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By Walter Hartig

Rogesa is operating two medium sized Blast Furnaces, No. 4 and No. 5 at Dillinger integrated steel works plant. The history of the results of the cooling concepts of the intersection between tuyère belt and bosh shows failures at both furnaces. At the 3rd reline of No. 5 Blast Furnace in 2010 changes were made to improve the cooling efficiency of the mentioned area. Two rows of copper cooling plates were installed. After commissioning and a short operating time hot spots occurred in the area of the cooling plates. The decision was taken to develop a new cooling concept together with Paul Wurth Umwelttechnik GmbH, Essen-Germany by replacing the cooling plates by one row of a short copper stave. The duration of the shutdown to perform the work was only 17 days including salamander casting. The operational results after the commissioning are very satisfying with outstanding performance of the new bosh cooling system.

Aug 1, 2018

By Tiago Nunes Lima

As propriedades mecânicas de ligas TiNbSn são dependentes do processamento termomecânico. O refinamento dos grãos das ligas é obtido através de processos de conformação a frio, atingindo valores de redução que podem estar acima de 80%. Esta deformação a frio permite o aumento das propriedades mecânicas, mas pode reduzir consequentemente a ductilidade e a tenacidade das ligas. Este estudo tem como objetivo observar o efeito da laminação e forjamento a frio nas propriedades mecânicas de ligas Ti35Nb2Sn com 80% de redução. Foram realizados ensaios de tração, dureza, metalografia e microscopia das fraturas. Ambas as ligas deformadas e envelhecidas apresentam as fases ß, a” e ? em suas microestruturas, porém, com algumas mudanças microestruturais. Foi notado que a liga forjada possui maior resistência máxima a tração e dureza que a liga laminada.

Aug 16, 2017

By Andrea Pezza

The steel market is experiencing a difficult conjuncture: on the one hand steel producers minimize their investments while optimizing their over- production, on the other hand suppliers reduce their internal human resources and capacity in order to overcome the instability of the new era. A return to the steel production levels of the past is not expected in the short term. Research, development and plant concept optimization is one recipe to drive the future of the steel business. This article describes a new concept for a VOD plant developed as a result of thorough investigation and assessment of all possible solutions. A joint and tight cooperation with the final customer was necessary to reaching important results. This article consists of the contributions from the plant suppliers in terms of their experience and feedback, as well as the final user’s. The final customer, voestalpine Giesserei Linz GmbH, and the plant supplier, Primetals Technologies, are both worldwide players and highly focused on reaching best quality and innovation.

Oct 30, 2017

By Luis Henrique Torres Dantas, Maycon Athayde, Rossano Augusto Pilon Nunes

The objective of this work is to evaluate the physical quality achieved in the iron ore pellets and the temperature profile in the pellet bed by applying an inversion in the flow during the cooling. The firing of pellets requires a minimum residence time in the sintering temperatures of the hematite grains [1]. The applied concept aims at raising this time to pellets located at the bottom of the bed which would provide an improvement in the physical quality of the product. The tests were carried out in a pot-grate type oven and the samples of fired pellets were divided into three aliquots according to the loading position of the pot termed top, middle and bottom, the pellets were sieved and subjected to physical tests and the compared to conventional indurating flow with the same ores and inputs. It was possible to show an increase of 7 to 8% in the compressive strength of the medium and bottom layers, maintaining the top layer results. The objectives of the research were achieved and the tests will be extended to assess the impacts on the mass and energy balance of the indurating machine and its components.

Oct 1, 2019

By Emanuelle Garcia Reis, Gustavo de Sousa, Rodney Pardo Alves

Gerdau Ouro Branco´s plate mill started the operation in 2016 with high level technology. In general, national and international plate markets are every day more rigorous about final product quality. Suppliers must be aware about dimensional accuracy, surface quality and flatness of the plates, independent of the quality standards. To guarantee the best service to this increasingly demanding and competitive market, it is extremely important to guarantee the original project conditions executing the right maintenance of the rolling mill main components. In order to maintain the product quality and avoid the production and maintenance cost increase, it is important to find ways to control the mill and the main process variables, through daily measurements of the equipment performance. This paper aims to present the influence of the main equipment variables that affect the mill operational stability and how to control and evaluate the mill performance.

Oct 1, 2019

By Hervé Thomasson

Siemens VAI has made an important Research & Development effort since 10 years on laser welder field. The last step of this program was in 2010, the evolution of its laser welder range by implementing the solid state technology with laser cutting and welding. Since this step, 8 welders were produced by Siemens VAI. Now after more than 1 year of industrial feedback, the results are showing a high level of performances on very demanding processing lines for a large range of products from Silicon steel to High Strength Steel with DP and TRIP grades. This laser welder concept using laser cutting and welding through solid state laser source is also proposed by Siemens VAI for pickling lines and tandem mills with significant advantages compared to standard solution.

