Furnaces International September 2022 by Quartz Business Media

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Furnaces International September 2022 www.furnaces-international.com 12 Editor: Nadine Tel:esmehorn@quartzltd.comproduction:SalesProductionzahraawan@quartltd.comTel:EditorialTel:nadinebloxsome@quartzltd.comBloxsome+44(0)1737855115Assistant:ZahraAwan+44(0)1737855038Editor:AnnieBakerManager/AdvertisementEsmeHorn+44(0)1737855136 PublishedManagingsubscriptions@quartzltd.comJackSubscriptions:HomewoodDirector:TonyCrinnionby:QuartzBusinessMedia Ltd, Quartz House, 20 Clarendon Road, Redhill, Surrey RH1 1QX, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1737 855000. Email: Furnaceswww.furnaces-international.comfurnaces@quartzltd.comInternationalispublished quarterly and distributed worldwide digitally © Quartz Business Media Ltd, 2022 TOLEDO ENGINEERING / TECOGLAS / ZEDTEC KTG ENGINEERING / KTG SYSTEMS / EAE TECH DESIGNING,www.teco.comBUILDING AND MODERNISING YOUR FURNACES, FOREHEARTHS AND FURNACE EQUIPMENT FURNACEYOURDESIGNING INDUSTRY NEWS FUEL FOCUS GLOBAL INNOVATION UTILISING www.furnaces-international.comEFFICIENCY SEPTEMBER 2022 C 8 36 FRONT COVER: Teco 4

International,

1 Furnaces International September 2022www.furnaces-international.com

COMMENTANDCONTENTSGLOBAL FURNACES 2 Global Furnaces News 4 RiA: Inside the company 6 FNA Don’t2022...beleftbehind 8 A new refractory solution to increase productivity LIFE OF A FURNACE 11 Life of a Furnace News 12 How to improve furnace efficiency with pulse firing 18 Keeping up with vacuum furnaces: Balancing what you want with what you need 22 Lowering aluminium melting operating costs GREENER FURNACES 28 Greener Furnaces News 30 Promising applications for the use of hydrogen in the glass industry 33 Hydrogen is not the answer for the glass industry 36 EAFs maintain BOF liquid quality

As always, the pages are filled with content covering everything from refractory solutions, greener technologies, improving efficiencies and event information for the upcoming Furnaces North TheAmerica.Furnaces

Welcome to the September issue of Furnaces ThereInternational.issomething very different about this issue and that is the fact that it is our only printed issue of the Withyear!somany

Nadine Bloxsome, Editor, Furnaces nadinebloxsome@quartzltd.com

live events filling our schedule once again, we didn’t want to miss out on any opportu nities to bring visitors and delegates at these events the latest in furnace technology news and updates. Hopefully this issue will whet your appetite for more and you can subscribe to receive all future issues in a free online format by checking out the details via the QR code below.

International team will be in attend ance in Indianapolis, as well as the glasstec and Aluminium Show events that are taking place in Dusseldorf, Germany at the end of September. Make sure to stop by the booths to collect your free issue and meet the team!

Hartmut Jaques, Head of the project department, said. “The Sorg Group trans formed the hot end process with minimal disruption and will continue to provide Ammat Glass with the support it needs to continuously monitor, analyse and improve efficiency throughout the furnace lifecycle.”

The board of directors of Befesa have appointed Javier Molina, currently chief executive officer, as executive chair of Befesa. The board has also established a Sustainability Committee, which will strengthen Befesa’s commit ment to sustainability as a key player in the circular economy and will review progress against Befesa’s sustainability plans on a quarterlyFive-yearbasis.Sustainable

Ammat Glass have chosen the Sorg Group to deliver a single source for its recent furnace rebuild. Nikolaus Sorg was responsible for the design and engineering of a new furnace. The furnace had to have a 140 m² melting surface and 450 tpd melt ing capacity for flint, green and amber glasses.Thefurnace incorporated Deep Refiner technology, which increased the residence time of the glass in the furnace to improve the glass quality. ARD regenerators were used to achieve the required regenerator height without high costs for civil work and con vert the former double pass regenerators to modern, highly efficient single pass regenerators.TwoIRDdoghouses were also installed to tackle the possible problems caused by batch carry-over into the

While Nikolaus Sorg led the furnace rebuild, EME improved the efficiencies and capacity of the batch house system. After auditing the batch plant, EME worked out a concept to upgrade the facility. The main goal was to increase the plant’s capacity and improve the dosing and weighing accuracies. SKS supervised the construction of the steelwork for the furnace rebuild and provid ed support with the refractory installation, with more than 100 workers present on-site at any one time. SKS also guided the heating and commissioning of the furnace.

Global Growth Plan (SGGP) : The global steel industry is undergoing major transformation to decarbonise its operations and meet carbon re duction targets for 2030 and 2050.

NEWSGLOBALFURNACE 2 Furnaces International September 2022

Ammat Glass chooses Sorg Group for turnkey solution regenerators. By combining the doghouses with the EME-NEND R2 chargers the sys tem is closed, avoiding energy losses and dust around the furnace. Nikolaus Sorg installed three 340S+ forehearths to supply three IS 12 section triple gob machines to increase production capacity, with the ability to add a fourth forehearth in the future. Boosting was also used throughout to assist with melting, ther mal barrier boosting and throat boosting.

Secondary, Electric Arc Furnace (EAF), steel production consumes around seven times less CO2 per ton versus primary Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) production. This is driving large-scale investments in EAF steel production globally, which is expanding the customer and volume base of Befesa’s envi ronmental services. Similarly, the trends in the aluminium industry towards decarbonisation and the rapid increase of the production of electric vehicles, are fuelling increasing demand for secondary aluminium and salt slags recycling in Europe, where Befesa plays a leading role. As a clear contribu tor to the decarbonisation of the steel and aluminium industries, Befesa’s environmental services to the low-carbon EAF steelmaking process and secondary aluminium producers will enable the tran sition to a low-carbon economy by expanding Befesa’s recycling capacity.Javier Molina, executive chair of Befesa, commented: “I am very excited about this new chapter for Befesa... Despite the current uncer tainty in the global economy, we have a solid business plan based on strong fundamentals. We be lieve that decarbonisation and the rise of electric vehicles will remain medium and long-term growth drivers and we are in a privileged position to be able to seize these opportunities in the markets that we know best. Befesa announces organisational changes to seize double-digit sustainable global growth opportunities

DESIGNED FOR PERFORMANCE. ENGINEERED FOR ENDURANCE. Our history spans 150 years of delivering countless innovations to propel the global glass industry forward. Nikolaus SORG has designed advanced furnaces with unrivalled performance and asset lifetime. EME has engineered batch and cullet processing technology to endure the most demanding production environments. SKS is the world leader in furnace rebuild and lifecycle services. Together, we form the SORG Group, and our new positioning line represents what the invincible power of three can do for our customers in the race to build a more efficient, more sustainable future. See how we are driving the industry forward. Visit us at glasstec 2022 – Stand B38, Hall 15. eme.de sorg.de sks.net

RiA are great supporters of the trends towards automation and data exchange across the industry and I believe this shows in the evolution of our product. There is no escaping that Cast Houses have the potential to be dangerous places to work. Our philosophy has been to remove the operator from potentially dangerous tasks by having autonomous, and as a minimum, automatic solutions. For example, in 1999 when we supplied our ﬁrst Rail Mounted Charging Machine, it was supplied with an operator cabin on board the machine, meaning the operator would drive the machine from the loading position, to the furnace to charge the scrap. Fast forward to today and we now utilise Fioscope Smart Camera Technology to automate this process. RiA’s Intelligent Camera’s monitor the progress of the scrap pile, as it melts. The Camera’s determine the earliest possible moment in which the Charging Machine can deliver the next charge. Through this, Autonomous operation is possible. In fact, we haven’t installed an operator cabin on board our Charging Machines since 2015! With the move of consumers and producers towards a more digitalised and green production, companies are working to achieve the best outcome, in the best way. Those behind the rapidly developing machinery face challenges, and successes all of which contribute to their past, present and future role in the industry; Furnaces International spoke to Michael Rockstroh*.

International

The following year we established RIA Cast House Engineering LLC as we saw the need to have a permanent presence in the USA to better serve the needs of our growing customer base and provide the highest level of service possible. This is the most obvious way in which we have grown the business both in terms of the number of employees but also our global presence.

www.furnaces-international.com

InsideRiA: the company COULD YOU GIVE US A BRIEF HISTORY OF RIA? RiA is a company that provides precision rail-mounted Cast House proven Charging and Skimming equipment for Aluminium Cast Houses worldwide. The design and development of all RiA Machines take reliability, durability, maintenance and occupational safety into account. RiA has supplied over seventy Furnace Charging and Skimming Machines, all rail-mounted and capable of Charging up to 30 Metric Tonnes in less than 90 seconds or Skimming a Furnace faster than a traditional Forklift Truck or wheeled Furnace Tending Vehicle, but with more repeatable results and without damaging the refractory lining. Key customers include Hydro, Constellium, Kaiser, Matalco and many others. Several clients have multiple Machines in the same Cast House or across multiple sites and territories. One client alone has implemented more than thirty RiA Machines in ten diﬀerent countries.

YOU PAY ATTENTION TO THE DEVELOPING INDUSTRY 4.0 TRANSITION, WHAT IS RIA’S OPINION ON THE TRANSITION?

*Managing director, RIA Cast House Engineering LLC

RiA was originally founded as Rackwitz Industrieanlagen GmbH, formed by my father Gerald Rockstroh who was formerly technical director of an Aluminium producer called VEB Leichtmetallwerk Rackwitz, which is today Hydro Aluminium Rackwitz. In 2018 I took over from my father who retired after many years in the industry. I had worked in the business for some time by this point and I took the decision to rebrand the business to RIA Cast House Engineering GmbH, with a sole focus on Autonomous Furnace Charging and Autonomous Furnace Skimming. With a renewed focus, this has enabled RiA to establish ourselves as the Industry leading supplier of rail mounted furnace tending equipment, building a reputation for robust and reliable technology.

FURNACESGLOBAL 4 WHAT CHANGES HAVE THERE BEEN AT RIA FROM 1997 (BEGINNING OF THE COMPANY) - 2022? HOW HAS THE COMPANY GROWN?

Furnaces September 2022

HAVE YOU ALSO DEVELOPED AUTONOMOUS SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR SKIMMING MACHINES?

Yes, RiA have worked with Fioscope for the last decade. Fioscope historically have supplied Camera systems to high temperature applications such as the glass industry. We ﬁrst used their camera’s in 2014 and since then have utilised them on our mission to automate Charging and Skimming Practices. In 2021 RiA became the exclusive supplier of Fioscope Camera Systems to the Aluminium Industry and in 2022, I also became Managing Director. Fioscope Cameras are an important part of our continued journey to provide Autonomous Furnace Skimming and Charging Machines to the aluminium Industry.

position control, it is possible to follow a pre-determined skimming pattern, lane-by-lane, to remove the dross from the Furnace, without contacting or damaging the refractory nor the need for an operator to be onboard the machine. However, the machine will skim the entire surface of the bath regardless of the location of the dross, or if the dross moves into an already clean and previously skimmed lane, the machine was eﬀectively blind and would not react. The solution was to install Smart Cameras on the Skimming Machine that have a view of the bath surface. The cameras identify the diﬀerence between dross and a clean surface and drive the skim blade to the location of the dross and remove it from the Furnace.

