both, the peripheral and core regions; ii) iron whiskers, occurring mainly at the briquette�s core and for short reduction times; iii) sintered and dense external continuous iron layer, located at the periphery and formed for longer times, and iv) iron globules, generated from previously molten carburized iron phases, sited at the briquette�s core for longer reduction times. The following carbon percentage were obtained in the main iron phases: i) iron globules: from 3.8 to 4.6%C, for CO atmosphere, and from 3.5 to 4.5%C, for N2; ii) continuous iron layer: from 0.5 to 1.3%C, for CO atmosphere, and from 0.7 to 0.9%C, for N2 furnace atmosphere.
Finally, regarding the carburization kinetics of the liquid iron phase, the following parameters were calculated: i) 26.4 kJ/molC, for apparent activation energy; ii) 46.9 MHz, for frequency factor.

Waste generation is an unavoidable consequence of any industrial process.
Generally speaking, it can be said that the many of the adopted solutions aims only the attending of regulatory constraints from official agencies. Normally, when these solutions result in economic benefits, it is not more than a coincidence. This comes from the misconception that wastes are unrecoverable losses and those who generate it are villains that must be permanently watched.
Industrial Ecology seeks to emulate mature ecological systems in order to reduce environmental impacts through maximized efficiency of energy and resource inputs and the minimization of unutilized waste. Through these initiatives, industry has found ways to increase efficiency and turn waste into useful products.
In this paper, this approach is proposed.
For illustrating purposes, a case study is presented where an integrated steel plant is considered as the core of an industrial complex. In it, wastes are considered as raw materials/products whose properties and potential end uses will be the guidelines for the election of the kind of the future industries, that will constitute the future Industrial Ecology Complex.
As will be shown, the main goal is towards the zero waste generation from the Complex.