Jul 30, 2018

By Mariana Carla Mendes Rodrigues

The present study deals with the effects of strain rate on the functional behavior of NiTi thin wires. The samples, in the austenitic condition at room temperature, were mechanically cycled 20 times by loading up to 6% strain followed by complete unloading, at 25°C. Four different quasi-static strain rates were assessed: 1x10-4, 1x10-3, 1x10-2 and 5x10-2s-1. The functional properties are described by means of critical stress to induce martensite, stress at maximum strain, energy dissipated per cycle and residual strain. The sensitivity of repeated cyclic deformation to strain rate is also analyzed in terms of phase stability. The results show that the fluctuation in the loading plateau, due to non-homogeneous transformation, increases with increasing strain rate. During cycling, it is observed that higher strain rates result in lower critical stress to induce martensite after the 5th cycle. However, the stress at maximum strain is higher at high strain rates, regardless the number of cycles. The accumulation of residual strain also increases with the strain rate due to the higher applied stress. During unloading, both the elastic deformation of stress-induced martensite and the reverse transformation seem to overlap at high strain rates. The dissipated energy behavior changes between the 1st and 20th cycle. No martensite is stabilized after training, but the intensity of the X-ray diffraction peaks of austenite increases with strain rate, as a result of stress relaxation.

Aug 17, 2017

By Patrick Hansert

Safety was always in the focus of Badische Stahlwerke, however at the same time productivity has to increase as well in order to compete in a tough world market. In 2015 BSW produced over 2.2 Mio tons with two EAFs, leading to tap-to-tap times in average of under 40 minutes. Our philosophy has always been, that our most important success factor are the people: therefore we have to improve the working conditions as much as we can. Starting in 2012 Badische developed a robot that can support this goal. The first step was to use it for temp/sample taking, but the unit had to become a multi-tasker. Only 2 years later the first automated cartridge changer was installed at a customer site in Scandinavia, in late 2015 then the next tool was implement: tool changer allows now to use also a camera to check the condition inside of the heat after tapping. More tools are designed currently and will be implemented shortly. This paper describes the current installations and experiences as future applications.

Aug 17, 2017

By Ronie Magno Pinheiro de Souza

A partir do segundo semestre de 2013, iniciou-se um período de maior dispêndio energético para o controle da resistência à compressão da pelota AFXX. A este problema somou-se o desafio de atingir elevados patamares de produção e chegar à produção nominal da usina. Desta forma, foi necessário fazer a partir de um complexo diagnóstico de todas as etapas do processo para encontrar a causa do problema e determinar a melhor forma de contorná-lo. Observou-se uma elevada geração de superfície específica granular somada à dificuldade de obter granulometria (-325#) na moagem, além da elevação da umidade do filter cake. Além disso, observou-se uma considerável elevação do PPC (perda por calcinação) no período, o que explica as constatações anteriores. Os objetivos do trabalho são avaliar os efeitos do aumento do PPC no pellet feed na produção da pelota AFXX e buscar explicação para a queda da resistência à compressão.

Aug 1, 2018

By Guilherme Vieira Braga Lemos

Uma superliga a base de Níquel, popularmente conhecida como Inconel 625®, foi estudada no presente trabalho. A Soldagem por Fricção e Mistura Mecânica (SFMM) aplicada a liga 625 foi realizada com velocidades de rotação da ferramenta entre 1200 a 200 rpm e velocidade de soldagem entre 1 e 1,5mm/s. O aporte térmico foi calculado como função dos parâmetros de soldagem empregados. Adicionalmente, análises metalográficas e de microdureza foram realizadas na seção transversal das juntas soldadas. A aplicação da soldagem no estado sólido foi efetiva e resultou em maiores valores de microdureza todas as juntas soldadas. Por outro lado, um aumento na velocidade de rotação causou um aumento do aporte térmico.

Aug 17, 2017

By Leiner Novaes Arêdes

Após o bobinamento com temperatura controlada, as bobinas são resfriadas até um valor próximo da temperatura ambiente para o processo de decapagem. Há uma bibliografia farta no que diz respeito à temperatura de bobinamento e seus efeitos nas propriedades mecânicas e na microestrutura do aço plano laminado a quente. Contudo, pouco se encontra sobre a influência das taxas de resfriamento pós bobinamento nas propriedades mecânicas e na microestrutura do aço, especialmente nas propriedades finais de materiais que são submetidos à laminação a frio e recozimento. O tempo médio de resfriamento com água é de dois dias. Já o tempo para resfriamento com ar é de sete dias. Estudou-se o efeito das referidas taxas na microestrutura e nas propriedades mecânicas para um determinado aço tanto após a laminação a quente como após a laminação a frio e recozimento.