I see Fioscope growing to be an industry leader in supplying Smart Camera’s to automate processes. Smart Cameras reduce unnecessary door openings, shortening cycles and saving energy. These systems can increase safety and potentially avert accidents. Smart Cameras also allow the melt cycle to be optimised, ensuring charging can take place safely, at the ﬁrst opportunity. Furnace Monitoring Systems allow playback, trouble shooting and diagnostics. It is believed that in the future all new Furnaces will incorporate In-Furnace Cameras, we certainly think they should!

Yes, we saw a real need to remove the operator from the Skimming Process to address the historical issues with Furnace Skimming. Issues such as damage to the refractory lining through contacting with the Skimming Boom, and also the operator being exposed to the radiant heat from the furnace. In 2019 RiA Introduced Fioscope’s Smart Camera’s on board our Skimming Machines. The Camera’s are Air-Cooled to manage the radiant heat from the furnace, which typically operators would be exposed to. Camera images are relayed to the operator pulpit and the operator can watch the skimming cycle from a safe location, away from the furnace. RiA Skimming Machines had been capable of automatic skimming for some years. Through precise position sensing and WHAT ROLE DOES INDUSTRY 4.0 PLAY IN ASSISTING SUSTAINABILITY OF THE INDUSTRY?

WHERE DO YOU SEE RIA IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS?

FURNACESGLOBAL 5 Furnaces International September 2022www.furnaces-international.com

REGARDING FIOSCOPE, CAN YOU EXPLAIN YOUR RELATIONSHIP IN MORE DETAIL?

We believe it is key. Not only to protect operators but also to ensure plants are running at maximum efficiency. In relation to our machines, we believe automating the Charging and Skimming process is a key factor in ensuring the sustainable production of Aluminium. For example, if you load a furnace with a wheel loader, the furnace door will be open for long periods of time which loses both heat and energy from the furnace, and prolongs the overall melt cycle leading to a higher gas consumption. Our goal is to provide robust technology to Charge and Skim Furnaces in the most efficient and therefore sustainable manner. Our equipment can charge up to 30T of material into a furnace in less than 90 seconds. Minimising heat loss from the furnace and therefore reducing gas consumption and cycle time and optimising the efficiency of the Cast House.

I see RiA growing and cementing our place as the leading supplier to the Aluminium Industry of Fully Autonomous Rail Mounted Furnace Tending Equipment. We see two trends, the first being that furnaces are getting bigger in terms of capacity, and secondly that companies are looking to melt more post consumer scrap to lower the CO2 footprint of their finished product, which of course we fully support! We expect these trends to continue and even accelerate, meaning it is even more critical to have reliable, safe and efficient Furnace Charging and Skimming practices. As our customers want to charge higher scrap volumes in to larger furnaces, we will continue our growth to support them in this journey as the Industry moves towards a more sustainable future together.

ELEMENT #2: Business that CONNECTS The most active part of any FNA experience is the trade show. With over 125 top suppliers in every facet of heat treating, this is where the daily needs of heat treaters are fulﬁlled. On the show ﬂoor, heat treaters and suppliers connect to learn about each other, what heat treaters are challenged with, and how suppliers can solve those issues. FNA’s Expo is a must for any owner, GM, plant manager, or manager in maintenance, quality, or production. FNA 2022 encourages companies to bring your key management team to help introduce them personally to the new trends and technologies shaping the future of heat treating.

ELEMENT Networking#3:is EVERYTHING At FNA, attendees experience a set of exciting social functions that allow heat treaters and suppliers alike to connect with one another to discuss the new ideas they learn during the conference and trade show. They also share their daily experiences in dealing with issues like energy, employee recruitment/retention, maintenance, audit compliance, plant safety, and equipment purchases. FNA social events also help suppliers to get away from the trade show booth and listen to the heat treater’s needs in a more informal environment. This provides suppliers an opportunity to serve the heat treater better and develop products for their speciﬁc needs. Furnaces North America 2022 provides the networking, technical training, and business connection that heat treaters need to build a bright future within your operation. Mark your calendar now and take the opportunity to attend FNA 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana, October 3-5, 2022.

ELEMENT #1: Learning that LASTS FNA 2022’s technical conference, designed by a team of heat treaters and suppliers, has 35 key sessions focus on array sessions will be presented by experts in their ﬁeld of knowledge.

Furnaces North America 2022 (FNA 2022), presented by the Metal Treating Institute, in partnership with its media partner, Heat Treat Today, is the heat treating industry’s marquee event every other year. FNA 2022 will attract attendees from all across North America, including Fortune 500 companies. For three days attendees take part in networking, connections, and learning about the vast changes taking place on emerging technologies, industry trends, and advances in equipment.FNAShow Producer Tom Morrison states, “The 2020’s will provide unbelievable opportunity, but not without its challenges. Change is happening at such a rapid pace in today’s economy, both commercial and captive heat treat plants can’t aﬀord to miss a show like FNA 2022. Demographic shifts, emerging technologies, a shortage of workers, plant automation, and consumer buying habits are driving what is manufactured…when… and how. At FNA, leaders in heat treating companies can connect with the content, suppliers and executives that can deliver the solutions and ideas they need to thrive this decade.” The answers to your most pressing challenges in your heat treat operation is located at FNA 2022, either in technical sessions with suppliers you meet, at a booth with another heat treater that you connect with, or at one of the social events. FNA 2022 has three dynamic elements that will deliver the answers you and your team need to maximize your productivity, people resources, and proﬁts:

of technical issues including: � Maintenance � Equipment � Energy � Compliance � The Future � Quenching � Ferritic Nitrocarburizing � Productivity � Metallurgy � EachCleaningofthe35

Furnaces International September 2022 www.furnaces-international.com FNA 2022… Don’t be left behind

a wide

For meeting details and registration, www.FurnacesNorthAmerica.com.visit

that

FURNACESGLOBAL

+1-800-918-2600 | gcinfo@grancoclark.com | www.grancoclark.com Granco Clark’s Press Feed Systems Deliver! • Highly Efficient Log Heating • Precision Billet Cut Lengths • Complete Log Use • Iso-Pressure/Iso-Thermal Extrusion • Maximum Productivity Precision equipment in photo: • Hot-Jet Furnace • Hot Billet Saw • Fusionbond • Taper Quench

FURNACESGLOBAL 8 Furnaces International September 2022 www.furnaces-international.com

We spoke to Sebastien Duguet*, who explains how ALKON® SOL CAST HT is helping customers save time after relining and repair work.

A new refractory solution to increase productivity

Once the liquid aluminium has melted, the contact areas inside – the hearth, the ramps, the sill, the bath walls – face combination of flame impact & thermal shocks, mechanical wear, and corundum growth, that is when aluminium alloys react with the refractories and destroy them. So, customers rely on a special product for protection, and ALKON® SOL CAST HT is pushing the limits the process operation can achieve.

There are four phases. First, the customer needs two or three days to cool down the furnace to a temperature where they can safely enter the area, then to remove the faulty or damaged part. Third, they cast or install new products. Finally, they have to dry it all by heating the furnace back up.

*Aluminium Market Manager for Calderys

Calderys is an expert in specialty bricks, refractory monolithics and casting, with a comprehensive portfolio to support customers in many sectors. For aluminium customers – and secondary remelters particularly – a new product is tackling a long-term problem of o perating in environments.harsh

ALKON® SOL CAST HT is ideal for harsh environments where the refractory operates in extremely hot temperatures – greater than 1200°C. Generally, the customer that ticks the box will be a secondary aluminium producer – those who re-melt aluminium scraps to make new products. Customers that are mainly melting very corrosive alloys with a high level of magnesium, with high melting rates, heavy charge and heavy skimming tools.

It’s a long process and Calderys’ product goes some way to resolving frustrating and costly restart delays. CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE MAINTENANCE PROCESS?

WHO ARE YOUR TARGET CUSTOMERS FOR ALKON® SOL CAST HT? Typically, the maintenance work involves replacing some parts of the refractory lining. The most common repairs are to the sill – the bottom part of the opening, where you are charging the material - and the ramp next to it. Sometimes, repairs are needed to the hearth or on the walls or spout.

Customers want to get their production back up and running as quickly as possible. They can’t reduce the time it takes to cool the furnace, they can’t save time on demolition and they can’t change the time it takes for installation. The only stage where you can save time is the dry out – and that’s the tricky part for refractory monolithics.

HOW EXACTLY DOES ALKON® SOL CAST HT HELP?

Some customers might be able to divert production to another line, but for those who can’t, they are not producing at all. Depending on the size of the furnace, the loss per day could be as much as €20,000.

FURNACESGLOBAL 9 Furnaces International September 2022www.furnaces-international.com

Customers can make substantial savings to their bottom line not only by reduc ing the time it takes to make repairs, but by choosing a product that will extend the lifetime of the critical area of their equipment. Also, less gas is wasted for the simple reason that the heating-up and dry out period with such a product is only two days, rather than six days for the standard.

SO THIS MAY ENCOURAGE MORE PRODUCERS TO SWITCH FROM BRICKS TO MONOLITHICS?

A standard cement-bond monolithic repair solution - needing 5-tonne or 10-tonne monolithic - might take ten days, but ALKON® SOL CAST HT can save five days while delivering a high quality performance. And that’s key for secondary aluminium producers with only half of production loss. For medium or large repairs, or emergency repairs, time is of the essence.

Calderys is a leader in monolithics in the aluminium industry, with a range of 50 products dedicated to the aluminium alloys KONtact, under the umbrella name ALKON. We have a deep understanding of the corrosion of aluminium alloys on refracto ries that was built over the past four decades. We had already mastered the use of non-wetting systems and we wanted to develop a product that would solve the issue of working in high temperatures while keeped protected from the destructive corrundum growth. ALKON SOL CAST HT can work up to 1600°C It was a long process – almost four years. We finally selected a product and then carried out more than 15 trials, starting in March 2021, with recognised players in this market. They all had interests in different benefits. One needed something strong and resilient, another needed something that could be installed and dried out quickly, one was sensitive to the high tempera ture and corrosion resistance, another valued the speed it offered, but was less concerned about the corrosion resistance. Over 15 months, we did more than 140 tonnes of industrial testing. The feedback from customers was all positive. In fact, we didn’t need to make any changes to the product after the pilot. And those customers we piloted it with have come back to us to use it for their other furnaces. We are really pleased to have added this to our ALKON® range. It’s not intended to be one product to replace others, but it should be used in conjunction.

A patent was filed in December 2021 and ALKON® SOL CAST HT launched commercially in April 2022. CAN YOU SUMMARISE CALDERYS’ DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF ALKON® SOL CAST HT?

A normal solution would take six days to dry, because most monolithics are cast with water that takes time to evacuate without risking an internal failure of the material. But ALKON® SOL CAST HT uses a sol binder, which means the cast can heat up quicker from 200 degrees to 700 degrees, and it’s dry between 24 to 48 hours later.

Yes, producers can take advantage of the characteristics of monolithics. In secondary melting furnaces, the usage of phosphate bonded bricks is still largely used. The main reason is that up to now monolithic products were losing their corrosion perfor mance after being exposed to the high temperatures of a melting furnace, up to 1600°C with the impact of burner flames. The “P-bond” bricks were therefore keeping a technical advantage over monolithic solutions, even the best ones, in harshest melters. This is no more the case with ALKON® SOL CAST HT, and thus you can combine the best of bricks and monolithics. So it is seen as an advantage that monolithics can propose large panels – of 1.5 meters squared, for example – and there by reduce the number of joints in contact with the liquid aluminium, providing more stability, as there are fewer joints, which means less infiltration and less exposed edges and less risk of early degradation. Other known advantages of monolithics are the shorter lead time, superior hot mechanical strength, easier installation as well as higher freedom in lining design. Last but not least, ALKON® SOL CAST HT is borrowing other usual benefits of bricks: longer shelf life and of course the higher speed to heating-up.

HT –

AND INNOVATIVE? advancedenergy.cominfo@aei.com SCR power controllers and non-contact temperature sensors by Advanced Energy for improved process control and energy efficiency in every step of glass manufacturing OPTIMIZED MANUFACTURINGGLASS through controlledtemperatureprocesses Visit our booth at D31glasstechall15

There are refractory products that work at a high temperature with aluminium – but on bricks or ram ming mix. This is the first product for monolithics that brings with him all the best of monolithics: superior mechanical strength, ease of installation There are refractory monolithics that work with aluminium with fast dry out - but on chemical bonds with low service temperature, 1250°C There is nothing like ALKON SOL CAST it combines the best of brick in MAKES UNIQUE

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one product. WHAT

monolithic and

ALKON® SOL CAST HT

FURNACESGLOBAL

The melters will have the capacity to produce 150 to 200 metric tonnes of glass per day, which makes them the largest all-electric furnaces for food packaging in the world. The melter design has been formulated based on Fives significant electric melting operational experience.

“Adding new melt shop capacity will help meet the growing demand for steel bar products in the Western region, which is one of the fastest growing areas in the US.”

Wire rod and rebar are used primarily in concrete reinforcement for the construction of roads, buildings, bridges and more. Nucor produces steel by recycling scrap metal into new steel prod ucts, making the company one of the most sustainable steel producers in the world. Last year, Nucor steel bar products averaged 98.5% recycled content.

Nucor Steel is adding a new electric arc fur nace melt shop at its existing bar mill in King man, Arizona, the company has announced. According to a press release, the melt shop, which will have the capacity to produce 600 kt annually, is expected to be operation al by 2024 and hopes to create approximate ly 140 new “Nucor’sjobs.expansion and resulting highwage jobs will greatly contribute to the

Alexandre Brusset, Fives’ Vice-President of Glass, said: “This is a milestone project for the packaging glass industry. This cost-effective technology is the only proven solution available to significantly decarbonise the glass indus try, and Fives is proud to share its expertise and experience with Verallia to electrify the Cognac plant.”

NEWSLIFEOFAFURNACE 11 Furnaces International September 2022www.furnaces-international.com

Verallia is investing in the electrification of its Cognac plant in France with all-electric melting technologies provided by Fives.

Patrice Lucas, CEO of Verallia, said: “I am very pleased to announce this excellent news as a priority to the employees of our Cognac site. Electric furnaces of such capabilities have never been implemented in France, or even in Europe, for food packaging glass and we are very proud to be pioneer in this area.”

economic prosperity of our city and region,” said Kingman mayor Jen Miles. “Their investment adds to Kingman’s growing manufacturing base and in doing so, will create exciting new oppor tunities for our citizens.”

Forglass, one of the leading European suppliers of furnaces and batch plants, was chosen by the environmentally conscious investor because of the compa ny’s reputation for unparalleled quality, as well as engineering prowess.

Nucor chose to build a new melt shop at Nucor Steel Kingman, which is rolling mill that con verts steel billets into coiled wire rod and rebar. The mill currently employs about 80 people.

“This investment in a new melt shop at our Arizona bar mill is part of our strategy to grow our core steelmaking business and will help us maintain our market leadership position in steel bar production,” said Leon Topalian, president and chief executive officer of Nucor Corporation.

Global glass bottle packager Verallia signed a strategic partnership with industrial engineer ing group Fives to reduce carbon emissions through all-electric melting technologies.

This new investment is part of Verallia’s strategy to modernise production capabilities with a view to long-term growth, particularly in France, the historical birthplace of Verallia.

The project includes design and supply of Prium E-Melt cold-top vertical melters, one of the most advanced technologies available to significantly reduce CO2 emissions at the plant level.

“Nucor’s significant expansion in Kingman adds to the surge in manufacturing activity in Mohave County while supporting construction and other high-value industries,” said Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “We are grateful for Nucor’s commitment to Arizona, adding hundreds of high-wage jobs in rural Arizona and driving further economic growth.”

The new furnace, based on technology developed by Forglass (with full au tomation and safety systems, including gas supply), will deliver over 400 tons of glass per day to three forehearths, also designed, manufactured and installed by Forglass starts construction of Ardagh furnace

Fives

Verallia to electrify Cognac plant in partnership

The development is fully in line with Verallia France’s intention to fulfil its environ mental commitments made at the group level, targeting a 46% reduction in its CO2 emissions by 2030 to limit global warming to 1.5°C (scopes 1 and 2) and reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Forglass has begun construction of a 400 tpd furnace for Ardagh Glass Packag ing in Wyszków, Poland.

Forglass.Theinnovative technology ensures that the new furnace will be more environmentally friendly due to lower energy consumption and lower emis sion of greenhouse gases Nucor announces $100m facility expansion

The Goals and Benefits of Pulse Firing

By Asael Hervet-Binois*

Furnaces International September 2022 www.furnaces-international.com

How to improve furnace efficiency with pulse firing

One of the goals of industrial burner systems is to be able to change the heat output depending on process needs. In traditional modulating systems, the burners are always firing at greater or lesser intensities. On the other hand, the burners in a pulse firing system are not fired constantly. Rather, they are “pulsed” repeatedly in an ON/OFF or high-fire/low-fire cycle. For example, the burners can fire at a high level for a specific timeframe, and then cycle to a lower level — or turn off entirely — depending on the application’s needs. Pulsing the burners in this way offers several advantages. For one, it maximises air circulation and homogenises the heat within the furnace, which in turn improves the system’s efficiency while minimising fuel consumption. Specifically, this boost in effi ciency comes from maximising the ratio of heat transfer to fuel consumption: pulsing the burner creates turbulence/airflow in the combustion chamber, distributing the heat and creating a more efficient heat transfer into the load you’re trying to heat. This superior heat distribution also reduces the amount of NOx, improving emissions.

Improving productivity while reducing fuel consumption and emissions are high pri orities for industrial furnace, oven and dryer manufacturers. Because such equipment often heats in-process materials to very high temperatures — sometimes upwards of 1,600°C (2,912°F) — they need a lot of fuel to operate, driving up costs and compli cating a plant’s emissions goals. Due to the sheer size of the equipment, optimising energy and reducing emissions even by a few points can be significant. Fortunately, you can meet your productivity, fuel consumption and emissions goals with the right industrial burner system design and control strategy. Implementing a burner control strategy known as pulse firing, for example, can reduce fuel consump tion, improve temperature uniformity within the combustion chamber, lower nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions and achieve a better, more efficient Turndown Ratio.

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*Product Marketing Manager — Combustion Systems at Emerson Automation Solutions

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Figure 4: A configuration consisting of three solenoid gas safety shutoff valves, one of which is a smaller valve for low firing.

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Figure 8: ASCO Series 290D valve conﬁgurations.

Figure 2: This theoretical example explores how increasing pulse speed increases heat.

Figure 6: ASCO Series 158 Gas Valve and Series 159 Motorised Actuator.

Other beneﬁts of pulse ﬁring include: Fuel savings. The temperature uniformity within the chamber improves system productivity and reduces the amount of fuel required. In fact, fuel consumption can decline by as much as 20–30 percent when upgrading a traditional industrial burner system to a pulse firing system. Less emissions. Because of the heat uniformity and superior convection, pulsing the burners lowers the excess air level within the combustion chamber, reducing the amount of NOx that is emitted. When air gets really hot — usually 1,300°C (2,600°F) — the oxygen starts to bind with nitrogen to form NOx. Pulsing enables more efficient heat transfer, meaning the burner is ON less, cutting down on the NOx. Homogenising the heat within the furnace also reduces these NOx-forming zones.

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Figure 1 and ﬁgure 2: This theoretical example explores how increasing the time of each pulse increases heat.

Higher Turndown Ratio. Pulse firing increases the system’s Turndown Ratio, which is a comparison of the highest and lowest output of the burner. Changing the duty cycle maximises this ratio, while adjusting the temperature achieves different heat

Figure 5: A double motorised gas valve, or monoblock, with integrated settable low-ﬁre.

Figure 3: A conﬁguration with two gas solenoid safety shutoﬀ valves and one modulation valve.

Figure 7: Two air-operated, fast-opening safety shutoﬀ valves with long service life.

PULSE FIRING CONTROLS Pulse firing relies entirely on the system’s controller. However, many pre-programmed controls available on the market must convert temperature signals from the controller into the valve pulsing speeds. Another option is to use a burner management system with a programmable logic controller (PLC) or distributed control system (DCS) — a solution that offers greater control flexibility, as well as options to intelligently utilise the system data. Keep in mind, however, this option requires some programming skills and knowledge about industrial burner safety — e.g., approvals and directives like EN 298, UL, FM, CSA, EN 746-2 and NFPA 86.

outputs, ensuring the burner only uses what it needs for the process. Because it improves a system’s efficiency, pulse firing is therefore a good way to upgrade burners that were not originally designed for a high Turndown Ratio. Traditional systems typically have a Turndown Ratio often between 2:1 and 10:1. Combined with the proper settings, pulse firing methods based on high-fire/ low-fire cycles can usually achieve a Turndown Ratio of 20:1, while ON/OFF pulsing cycles can achieve an infinite Turndown Ratio as long as you change the duty cycle as needed. Changing the duty cycle — which is the ratio between how long the burner is on versus how long it is off — will adjust the burner’s heat output. For example, a duty cycle of 75 percent means the burner is on 75 percent of the time and off 25 percent of the time. For example, if the considered period is 10 seconds long, then the burner is on for 7.5 seconds and off for 2.5Ultiseconds.mately, what is important is the duty cycle during a specific timeframe. Pulsing at a faster rate increases the ON time during the timeframe. You can also maintain the same interval between pulses but keep the burner ON longer, or you can maintain the same interval and the same ON time but change how multiple burners coordinate with each other so that they fire more at the same time. Greater flexibility. Pulse firing systems are easy and flexible to control, requiring a controller to modify the cycling speeds and achieving quick heating and cooling effects in furnaces. In applications with many burners, this setup improves flexibility by allowing you to have different zones with different temperatures.

The high number of cycles required by safety shutoff valves means more frequent maintenance, increasing installation costs. For these reasons, it’s important to select reliable valve units that offer a long service life. Reducing your fuel consumption via pulse firing will also offset some of the maintenance costs. Fuel gas solenoid safety shutoff valve

High-Fire to Low-Fire Pulsing Cycles Ideal for multi-burner applications, pulse firing requires specific configurations to work properly. For example, in scenarios involving high-fire to low-fire pulses, you can apply three different installation strategies, all of which can achieve a Turndown Ratio close to 20:1 with the proper setting. The first strategy is to use a modulation valve after two gas safety shutoff valves on each burner. As represented in Figure 3, this configuration requires three key elements: two safety shutoff valves before the burner, as well as a modulation valve — typically a butterfly valve with a servo motor — where the position is set using signals from the controller. You can also deploy a modulation valve on the burner’s air line with a pneumatic or mechanical link to the fuel line. Moving the modulation valve therefore moves the flow of the fuel line and maintains a defined air/fuel ratio. In terms of benefits, this configuration is very flexible, offering different set points that can be controlled via input to the servo motor.

A second strategy is to deploy a smaller safety shutoff valve for low firing — a configuration that cycles between high and low firing using a larger and smaller valve, respectively. As depicted in Figure 4, high firing occurs when the first two valves are open while the third valve remains closed. To switch to low firing, the controller needs to close the second valve and open the third valve, which is smaller. This configuration lets you switch quickly between high firing and low firing, as solenoid valves have very fast response times compared to servo motors. This configuration is also simple and cost-effective to deploy and requires only ON/OFF signals.