Jul 30, 2018

By Jose Maria Rodriguez-Ibabe, Ronaldo Antonio Neves Marques Barbosa, Douglas Glenn Stalheim

Major costs in the production of both flat and long commodity grade structural steel products include alloy, labor and energy. Flat and long commodity grade structural steels such as ASTM A36, ASTM A527Gr50, S235, S275, S355 and other equivalent world societal standards represent over 500 million annual tons worldwide. These simple commodity grades consist of a minimum of three base common alloying elements, carbon, manganese, silicon and then can be supplemented with microalloying elements of either vanadium or niobium. Since 2016 raw material costs for two of the five alloying elements in these commodity grade structural steels, FeMn and FeV, have risen significantly and/or have become volatile making it difficult to maintain stability in profitability for these commodity grades. For steel plants producing hundreds of thousands and in some cases over a million tons annually of these common structural steel grades because of the significant alloy cost increase for Mn and V alloy additions has squeezed profitability of these grades. These grades typically represent the base loading for cost controls in most all steel plants and hence a significant cost increase or volatility in two of the five elements used for these grades having a negative effect on overall production costs. However, with a proper strategy for alloy designs working in conjunction with the mills existing processing capabilities to achieve the desired end metallurgy/mechanical properties, alloy costs and operational efficiencies can be realized.

Oct 1, 2019

By Jim Belous

Fluid Dynamic Modeling (FDM) was used to develop solutions how to eliminate the fugitive emissions from the meltshop building and to comply with the EPA “6% opacity from the furnace operations” rule. Secondary Emission Control (SEC) system performance was simulated by an inverted 1:96 scale Plexiglas model of the entire meltshop, utilizing the negative buoyancy effects of saline solution in water. Test results show that with the installation of the internal partition wall which separates furnace aisle from the caster aisle, significant improvement of the SEC system is achievable, thereby avoiding large expenditure for the expanding a fume collection system capacity.

Aug 17, 2017

By Pedro Augusto Silva de Lima

As ligas do sistema Cu-Al-Ni sofrem Transformações Martensíticas Reversíveis (TMR) e podem apresentar Efeitos Não Elásticos, incluindo o Efeito de Memória de Forma (EMF). Elas podem ser utilizadas nas diversas áreas e são promissoras para substituir ligas do sistema Ni-Ti. Neste trabalho foram estudadas três ligas distintas: monocristalina e policristalina Cu-Al-Ni e policristalina Cu-Al-Ni-Mn-Ti, dando atenção a análise da estrutura e comportamento mecânico, em seu estado inicial e após tratamento de betatização. Nas três ligas foram identificadas as fases martensitas ß1 e Y1e as fases R e ß1. A liga Cu-Al-Ni-Mn-Ti ainda apresentou o composto Cu2AlTi. Durante a deformação, as três ligas sofreram TMR, induzidas por tensão, com reorientação das fases envolvidas. O tratamento de betatização aumentou a plasticidade, sendo mais notável na liga policristalina Cu-Al-Ni. A liga Cu-Al-Ni-Mn-Ti se mostrou como a mais frágil, sofrendo a fratura antes de alcançar 10% de deformação. A liga monocristalina se mostrou a mais promissora para realizar EMF, revelando maior deformação armazenada no patamar de pseudoescoamento.

Aug 17, 2017

By Leandro de Arruda Santos, Lorena Isabela de Oliveira Ribeiro, Jéssica Dornelas Silva, Pedro Damas Resende, João Victor Lucas Amim, Suzanny Cristina Soares Martins, Vicente Tadeu Lopes Buono

Ligas com memória de forma de NiTi são frequentemente submetidas a esforços cíclicos durante suas aplicações, o que pode acarretar em fratura por fadiga. Entretanto, o comportamento em fadiga destas ligas ainda não é completamente compreendido. Neste trabalho foi realizada uma avaliação das propriedades mecânicas de fios superelásticos, antes e após tratamento térmico, por meio de ensaios de ciclagem mecânica uniaxial após submissão a diferentes frações da vida em fadiga por flexão. O tratamento térmico foi realizado a 400°C por 30 min, seguido de resfriamento em água. As fases foram identificadas por meio de difração de raios-x e as temperaturas de transformação foram determinadas por análise calorimétrica diferencial. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que fios austeníticos apresentaram comportamento superelástico durante toda sua vida em fadiga. Entretanto, o acúmulo de danos pôde ser notado como um aumento na tensão máxima atingida durante a ciclagem mecânica após ensaios até diferentes frações da vida em fadiga. Os fios tratados, por outro lado, passaram por deformações elásticas da martensita, caracterizando comportamento similar ao de fadiga de alto ciclo de materiais convencionais. Nestes fios, as tensões máximas atingidas se estabilizaram, indicando que o acúmulo de danos é desprezível se comparada aos fios superelásticos.