CONSIDERINGCOSTSMAINTENANCE

The third strategy is to use a motorised, double safety shutoff valve with HIGH/ LOW/OFF capabilities. This configuration, which cycles between high firing and low firing, can consist of two safety shutoff valves combined in one body — also called a monoblock (see Figure 5). It can also include a motorised actuator with optional low firing options (see Figure 6).

Monoblocks consist of one valve body but combine two valves within the block. Each valve is piloted by an independent motorised actuator to ensure greater safety and redundancy. You can also select an optional low firing switch on the second actuator to stop the valve stroke at a defined position — e.g., a certain percentage of the stroke. To optimise flow, a profiled linear disc can accompany the second valve piloted by the second actuator.Thisstrategy offers several advantages. For one, you only have to install one product, saving valuable space and installation time. Monoblock units — such as the ASCO™ Series 158 and 159 combination — also offer up to two-times the flow as other motorised valves on the market, and up to four-times the flow as other solenoid valves on the market, thus achieving higher heat output.

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CONTACT US NOW: Esme Horn Sales Manager +44 (0) 1737 esmehorn@quartzltd.com855136 Nadine Bloxsome Editor, Furnaces International +44 (0) 1737 nadinebloxsome@quartzltd.com855115 Zahra Awan Editorial Assistant +44 (0) 1737 zahraawan@quartzltd.com855038 WWW.FURNACES-INTERNATIONAL.COM SIGN UP TODAY TO RECEIVE YOUR FREE COPY Furnaces International brings readers a selection of technical features focusing on all aspects of the international furnaces market, as well as industry news, investments, and the latest products and projects Published quarterly in a digital format, Furnaces International and the new monthly newsletter, are sent to the inbox of over 25,000 industry professionals. As publishers of Aluminium International Today, Steel Times International and Glass International, we are able to compile this knowledge and bring you the latest developments on: • Energy Eﬃciency • Hot Repairs • Maintenance • Heat Treatment • Thermal Processes • Testing and Measurement Look out for the December issue which contains The Furnaces International Buyers’ Guide. It is the essential guide to furnace manufacturers and suppliers of furnace equipment and services to the industrial heating/process industry.

In addition to pulsing the burners through high-fire/low-fire cycles, pulsing systems can switch the burner from a high-fire position to the OFF position. To regulate the heat, the controller needs to change the duty cycle by changing the time between the pulses — i.e., pulse faster or slower — or by changing the length of time the burner is ON for each pulse. The longer the burner is ON, the higher the heat output. With this logic, there is a theoretical infinite Turndown Ratio.

ON/OFF Pulsing Cycles

The controls for ON/OFF pulsing cycles are simple, and you can define different control programs depending on the batches or specific processes that might require different temperatures. This configuration (Figure 7) requires only two valves placed before the burner. The units should incorporate a durable construction, as they will likely be intensely and repeatedly cycled. Some applications, for example, may demand cycles every 10 seconds or less. Due to these very short time frames between the cycles, the valves must also have a very fast response time. One example of a valve that fits the bill is the ASCO Series 290D (see Figure 8).

These EN161-certified, air-operated units feature very fast cycling times — less than 200 microseconds (ms). Tested to 5 million cycles under lab conditions, they also offer a long service life. And, units feature stainless steel actuators to better withstand tough environments, as well as several signaling options for providing feedback to the controller.Inshort, pulse firing will operate your burners close to their most efficient firing point, creating ideal combustion conditions that will maximise heat transfer and mini mise both fuel consumption and emissions. � To learn more about pulse firing, please visit: www.Emerson.com/combustion.

Somethanaresolutionsclearerothers. For 75 years, HFT has developed a reputation as a leading EPC contractor to the global glass industry. What you might not know is in that time, HFT has completed over 300 EPC projects in 47 countries for Float Glass, Container Glass, Fiberglass, and more. Whether it’s a greenfield glass factory in a far corner of the globe or a major facility reconfiguration just up the road, HFT has consistently delivered quality, efficient, and innovative project solutions. This performance, plus our commitment to customer satisfaction makes us the clear single-source choice to take your next project from concept to completion. Your vision. Our expertise. The perfect partnership. www.hft.com | info@hft.comBooth C48-1 / Hall 13

Figure 1: Maximum permissible leak rates (Source: AMS2769 Table 4)

Keeping up with vacuum furnaces: Balancing what you want with what you need

You can’t always get what you want. With frequently changing speciﬁcations and a volatile economy, what heat treaters want is always evolving. But what they need changes too.

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By Steven Christopher*

Steven Christopher of Super Systems, Inc. discusses how to balance what vacuum furnace operators NEED and what they WANT. Is the diﬀerence between those two things too great? I love metaphors and think of vacuum furnaces as automobiles. As an owner, the goal is to keep our cars on the road for 100,000 + miles — and why not the same for furnaces? Accomplishing this feat requires the same in both cases: (1) routine maintenance — literally changing oil and (2) addressing warnings before they become problems — such as check engine lights or vacuum leaks. The similarities stop there, however, with a key difference in how each is upgraded. In the near future, if you want a self-driving vehicle you will have no choice but to turn in the keys of your 10-year-old sedan and buy a shiny new Tesla, opting for the autonomous driving upgrade. But what about your vacuum furnace? As the industry releases all these new standards and specifications, do we also need a newer furnace? Or can we retrofit what we have? That answer is complicated because so much is influenced by what we WANT versus what we NEED. Day-to-day production shapes what we want. We learn from both experiences and failures, shaping features we want to improve operations, customer experience, and reduce rejected work. Specifications and customers drive what we need. Most recently AMS2750F (and 2769C) have been revised and place a burden on operating aging equipment while maintaining compliance. Before these, NFPA86 was modified in 2019 — improving furnace design and safety “best practices.” These requirements levy real costs in terms of both hardware investment and increased labor (additional quality employees). We are expected to perform additional labor with the same workforce; however, the reality is that a worsening domestic labor shortage often means we are doing more work with even fewer people. This article navigates this delicate balance, maximising each investment dollar’s impact while reducing our reliance on labor.

This article has been provided by Heat Treat Today.

Furnaces International September 2022 www.furnaces-international.com

*West Coast Operations Manager, Super Systems, Inc.

� Section 3.2.3.2 requires decimal precision for thermocouples (AMS2750F) � Section 3.2.4.1.2 outlines leak-up rate requirements � Section 3.3.1 reviews partial pres sure and dew point requirements � Section 3.5.2.1 addresses permissi ble outgassing � Section 3.5.3 covers load thermo couples

processed.Historically this requires an operator to initiate a cycle, stop the evacuation (pumping), then document the begin ning and ending vacuum levels by hand. While simple, this requires both time and attention, preventing any operator from performing other tasks.

1. Automatic gas type compensation 2. Digital communications of vacuum levelsThermocouple (or pirani) vacuum sensors estimate the heat emitted from a heating filament within the sensor. This measurement represents an exact vacuum level, though the gaseous media separating the filament from the measur ing tip influences the reading (thermody namics heat transfer). This phenomenon (represented in Figure 2) explains why nitrogen and argon result in very different vacuum estimates.

As an example, consider a vacu um furnace operating under nitrogen partial pressure. The vacuum instrument correctly displays 200 microns (refer to the AIR curve). Now consider the same cycle, only the operator introduces argon. The display now incorrectly displays (and controls to) 200 microns; however, the furnace is truly operating closer to 100 microns (refer to the ARGON curve). Historically vacuum signals have trans mitted a 0-10vdc analog signal represent ing the vacuum level. As with all analog signals, error is introduced by both the accuracy of the instrument generating the signal as well the recorder interpret ing it. This error is mitigated by routine

Perhaps the most talked about change is the requirement of thermocouples to record to a tenth of a degree. It is important to distinguish the difference between a temperature controller and re corder. Section 3.2.3.2 does not require a furnace to control with decimal precision, only record to it. However, best practice lends itself to controllers supporting this ability as well. (Figure 1) Exposure to oxygen at elevated tem peratures is detrimental to part metallur gy, be it aesthetics or integrity. Leak-up rates are so important because they prove such exposure is eliminated (or sig nificantly reduced). AMS2769C attempts to mitigate this exposure by standardising the best practices for performing such tests. Leak-up rate tests are required weekly for (minimum) 15 minutes. Table 4 identifies a maximum allowable leakup rate based on the material being

Section 3.5.3 details placement and requirements for load thermocouples. Assuming load thermocouples are required, runs may be rejected should thermocouples fail below the minimum processing temperature. Disconnected control systems monitor load thermo couples using a recorder separate from the ramp/soak controller. This compli cates the control system’s ability to alert operators to such failed conditions — the recorder not knowing which thermocou ples are required. (Figure 2)

What We Need It becomes impossible to completely ad dress such large specifications in a short article, so let me highlight a few impor tant considerations from AMS2769C:

Figure 3: (Photo credit: AMS2769 Section 3.3.1.1)

AMS2769C progresses to cover partial pressure. Partial pressure has been auto mated for years with minimal changes to control mechanisms, though some have replaced solenoid valves with mass flow controllers (MFCs). System upgrades should strongly consider automatic gas type compensation and digital communi cations of vacuum levels.

AMS2769C proceeds by addressing outgassing, requiring ramp/soak control lers to either be placed in hold or disable the heating elements if the vacuum level exceeds (1) the partial pressure target or (2) diffusion pump operating range. Aging controllers require well-trained operators, constantly monitoring vacuum instrumentation and manually adjusting the controller. This introduces potential for operator error, again limiting their ability to perform other tasks.

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NOTE: Thermocouple gauges operate in vacuum ranges where enough gas molecules remain (e.g., in excess of 1 micron) to influence this reading; unlike cold cathode sensors which operate under complete vacuum, excluding them from such compensation. Figure 2: (Photo credit: Televac MM200 User Manual)

calibrations — often aligned with temper ature uniformity survey (TUS) schedules. Modern control systems replace such signals with vacuum instrumentation sup porting digital communications, eliminat ing error in the process. As a bonus, the reduction in calibration points reduces time when performing calibrations. Such systems may even automatically compen sate thermocouple sensors resolving the sensitivity of thermocouple sensors to multiple gas types. (Figure 3)

AMS2769C references other spec ifications, namely AMS2750 and the Compressed Gas Association (CGA). CGA establishes minimum requirements ensur ing inert gas quality. In addition to sup plier certification, gas quality is proven by dew point. All gasses have a dew point, with outside air relatively high (e.g., +50°F) and inert gas very low (e.g. -100°F). Purchasing supplier certified gas results in a facilities bulk storage tank having a very low dew point, with any leaks in gas delivery system (pipe threads, fittings, etc.) resulting in a less negative dew point. The concept that dew point can only raise once exiting the storage tank illustrates the importance of sampling “as the gas enters the furnace” — measurements taken upstream fail to detect leaks downstream. The intensity of this increase directly correlates to the amount of air (oxygen) entering the gas supply, compromising the gas purity, which as previously discussed negatively impacts the parts being processed. Prov ing a dew point below -60°F proves the inert gas mostly free of oxygen. Measure ments have long been a manual process; an operator samples gas using a portable sensor and records the findings in an entry log. Modern systems seamlessly integrate dedicated sensors continuously sampling gas quality which alert upon compromised gas. What We Want This article’s first draft opened this section listing a handful of features — that was November. Fast forward three calendar months (what feels like an entire year), it is now January, and priorities have changed. Three months ago we wanted features, now we just want parts. The growing supply chain disruption is feeling less temporary and more perma nent. This final draft opens with availa bility. Any upgrades should factor both (1) component lead-time and (2) their flexibility. Lead-time should focus not just on immediate project delivery, but the long-term availability of the product. Is it in its infancy? Or near the end of its life? What is the current lead-time and strategies to maintain inventory? Flex ibility should focus on limitations of the product. Is it limited to specific applica tions? Or can it be used in other equip ment? Flexibility paired with planning results in standardisation. Keeping with the automobile theme, standardisation is what made Henry Ford’s Model T so special. Standardisation reduces on-site spare parts, as the same component can be installed in many locations. Standardisation should be a primary focus when pur chasing programmable logic controllers (PLCs), vacuum instruments, and temperature controllers. (Figure 4) As if the supply chain worries are not enough, the U.S. faces a labor shortage projected to worsen over the next decade. This highlights another late edition to this article, stressing the importance that any upgrade consider the availability of the most important resource: people. New furnaces and upgrades alike (like it or not) develop a co-dependence between multi ple parties. This relationship may be inter nal, between operations and engineering; or external, between an end-user and a

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Figure 4: Projected US labor deficit (Photo Credit: US Department of Labor)

supplier. No matter the specific situation, all parties should discuss availability and access to information. Failure to discuss this early on is often exacerbated, espe cially when upgrades are performed by a supplier who is considered (1) unrespon sive or slow to respond and (2) unwilling to share information. Purchase orders should document expectations in terms of deliverables (PLC logic, schematics, etc.) and support. This third paragraph was that ill-fated November draft’s first. Today’s buzzword, the Internet of Things (IoT). As we are well on our way to the quarter mark of the 21st century, we have all become accustomed to a lot of quickly accessible information. Why should vacuum furnace recorders not meet the same lofty expec tations? Control system upgrades should be capable of recording information and displaying it in an easily retrievable format. Recorded data should expand beyond the required process data into the status of the furnace itself (valve position, state of limit/thermal/vacuum switches, motor status, etc.). Such data can be evaluated post-mortem to troubleshoot a failed production run’s root cause of the failure. Advanced systems should be able to notify personnel of issues via email or textOftenmessaging.theinformation gathered above is passed into a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) System. This system must meet industry compliance for data integrity and security. As every

Summary: Have a Plan Modern controllers consolidate a furnace’s self-contained subsystems (vac uum, load thermocouples, valve control, etc.) into a singular control system. This provides the transparency necessary for the controller to alert operators or place itself on hold when necessary. The outcome is operators require less time monitoring the subtleties of produc tion, meaning they focus their time on more urgent tasks. A happy by-product becomes the natural progression of data (the recorded values from all these subsystems) into information (meaningful, document values presentable to custom ers, reviewable by auditors, or referenced for troubleshooting).

How Do We Get There?

Control systems should be sourced with an evolution plan in place; compliant solutions today in no way assure com pliance tomorrow. Suppliers should be asked their plan for AMS2750G, H, and I? Doing so positions you to make large investments once, then grow hand-inhand with the industry rather than fight it every time it changes.

Resurrecting the automobile analogy which opened this article, have you ever wondered why so many people love Jeep Wranglers (and I realise Jeep could easily have been Harley Davidson or a new home purchase)? The reason is not what they are, rather what they can become. Owners see upgrades and features in their mind long before any thing is modified. The key concept here is customisation. This same vision applies to vacuum furnaces, any upgrades should consider robust and powerful control systems, flexible enough to evolve with the industry.

PLCs and process instrumentation should always be sourced with room to grow. Modular designed platforms easily expand to integrate new hard ware. Ask suppliers how their hardware handles additional inputs, outputs, and sensors. Instrumentation should be integration-friendly and be capable of monitoring the entire vacuum ecosystem — considering the temperature, load thermocouples, and vacuum and gas control systems. Ideally, instrumentation will communicate with each other, pass ing relevant information between each while simultaneously eliminating calibra tion points.

The biggest invisible threat to our industry is internet security. For those fortunate enough to have avoided a cybersecurity attack, IT’s work seems a burden. For those unfortunate to have experienced such an event, IT’s work is beloved. This rapidly changing frontier is our reality and programs like Cybersecu rity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) become a necessary (even required) pre caution. Hardware for upgrades should be vetted for compliance with these evolving precautions. Thus far this article has focused on people, hardware, and features. I now turn the focus to the vacuum furnace itself. Furnaces routinely struggle with passing TUS at both lower (<1000°F) and elevated (>2000°F) temperatures. The issue itself varies between graphite and molybdenum hot zones but the root cause remains the same: inflexibility with rheostats to adjust across a wide temper ature range or the furnace’s incapability of reaching elevated temperatures. Users manually adjust the applied power to each zone in attempt to minimise the dif ference between the coldest and hottest TUS thermocouples. Rheostats force the user to settle for a configuration “just good enough” for all temper atures but “not perfect for any.” Modern systems replace rheostats with individual silicon controlled rectifiers (SCRs) driving each variable reactance transformer (VRT), a feature commonly called digital trim. All furnaces are candidates for digital trim, though older VRT packages using slide wire (or “corn cob”) resistors may require the addition of direct current (DC) rectifiers in addition to SCRs. The benefit of digital trim is these settings can automatically adjust with temperature allowing for the ideal configuration at every temperature.

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new software seems to have its own sys tem, daily operation requires most people to juggle many of these systems, often sharing common data. A SCADA System should be designed to operate in this unknown environment and be capable of sharing data between itself and Enter prise Resource Planning (ERP) and other supervisory systems. The first step here is to build upon common platforms; and today the most widely accepted platform is Microsoft SQL Server. SCADA Systems should be able to “offer up” data using any number of industry standard proto cols (Modbus, API, OPC, etc.).

Early conversations between engineers/ suppliers and quality/production ensures the delivered product shares everyone’s goals. �

I was once told to either open or con clude an article with a poignant quote, so let me offer this advice: When consid ering upgrades for any furnace “have a plan or become part of someone else’s.”

Figure 1: a) Influence of the combustion air temperature and the oxygen concentration on combustion efficiency. b) Theoretical flame Temperature for the stoichiometric combustion of natural gas plotted against the oxygen concentration of the combustion air. Figure 2: Principle of flameless / Flameless combustion [2]

Introduction In 1930, F.W. Davis wrote these prescient words, “All nonferrous metallurgy will be benefited by the use of cheap oxygen... the application of oxygen will revolutionise the art of smelting and it will probably change the whole operation and equipment.”

Thermal NO formation is controlled by 1) the flame temperature, 2) the oxygen con centration in the reaction zone, and 3) the residence time of the products of combus tion in the high-temperature zone of the flame. As fundamental research has proven, thermal NO formation tends to be negligible for normal industrial gas burner residence times as long as the flame temperature does not exceed 1,600°C/2,840°F. Therefore, burners must be designed to avoid peak temperatures above 1,600°C/2,840°F in high-oxygen zones of the flame. Staged combustion, flue gas recirculation and flame less combustion are techniques which can reduce NOx emissions substantially. (Figure 2) Furnaces International September 2022 www.furnaces-international.com

Lowering aluminium melting operating costs By Michael Potesser1, Curt Bermel2, Ali Saputra3, Pedro Nava3 1. MPOT GmbH, Kaerntnerstrasse 45, A-8700, Leoben, Austria 2. MPOT LLC, 1003 N. West Street, Wheaton, IL, 60187, USA 3. PCI, LLC, 12201 Magnolia Ave, Riverside, CA, 92503

Flameless oxy-fuel combustion is an additional tool in the optimisation of aluminium furnaces. Air-fuel, traditional oxy-fuel and flameless combustion Figure 1 plots the theoretical flame temperature for the stoichiometric combustion of natural gas versus oxygen enrichment. It can be concluded that even low oxygen enrichment increases produce higher flame temperatures and improve combustion efficiency. In addition to the higher thermal efficiency of oxy-fuel burners over air-fuel, oxygen enrichment also improves the rate of heat transferred to the melt, e.g., increas es heat flux. Flameless combustion employs both convective and radiative methods of heat transfer. With increasing temperature, the proportion of the radiation rises compared to convection. In addition, the radiative energy in an oxygen flame is due to the products of combustion from oxygen: triatomic molecules. Air-fuel combustion produces a majority of diatomic molecules, such as N2 and NO species, while oxy-fuel produces higher content of the triatomic molecular gases, CO2 and H2O as well as the lowers NO x level in the exhaust gas.

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® TOLEDO ENGINEERING / TECOGLAS / ZEDTEC / KTG ENGINEERING / KTG SYSTEMS / EAE TECH DESIGNING,www.teco.comBUILDING AND MODERNISING YOUR FURNACES, FOREHEARTHS AND FURNACE EQUIPMENT A TECO fact... Did you know that a high proportion of the equipment we specify for our re-builds can be re-used for subsequent campaigns?

Lowering OpEx by using just enough pure oxygen participation

Highlights: � 39% increase in productivity (mtons/hr) � 58% overall decrease in natural gas (Btu/lb) � Homogeneity improved from an average of +/-25°C to 7°C, a 72% im provement MPOT®-Air-Oxy-Fuel Burner: Results: This melter was optimised using just 70% pure oxygen participation. Elim ination of waste means $’s in the owner’s pocket!TheMPOT®-Air series adjusts the burner to different oxygen enrichment levels of the oxidant (oxygen+air). This burner series is mainly used in reverbera tory, rotary and tilting furnaces in alumin ium and copper cast houses. Additional Benefit:Ifmelting 24/5 or 24/6, use higher oxygen participation on melting days, and on weekends, use 100% air! Why use pure oxygen when it is not required? Application examples (Figures 3 & 4).

Integrated pressure control unit

Peter Drucker famously said, “You can’t manage what you don’t meas ure.” Nothing could be more true in the arena of profitable aluminium casting. Are you continuously measuring your reverb’s pressure? Negative furnace pressure of 0.15” WC or worse. This is a huge amount of waste, both in fuel, productivity, margin, and emissions… literally going up the stack. Our solution is simple: manage furnace pressure with one moving part! (Figure 5). The circular sleeve acts as a blade, controlling the suction from the melter using a circum ferential air knife, allowing the sleeve to raise and lower as the measured pressure changes. No damper, period! In Figure 6 is an estimate on the additional fuel and loss of productivity furnaces experience because they don’t measure and control positive pressure. Alternative fuels In the case when natural gas supply is limited which causes unpredictable price swings, cast houses may consider alternative fuel sources such as LPG,

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Benefit of 100% pure oxygen participation is a more stable flame, higher melting efficiencies, higher productivity, and lower POC’s, if used at a lower AFT. However, the negative of all that pure oxygen is that you have to pay for it. Let’s be candid; margins in aluminium melting are tight, and every cast house must ruthlessly measure, monitor, and manage their operating expenses (OpEx) to remain healthy and profitable. MPOT’s mission provides cast houses the most efficient and lowest OpEx systems available. Our path to having customers for life: provide what you promise and service what you sell. The first step to controlling OpEx is taking a miserly approach to the two highest OpEx costs: fuel and pure oxygen. When we quote a combustion system, we guaran tee our system’s performance, as well as offer an “expected stretch metric.” The stretch Figure 3 and below. Application of MPOT® Air burners on a reverb furnace Figure 4. MPOT® flameless combustion stage development, 400°C, 600°C, and 900°C, which is flameless mode metric is empirical, based on hundreds of conversions with similar operating conditions. Below are the conversion re sults (Figure 3) on an already productive reverb melter.

This VSA design of the feed air system uses a reversible blower that operates at an order of magnitude lower pressure than the air compressor found in PSA’s. This results in significant energy savings because higher pressures are directly proportional to high er energy consumption. PSA’s also require a dryer to remove condensed water vapor that can foul the adsorbent. Because VSAs operate at lower pressures, water vapor will not condense on the adsorbent: no dryer required!