Oct 31, 2019

By Vitor Luiz Sordi, Gustavo Henrique Pelissari

O AISI201LN é um aço inoxidável austenítico com teor reduzido de Ni em relação aos tradicionais da série 300 e com adições de Mn e N como estabilizadores da austenita. Os aços da série 200 se propõem a substituir outros inoxidáveis em algumas aplicações com vantagem econômica pela redução do Ni, porém há pouca informação sobre o seu comportamento em temperaturas elevadas. Este trabalho avalia a resistência à tração do AISI 201LN na temperatura ambiente e na faixa de 500ºC a 800ºC e a resistência à fluência na temperatura de 700ºC. Observou-se que, comparado a outros inoxidáveis austeníticos, o material estudado tem resistência à tração comparável em temperatura ambiente e mantem boa relação ductilidade – resistência no intervalo de 500ºC a 800ºC. O aço AISI201LN apresentou desempenho em testes de fluência na temperatura de 700oC comparável ao de outros aços inoxidáveis austeníticos largamente utilizados para aplicações em altas temperatura, incentivando assim a ampliação dos estudos em outros intervalos de tensões e temperaturas.

Oct 21, 2019

By Joachiim Lehner

The application of post-combustion (secondary oxygen) to avoid skull formation on BOF lances was tested in industrial trials. The main findings are that no negative impact on the metallurgical targets (i.e. carbon, temperature and phosphorus at end of blow as well as iron–oxide in the slag) could be observed. The technology is capable of avoiding the buildup of lance skull and consequently increasing the average life of lance tips. The application of post-combustion not only affects the skull formation, there are also interactions with the refractory lining, especially thermal wear, and the utilization of the process gases (CO Recovery) that have to be considered. Special attention has to be paid to the parameters determining the use of secondary oxygen because rather small changes can strongly affect the points mentioned above. Since August 2016, the PCD (Post-CombustionDistributor) lances are used on a daily basis in the steelplant LD3 in Linz.

Oct 30, 2017

By Roman Vaynshteyn

In places where Blast Furnaces are usually located, climatic factors may be unfavorable. Raw materials may be exposed to e.g. rain during transport/storage, bringing moisture into the process with consequences for stability and hot metal cost. This paper describes a technology for drying and pre-heating pellets and coke in the stockhouse. It does not require additional handling or logistical equipment and does not introduce extra transfer steps and degradation. Not only can moisture content be reduced, it can be controlled to a stable level by the operator.

Aug 16, 2017

By Mario González Ramírez

The safe transport of sour gas requires steels with enhanced hydrogen induced cracking (HIC) resistance. Centerline segregation bands of high hardness microconstituents and non-metallic inclusions are the heterogeneities usually linked to HIC failures in pipeline steels. Full-scale production heats of a new low Mn, Nb microalloyed steel were produced by different steel mills aiming at the application in sour gas environments. The new alloy design provides both effective strengthening and control of sulphide inclusions. Coil microstructure consisted of fine grained ferrite with a small volume fraction of uniformly dispersed eutectoid aggregates. Most importantly the microstructure was uniform in both the longitudinal and transverse directions and exhibited exceptional consistency. Samples from this steel were submitted to HIC testing according to NACE standards TM0284-2003 without any sign of cracking. The results, so far, confirm that this new alloy design provides the unique opportunity to economically produce a high strength pipe steel grade with improved sour service resistance for the linepipe industry.

Aug 8, 2018

By Bernhard Hiebl

Global trends that are constantly challenging the iron and steel producers are related to worsening of the iron ore grades, higher substitution rates of main iron ores to cheaper raw materials due to economic pressure and increased environmental standards. Changing the raw materials in an operating plant can significantly influence the sintering or pelletizing process. Adjusting all process parameters to regain stable and high productive operation takes considerable time and causes production losses. Furthermore changes in raw materials lead to variations in the process gas flows and emission concentrations.Therefore SVAI developed two models for numerical simulation of sintering process and pelletizing process. Amongst others the models are based on Ergun equation and include chemical reactions of the related process. For already operating plants the simulations shall predict changes of the process parameters when raw materials are exchanged or when operational parameters are varied. Furthermore the simulations give advantageous information for the design of green field plants and allow the simulation of different plant configurations.The objective of this paper is to demonstrate what the latest developments are in these numerical simulations and what Siemens VAI is doing to overcome the remaining challenges in this field.

Aug 2, 2018