Figure 5. MPOT® IPCU Figure 6. Est. Value of Integrated Pressure Control

Figure 7. Twin DOCS5000 Onsite O2 Generators

Figure 8. Comparative Onsite O2 Generation Schematics

Propane, and LNG as well as liquid fuels such as Marine Fuel Oil, Diesel fuel, Bunker C fuel, etc. MPOT has burners for each of liquid fuels to replace natural gas. For LPG, Propane, and LNG, the same burner and regulation control skid can be used. For liquid fuels, a liquid metering skid would be required, with a simple exchange of burners on the furnace. Having alternative combustion options provides an enormous benefit for cast houses in an energy market that is unpre dictable.

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Comparison of the two prevailing non-cryogenic onsite technologies are pressure swing adsorption (PSA) and vacuum swing adsorption (VSA). VSA is shown in Figure 7 Both technologies deliver oxygen 90% to 95% pure, and both use a molecular sieve (adsorption). Main differences are the central operating components and the operating pressures. Figure 8 highlights key differences between PSA and VSA technologies. This data is from an energy study on behalf of a SoCal municipality, comparing life cycle costs between PSA and VSA for a two separate lift station odor control projects. Each lift station was supplied oxygen by its respective technology; Vacuum Swing Adsorption (VSA) and Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA).

Advantages of onsite VSA oxyben

Many PSA compressors utilise oil-flooded screw compressors which lead to oil vapor

Aluminium is developing faster than any other primary metal. Couple casthouse effi ciency improvements with the lowest cost, highest efficiency onsite oxygen molecules and you are establishing a successful casthouse to increase your output, increase your margins, and weather the storms that may come. Safe, dependable, reliable, environ mentally conscious, and economically inviting technologies will transform the econom ic future of aluminium melting. We welcome your inquiries and look forward to working with you. References avail able upon request. � WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER Steel Times International is the key publication for the steel market, reporting on iron and steel making issues from all corners of the globe. In addition to the regular eight issues a year it also publishes technical supplements and foreign language supplements in Russian. Packed with information on the steel industry and continually updated with news for articlesalsosteeltimesint.comprofessionals,steelfeaturesspecialandinterviews with leading industry ﬁgures. www.steeltimesint.com A round-up of the top news stories is also sent to more than 11,000 industry professionals each week. You can register online to receive the weekly newsletter and keep up-todate with the latest news from the industry. e-newsletterwww.steeltimesint.com/ The Steel InternationalTimesDirectory is the essential guide to steel manufacturers, producers, suppliers of plant equipment and services to the steel industry. Order your copy priced from £95 or FREE for paid subscribers www.steeltimesint.com

mixed with the compressed air. This VSA uses an oil-free blower to eliminate fouling. The higher pressure swings associated with PSA systems lead to attrition of the adsor bent limiting their useful life. This VSA design with its lower operating pressures is de signed so that the adsorbent material will last for the entire lifetime of the equipment. The benefits of a VSA are summarised in the Table shown in the Figure above indi cating the energy savings and reduced number of main component/valves. A VSA will save approximately 50% of the energy consumption over a PSA of equivalent size and delivered pressure. A VSA also eliminate 33% of the main components and 70% of the process valves which increase its reliability and significantly reduces its maintenance costs.

2018 FUTURE STEEL FORUM2018 CONFERENCE REPORT PERSPECTIVES TUBE,WIRE ROD ANDPIPE Industry4.0and steelindustrypage now! Digitalisationunder microscope Danieli’sInnovactionconference EdgarRayner LTI-Metaltechanswers questions Thelatestdevelopments tube,rod steel markets INTERNATIONAL No.2 BUSINESS ETHICS 4.0 @STEEL INDUSTRY march.indd 15/03/2018 11:02:10 MAGAZINE WEB DIRECTORY WWW.STEELTIMESINT.COM STI_Portfolio_Half_Page_Ad.indd 1 21/01/2019 11:50

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CONNECTING THE INTERNATIONAL STEEL INDUSTRY

Net Value Combining Air-Oxy-Fuel, Furnace Pressure Control, & VSA Oxygen Every furnace is unique and should be analysed and assessed individually. A broad stroke evaluation combining air-oxy- fuel burners, pressure control, and VSA oxygen on a typical reverb melter, we estimate that the benefits could pay for the ownership of combustion equipment, installation, and onsite oxygen generation in ~1.5 years.

Conclusions

The new furnaces, the first of their kind in Europe, will have a combined capacity of 3.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) and will reduce the overall CO2 emissions of the Ostrava steelworks by more than 80% by 2027. The two 200 tonne furnaces uses the innovative and patented Danieli QONE power electronics technology to control arc current and voltage for a more efficient and stable power delivery to the furnaces. This will allow the furnaces to be more flexible in the charge mix from large quantities of Hot Metal and Direct Reduced Iron (DRI/HBI) and up to 100% scrap in the second phase of the project. In doing so the plant will reduce its reliance on imported coal and iron ore and provide even greater production flexibility. The new furnaces are expect ed to be operational in 2025 and will be able to melt 100% scrap in 2027 following the planned installation of a 400kV electricity line into the Ostrava steelworks.

LIBERTY has also launched the tender process for similar hybrid electric arc furnaces for Ostrava’s sister plant LIBERTY Galati, Romania, as it too transforms to GREENSTEEL technologies and the group targets 10 million tonnes of GREENSTEEL capacity in Europe over the next five years.

LIBERTY makes historic investment in Ostrava’s GREENSTEEL transformation

2) Targeting the remaining 20% of emissions per batch by increasing the collection of glass to 90% by 2030, and therefore increasing the recycled content”Learn more about the Furnaces of the Future here: https://lnkd.in/dJx 7kvYAnd visit https://lnkd.in/g7BqeFC (Close The Glass Loop) to learn about the multi-stakeholder recycling plat form aiming to boost glass recycling rates to 90% by 2030.

The European Container Glass Fed eration’s (FEVE) discussed the sec tor’s decarbonisation strategy during a presentation at the Sustainable Industrial Manufacturing conference in Brussels.TheFederation, which represents the majority of container glass pack agers in Europe, said a first step to closing the recycling loop is to fully recognise a product’s circular creden tials.General Secretary Adeline Farrelly, said “We advocate for due recogni tion of the unique assets of endlessly recyclable permanent materials such as “Noglass.matter how many times they’re recycled, permanent materials never lose their quality and fundamental characteristics; their collection should be encouraged and incentivised.”

More glass recycled means lower CO2Asemissions.AdelineFarrelly told the au dience at SIM Europe, alongside low-carbon furnaces, increasing the amount of glass collected for recycling is one of the container glass industry’s decarbonisation pathways: “Our industry is strongly committed to implement a decarbonisation strate gy which follows two main paths: 1) Targeting 80% of our CO2 emis sions from the melting process by switching to renewable energy sources for the most energy-efficient produc tion technologies, otherwise known as the Furnaces for the Future.

LIBERTY Ostrava signs contract with Danieli for two hybrid electric arc furnaces (EAF). New furnaces will reduce LIBERTY Ostrava’s emissions by over 80% by 2027. LIBERTY to invest CZK 8.6 billion (EUR 350 million) in Ostrava, the largest investment in the steelworks in a generation. Renewable energy partnership signed with ČEZ ESCO and GFG Foundation launched in Czech Republic.

NEWSGREENERFURNACES28 Furnaces International September 2022

Sanjeev Gupta, Executive Chairman of LIBERTY Steel Group said: “The con tract we have signed today is a historic milestone for the Ostrava steelworks and a massive step forward towards our GREENSTEEL and carbon neutrality plans here in Ostrava and across Europe. This is the largest investment in Ostrava for a generation and the start of a major transformation across Europe as we move away from older polluting produc tion methods to the latest lower carbon production technologies. This will not only make us a cleaner and more sustainable producer but also a more responsive and dynamic player in the market. Our invest ment shows our long term commitment to the workforce here at Ostrava, the local community and the future generations that will come to work in what will be a modern, clean steel plant. I’d like to thank the team at LIBERTY Ostrava for all the work that has gone into preparing for this huge investment.”

FEVE discusses container glass decarbonisation strategy

At a special event held at the Ostrava steelworks, LIBERTY signed a contract with Danieli, a leading global manufacturer of plant and machinery, for the delivery of two state-of-the-art hybrid electric arc furnaces at the centre of Ostrava’s GREENSTEEL transformation plan. The CZK 8.6 billion (EUR 350 million) investment, which will be the largest investment in the steelworks for a generation, is a huge step forward in LIBERTY Ostrava’s plan to become carbon neutral by 2030 (CN30).

Steel Dynamics Inc has announced the creation of a strategic joint venture with Aymium, a producer of renewable biocarbon products of which Steel Dynamics owns 55% and Aymium owns the remaining 45%.

“Our mission is to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels and reduce the impact on the environ ment,” said James Mennell, Aymium Chief Executive Officer. “Aymium’s renewable biocarbon products allow for immediate replacement of fossil fuels with renewable, carbon negative inputs, without the need to modify existing manufacturing processes or equipment. We are excited to partner with Steel Dynamics with its proven leadership in innovative, efficient, low-carbon steelmaking.”

US steelmaker announces joint venture to reduce emissions

You can attend the presentation in Hall 10 Theatre on Tuesday 28th June 14:3014:45.More information about electrification of heating processes in steel production can be found on kanthal.com/electrification

renewable fossil fuel carbon alterna tive for Iron Dynamics, our proprietary ironmaking operations. We have suc cessfully trialed Aymium’s biocarbon product in our steel operations, and conservatively estimate this first facili ty will reduce our Scope 1 steelmaking greenhouse gas emissions intensity between 20 and 25%, with potential upside from the use of the facility’s biogas. Our commitment to all aspects of sustainability is embedded in our founding principles — valuing our teams, our partners, our communities, and our environment. This investment represents a significant step forward on our path to carbon neutrality, and our continued commitment to reduce our environmental footprint.”

At the conference, Dilip Chandrasekaran, Business Development Manager Steel at Kanthal at Kanthal, will do a speech on how electrification of heating processes will play a vital role in the industry’s quest of reaching carbon neutrality.

NEWSGREENERFURNACES 29 www.furnaces-international.com

“Energy efficient heat processing will be crucial in meeting the challenges of a growing global population and combating climate change, often setting demands on higher operating temperatures and/or reduced cooling”, says Chandrasekaran. “While current heating technology is predominantly gas-fired, electric heating pro cesses offer unique opportunities to reduce use of fossil fuels while increasing thermal efficiencies and potentially improving work environments”.

The joint venture will operate under the name SDI Biocarbon Solutions. Initial plans include the construction and operation of a biocarbon production facility to supply Steel Dynamics’ electric arc furnace steel mills with a renewable alterna tive to fossil fuel carbon using Aymium’s patented technology.

Electrification of heating processesthe road towards a fossil-free industry

The initial production capability of the facility is expected to be more than 160kt/yr (metric tons) for an estimated capital investment of between $125 million to $150 million. The facility is scheduled to commence operations in late 2023.“We are proud to help accelerate our collective goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through this further partnering with Aymium,” stated Mark Millett, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Steel Dynamics. “We believe this strategic joint venture will significantly reduce our steelmaking greenhouse gas emissions, which are already materially lower than our global competitors, in a cost-effective manner. We also believe Aymium’s process can provide a

It was also strongly supported by glass manufacturing companies in the region. In addition to the use of pure hydrogen and blends of hydrogen in the glass melting process, availability of hydrogen and aspects of logistics were considered, as well as technical feasibility along the value chain. The analysis of hydrogen’s impacts was focused on both combustion and glass quality. The project objective was to inves tigate the possibility of using hydrogen in regenerative glass furnaces as a long-term replacement for gas. Both hydrogen-gas mixtures and pure hydrogen were examined. The possible applications of hydrogen-natural gas mixtures as well as pure hydrogen in regenerative glass furnaces were the focus of the trials. Special attention was paid to the consequences on combustion and glass quality. On the other hand, challenges, such as logistics and availability of hydrogen, but also the technical feasibility of using hydrogen in the various processes along the glass production chain were discussed through cooperation with operators of glass melting furnaces. In this context, a sitebased potential analysis for the production of hydrogen with wind and solar power at the glass production site was carried out.

*Energy and climate policy advisor, BV Glas, www.bvglas.deGermany

A recent project which investigated the potential use of hydrogen in the glass manufacturing process to reduce its CO2 emissions showed promising results suggests Christiane Nelles*

The security of supply of fuels and electricity to provide the process heat is existen tial for the glass industry. In the light of the current energy crisis and the impending natural gas shortage due to the war in Ukraine, the issue of identifying alternative green energy carriers has become even more important. During the furnace running time, it is almost impossible to carry out major energy efficiency improvement meas ures that affect the actual melting process. These can only be carried out at the end of the furnace lifetime when a new furnace is being built, every approximately 10-20 years.More than 80% of the energy used in the glass melting process consist of natural gas. The other main energy source is electric energy, often supporting the melting process in form of electrical boosting at the bottom of container glass furnaces. To reduce the use of fossil fuels, the electrification of various process steps with electrici ty from renewable sources is often the obvious approach. However, electrically heated glass tanks for the industrial production of mass-produced glass, such as container and flat glass, have not yet been developed and are therefore not available . Combustion will therefore continue to be necessary for many applications due to process-related reasons, especially in high-temperature processes. Established melting processes work with long, non-premixed flames and a heat transfer that is mainly defined by the thermal gas radiation. Electrification of these existing processes would require considerable technical and economic effort and would not be feasible in the short and medium term. Not all natural gas is used in the glass furnace, a smaller share of it is also used in feeders and in the cooling lehr. Due to the low power densities in the lehr, there could

For the energy intensive glass industry ,with its high temperature process an alterna tive to natural gas, could be the switch to hydrogen as energy carrier. With an energy demand of 68 PJ in Germany – 74% of which is provided by natural gas - the industrial glass manufacturing process is a significant CO2 emitter. But can a glass furnace just simply be fired with hydrogen instead of natural gas? To find out if and how hydrogen could be used in the glass production process was the aim of the German HyGlass project, based in North Rhine-Westphalia, one of the ‘hot spots’ in the German glass producing regions. The scientific project on a semi-industrial scale was initiated by the Federal Association of the German Glass Industry (BV Glas) and the GWI (Gas- und Wärme-Institut Essen), known for its expertise in thermal process es and gas usage. The HyGlass project was funded by the North Rhine-Westphalian Ministry for Economic Affairs - Innovation and the regional platform for energy transition “NRW. Energy4Climate”.

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How can the European Union’s climate targets be reached? How could a significant re duction in fossil fuel use and associated carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions be achieved?

Promising applications for the use of hydrogen in the glass industry

Brought to you by a coalition of industry experts, Sustainable Industrial Manufacturing (SIM) is a global series of regional exhibitions and conferences supporting and facilitating the transition towards cleaner manufacturing around the world. LIGHTENING THE IMPACT OF HEAVY INDUSTRY SCAN ME FOR THE WEBSITE REGISTER TODAY www.SustainableIndustrialManufacturing.com Organised by: Part of: FROM THE PRODUCERS OF: SECTORS COVERED GLASS STEELALUMINIUM CEMENT CHEMICALS President Biden’s goal of a carbon-neutral economy by 2050 is dependent on the decarbonization of heavy industry. The 2021 Build Back Better Act, provides $4 billion for the deployment of technologies that can accelerate the emission reductions of industrial facilities. To support and facilitate the transition towards cleaner manufacturing in the USA, Sustainable Industrial Manufacturing will be staged in Cleveland, Ohio in December 2022. Hosting leaders from industry, innovation, science, government and investment, SIM USA will bring together those responsible for driving sustainability across hard-to-abate sectors. EXHIBITION A trio of exhibition zones will deliver end-to-end sustainable manufacturing solutions. CONFERENCE Involving 60+ speakers across a mix of keynote presentations, panel debates and case studies. ROUNDTABLE DEBATES The chance to share knowledge in small groups and discuss a topic in depth for 60 minutes. BUILD BACK BETTER FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON EXHIBITING, SPEAKING OR ATTENDING SIM USA PLEASE SCAN THE QR CODE BELOW OR REGISTER YOUR INTEREST AT WWW.SUSTAINABLEINDUSTRIALMANUFACTURING.COM

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Overall, from a combustion point of view, there are few concerns regarding the use of hydrogen in regenerative glass furnaces. Only the increased nitrogen oxide emissions, due to the higher local temperatures, pose a challenge, as the adiabatic combustion temperature of hydrogen is higher than that of methane.

Furnaces International September 2022 www.furnaces-international.com

5 Bledar Islami, Anne Giese, Marcel Biebl, Gas- und Wärme-Institut Essen e. V., Bern hard Fleischmann Hüttentechnische Vereinigung der deutschen Glasindustrie e. V., Johann Over ath, Christiane BundesverbandNellesGlasindustrie e. V., Abschlussbericht HyGlass (cf. chapter 5.2, chapter 5.3 and chapter 7.3).

References 1 Auswertungstabellen zur Energiebilanz Deutschland 1990 - 2017, Arbeitsgemeinschaft Energiebilanzen (AGEB), Berlin, 2018.

3 Bledar Islami, Anne Giese, Marcel Biebl, Gasund Wärme-Institut Essen e. V., Bernhard Fleis chmann Hüttentechnische Vereinigung der deutschen Glasin dustrie e. V., Johann Overath, Christiane Nelles Bundesverband Glasindustrie e. V., Abschlussbericht

be the possibility of electrifying these parts of the installation in future instead of substituting natural gas with hydrogen. Whereas in the feeder and in the regen erative glass furnaces, where the power densities are significantly higher and the preconditions for an electrification are difficult.Much better prospects are offered using hydrogen, even if the availability of it is still limited at present and legal framework conditions for green hydrogen are still unclear. In this case, security of supply, i.e. the development of a hydro gen infrastructure, will probably become more important in the future. The option of producing hydrogen locally with green electricity has shown that the available power generation capacities within a ra dius of 20km from the respective location are in many cases insufficient to produce the necessary quantities of hydrogen, even if it is assumed that the renewable power capacities can be utilised exclusively for glass industry’s hydrogen production. Despite these hurdles, the use of hydro gen in the glass industry is one of the options that are currently favoured . Both, the experimental results and the results generated by CFD, have shown that with hy drogen blends in natural gas up to the use of pure hydrogen, the burner capacity and the air flow rate must be kept constant by means of a suitable con trol concept so that the furnace chamber temperature and thus the approximately equal heat flow into the melt are main tained . If hydrogen is added to regenerative glass furnaces, less heat output is intro duced into the system by means of the preheating air, since the calorific value of fuel and the minimum air requirement change. To compensate for this, the burn er capacity must be increased slightly.

8 Bledar Islami, Anne Giese, Marcel Biebl, Gasund Wärme-Institut Essen e. V., Bernhard Fleis chmann Hüttentechnische Vereinigung der deutschen Glasin dustrie e. V., Johann Overath, Christiane Nelles Bundesverband Glasindustrie e. V., Abschlussbericht HyGlass (cf. chapter 6).

6 Bledar Islami, Anne Giese, Marcel Biebl, Gasund Wärme-Institut Essen e. V., Bernhard Fleis chmann Hüttentechnische Vereinigung der deutschen Glasin dustrie e. V., Johann Overath, Christiane Nelles Bundesverband Glasindustrie e. V., Abschlussbericht HyGlass (cf. Figure 7.7).

7 Bledar Islami, Anne Giese, Marcel Biebl, Gasund Wärme-Institut Essen e. V., Bernhard Fleis chmann Hüttentechnische Vereinigung der deutschen Glasin dustrie e. V., Johann Overath, Christiane Nelles Bundesverband Glasindustrie e. V., Abschlussbericht HyGlass (cf. chapter 5.2).

Contact: Gas- und Wärme-Institut Essen (GWI), www.gwi-essen.de

Experimental investigations have shown that NOX formation can be influenced, for example, by using a control lance. Ex perts at the GWI have found out that the mixing intensity of fuel and air, and thus locally the temperature, peaks and ulti mately the NOX formation can certainly be influenced by the burner angle. In addition to the effects of hydrogen on combustion, the influence of hydrogen on gas quality plays a central role. Basical ly, the results indicate an influence of the changing furnace chamber atmosphere on the glass discoloration. However, no simple correlation with the degree of hydrogen in the fuel gas mixture can be demonstrated. There are only indications of a correlation between glass quality/ glass coloration, glass quantity and the hydrogen admixture. The results show that the influence of hydrogen blends on glass colouration could possibly be avoid ed by adjusting the glass batch. This means that the hydrogen rate must not change permanently, as a continuous adjustment of the glass batch is not possible and a steady gas composi tion is also necessary in natural gas firing to achieve high product quality and reach a maximum of energy efficiency. In order to understand the effects of hydrogen on the glass quality more precisely, further in-depth investigations and analyses are necessary.Theproject results are very positive.

2 Fleischmann, B.: „Flexible use of (renewable/ regenerative) electric power when melting container glass “, presented on Glass Trend seminar „How to face the technological challenges of the Paris climate agreement? “ Marktheidenfeld, Würzburg, 2018.

4HyGlassBledar Islami, Anne Giese, Marcel Biebl, Gasund Wärme-Institut Essen e. V., Bernhard Fleis chmann Hüttentechnische Vereinigung der deutschen Glasin dustrie e. V., Johann Overath, Christiane Nelles Bundesverband Glasindustrie e. V., Ab schlussbericht HyGlass (cf. Chapter 4.2 and Chapter 4.3).

“Hydrogen is one of the most promising candidates in the switch-over from con ventional to regenerative energy sources,” said Dr Johann Overath, Director General of BV Glas. “BV Glas has been assessing the potential of hydrogen for a long time already in the framework of its decar bonisation strategy.” The experiments and simulations have shown that the use of hydrogen has only moderate impacts on combustion as long as the fuel-air ratio and burner output are maintained at a constant level with a control strat egy. Both the furnace temperature and heat transmission remain more or less constant. The use of hydrogen can lead to higher NOx emissions. However, these can be compensated by technical meas ures at the furnaces. �

Hydrogen is not the answer for the glass industry

FURNACEGREENER 33 Furnaces International September 2022www.furnaces-international.com

The glass industry has woken up to the fact that it needs to decarbonise. One of the things that struck me during meetings at the recent Glassman Latin America event in Mexico was how many people were asking questions about this subject and what they as manufacturers can do. The fact so many people were asking suggests there has been a drive, from younger people perhaps, to ask what is going on with the climate? Maybe children have been asking their parents what are they doing to reduce their carbon footprint? I think the pandemic has led to people to gaze at their navel and have decided now is the time to act.The biggest problem facing the industry at the moment is gas prices and the glass industry is a major user. It has been good for FIC because it means that people have woken up to the fact that decarbonisation has to happen, people recognise that al though electricity is expensive it is the way forward. But I am convinced that hydrogen is not the option that people think, it is a stop gap and no Dependingmore. on where you make the hydrogen and which colour it is - and there are many colours - with current technology you can only mix hydrogen with natural gas to a maximum 40%, even if it is green hydrogen. Technology of more than 40% in the natural gas pipeline either does not exist or only exists in the laboratory, which is a problem. In the long term, hydrogen is not an option for a number of reasons. The first is, if you’re burning hydrogen, you have an issue with the amount of steam you’re making and there is not a single refractory currently available that can handle that steam. Secondly, it is well known that hydrogen flames increase the amount of foam. Foam is

Stuart Hakes* suggests that the glass industry needs to look beyond the use of hydrogen in its bid to decarbonise. *CEO at FIC UK

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a problem on the glass because of heat transfer, but it is not a problem with electric furnaces because the foam holds the heat in.

Contact: FIC UK, Penzanze, UK www.fic-uk.com

The other reason it is not an option is there are other industries that simply cannot electrify. Take the cement industry for example, you need a flame if you want to make cement, if you can’t use natural gas you will have to use something else and that will be hydrogen. In the transport sector, you cannot run an international cargo ship on electricity so they are going to use hydrogen. It is the same with lorries, I don’t believe batteries are anTheoption.hydrogen will have to be used elsewhere, there will simply not be enough for all the industries to use it. The glass industry needs to wake up to the fact that hydrogen is not the saviour and it is not the easy option that people think.

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There are issues with electric melting but we have proved conventional melting is an option with modelling. But the industry is risk averse, everybody wants to be second, and that is the advantage of the Glass Futures research centre in the UK. Glass Futures has an opportunity to show the industry what is possible, unfortunate ly it is not quite at the scale that they need convincing. The initial idea of Glass Futures was focused on alternative fuels and their original thinking was far reaching on what they had to do. But now I am seeing a conservatism starting to take place. Instead of recognising that we must now decarbonise, it is no good burning woodchips for a minute in a glass furnace and then spending 30 years replacing the tree, it does not compute. The realisation that the argument has shifted to decarbonisation should mean that we must finish at Glass Futures what we have been paid to do, and then move rapidly to the next stage. That means that this initial furnace, which initially had a lifespan of three to four years, now has four to five years of life. We should be saying finish alternative fuels, you can do that in two years, and then we want to do something dra matic. We want to do something to move forward. If we don’t take that opportunity, if we sit around for five years and not make radical changes, then we have missed an opportunity to lead the world as Glass Futures. It is an international consortium based in England and we must let that old guard of English conservatism get away with it, we want more drive.

Other projects around the world need to be looked at seriously. One project looks at a 800t day furnace, which might have up to 14MW - a real example of somebody saying we have to do something. I have been vociferous about hybrid furnaces and de carbonisation going forward, that we are seen as one of the leaders of the discussion. Surprisingly here in Mexico, where we are close to oil and cheap gas from the USA, the continued use of fossil fuels is a concern. The conversations at the Glassman event were centred around electric furnaces, super boosting and moving the discussion further forward. Even with the US companies we are talking to, there is a wake up that something has to happen. America has cheap gas, it has gone up quite a lot recently but com pared to Europe it is still cheap. There is that recognition that something has to be done and I think that has been driven by the war, partly because of increased legis lation in more countries and I think people recognise we have to decarbonise for the sake of younger people. What young people perhaps don’t realise, and what politicians don’t tell them is that, if you are going to decarbonise the planet, the cost will be horrendous. It has to be done, but who will pay for it? Can the glass industry decarbonise? The industry is driven by accountants and senior managers who tend to only be in place for the short term, which is a problem. But I think young people and like-minded people are driving it, they have no choice, they have to go green. There is a groundswell from the public, and there is recognition from senior management that they have to be seen to be doing something. But is it enough? In my opinion I think the opportunity is there, the future is bright, there will be hotspots where it happens more quickly than others. �

The event format is a niche trade exhibition where people can arrange meetings with a number of suppliers and industry experts in one place. Visitors and exhibitors can attend the free conference sessions to hear from industry experts. These exhibitions bring together international experts, hollow and container manufacturers and businesses that use glass containers, to discover the latest innovations which include energy eﬃciency, quality control, packaging, logistics and decorative possibilities. Go online to find out more at WWW.GLASSMANEVENTS.COM Ken Clark Sales Director +44 (0)1737 kenclark@quartzltd.com855117 Manuel Martin Quereda International Sales Manager +44 (0)1737 manuelm@quartzltd.com855023 Mexico City, Mexico glassmanevents.com/latin-america Seoul, South Korea glassmanevents.com/asia LATIN AMERICA 2024 BOOK YOUR STAND TODAY Istanbul, Turkey glassmanevents.com/europe

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By, Bojan Vucinic1, Maurizio Suber2 * 1. Senior technical manager, Danieli Centro Met, Italy 2. Senior product manager, Danieli Centro Met, Italy

The production of high-quality steel, including flat products, has always been dominated by the integrated mills. Now adays, electric steelmaking operations have entered this sector, with numerous EAF-based plants all over the world successfully supplying those markets. The main reasons for that success are the high operational flexibility of electric melting, the possibility of using different raw materials with different qualities, and the reduction of the CO2 footprint. Ferrous scrap will be part of future strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but there are still limitations linked to the availability of selected scrap with the right quality required for production of high-quality grades. Research efforts on this topic are neces sary because valorization of low-quality scrap streams is one of the key elements for fostering a green transition for steel production.(1) The path to carbon-neutrality and sus tainability of many EU industrial sectors is focused on using more electricity as an energy source. Considering the predicted growth of electric steelmaking, energy sources such as electricity will become more critical.

qualityliquidqualityliquidBOFEAFsmaintainBOF

While the production of high-quality steel – in cluding flat products – has always been the preserve of the integrated mill, the days when electric steel makers were sneered at for only being capable of making trash cans are long gone. According to one leading global plant builder it is now possible to pro duce high quality flat prod ucts using an electric arc furnace – and here’s why!

FURNACEGREENER 37 Furnaces International September 2022www.furnaces-international.com

In the case of brownfield projects, the transition of steelmaking from integrated

Fig 1 shows the maximum allowed (typical) copper equivalent for different steel grades and Fig 2 shows historical reduction of non-metallic residuals for the automotive industry. The transition from integrated to electric arc furnace steelmaking must be evaluated case by case, based on the type of project (greenfield or brownfield), available raw material and media, steel quality and so on. Steelmaking transition –brownfield

� External logistics (scrap and clean material supply)

Some of the recognized problems with brownfield projects where replacement of BOF with EAF takes place, are:

� Capability of existing secondary metallurgy units to refine steel (RH vacuum degassing unit versus nitrogen removal per different contents of sulfur level, versus available charge mix for EAF process).Dueto the ‘limited’ and/or different behaviour of nitrogen removal during the RH process (usually, BOF-based melt shops are equipped with an RH type de gassing unit) in order to achieve a partial reduction of the CO2 footprint reduction, as a first step, and to achieve ‘green steel practice’ by 2050 with controlled investment, a possible and recognized solution is to install an intermediate electric arc furnace between the blast furnace, hot-metal treatment station, and the existing (BOF) melt shop.

plants to EAF-based melt shops has more than one phase – partial reduction of ironmaking by keeping the same steel making capacity. The ratio between scrap and available clean material, including hot metal, is driven by the types of steel grades and the refining capacity of existing secondary metallurgy units (i.e. nitrogen and sulfur removal).

CO2 footprint reduction is based on reducing the use of hot metal while keeping the same BOF capacity (known as ‘hot-metal stretching’). With hot-metal stretching, the BOF charge mix is mainly based on a mixture of molten metal from the EAF and hot metal, with reduced overall carbon content and higher latent energy before charging into the BOF. The amount of scrap required for the charge mix is based on energy balance. The reduction of ‘charged’ carbon content is driven mainly by the minimally required carbon-removal rate in order to maintain BOF process performance and nitrogen content before tapping. Different raw materials can be applied to the EAF process, with special attention on the balance of metallic residuals. Having this approach, green steel (maximized CO2 footprint reduction)

� Internal logistics (connection between EAF and existing secondary metallurgy)

Figure 2. Metallurgical challenges –example: automotive industry/vehicles (2)

Figure 1. Copper equivalent for different steel groups Cu*10 (Sb+Sn)-Ni, % weight.

Steel quality obtained by the EAF process

Scrap usage for high-quality steel production has some limitations, mainly due to the presence of tramp elements. The tramp elements can be reduced by mixing the scrap with virgin iron materials such as hot metal/ pig iron / DRI / HBI, or by the use of selected scrap. Apart from limited content of metallic residuals, high-quality grades – including grades for automotive production – are also characterized by limited content of non-metallic residuals.

5. Proper internal and external logistic evaluation (based on well developed and proven simulation tools). Steelmaking transition – greenfield During greenfield project evaluation, the available raw materials, type of elec tric arc furnace and selected secondary metallurgy equipment are driven by: 1. Steel quality requirements;

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The following charts show the nitrogen pattern during the scrap boring, melting and refining period for a bucket-based process, together with a slag-foam height trajectory.Asreported on fig 3, the strong nitro gen pick-up during the bucket process takes place during the boring period. The main reasons for high nitrogen pick-up are an uncovered arc and a low liquid level phase. In the later stage, the slag foaming index is higher (when the liquid phase is created – fig 4), the arc coverage index is higher, and the decarburization process is Nitrogenincreased.pick-upreduction during the first part of the operational stage of the EAF steelmaking process is possible with a high hot-heel application and flat bath EAF concept. Compared with a standard bucket process, the endless scrap-charg ing process (EAF ESC) results in less ni trogen content before tapping. The main reasons for less nitrogen content before tapping are the absence of a true boring period, slag generation in the early stage of the process, and a better arc cover age index starting from an early stage of the power-on time. During continuous scrap-feeding operations, the steel bath in the EAF is kept covered by foamy slag and scrap falls into the hot heel. Fig 5 Due to the excellent boiling action

Figure 3. Nitrogen content of the steel during the operating practice of the EAF (3) Figure 4. Foam height trajectory (4) Figure 5. Nitrogen content before tapping: bucket process versus combined: single bucket with continuous scrap charging process (5)

2. Required productivity; 3. Available layout; 4. Available raw material; 5. Available media (available power, network conditions, fluids etc); 6. Level of required automation (pro cess control); 7. Operative costs (OpEx). Impact of equipment design Compared with a BOF-based scenario, an EAF-based process has greater flexibility with regard to raw materials and equip mentDifferentdesign.equipment designs have di rect impacts on steel quality; for instance, with the same amount of applied scrap in the charge mix, but a different furnace configuration, it is possible to have less nitrogen and less phosphorous content before tapping the EAF. A good example of this is a comparison of the bucket pro cess and continuous scrap charging with preheating process (EAF ECS).

as a second step could be based on an already present EAF as part of a new (greenfield) melt shop. The steelmaking philosophy must be modified in cases with an electric arc furnace as the primary steelmaking unit. The ‘best available’ approach shall be developed based on: 1. Product mix and quality require ments;2.Capacity of an existing secondary metallurgy unit to remove non-metallic compounds with required productivity per hour (sulfur, nitrogen, hydrogen and carbon removal), together with time for proper ‘clean steel’ practice;

3. Available raw material: scrap –different types of scrap; hot metal; hot or cold DRI; HBI and different types of pig iron;4. Proper and tailor-made electric arc furnace design;

Figure 9. Impact of different HBI participation in charge mix on EAF transformation cost

caused when DRI or HBI contains an excess of carbon relative to the oxygen in the FeO, the nitrogen level up to 20÷25 ppm can be obtained with a 100% DRI melt. Fig 6 shows the observed nitrogen content before tapping from an EAF for a charge mix of more than 80% of cold (hot) DRI (carbon content in DRI in the range of 2.3÷2.5%). The reported nitrogen content on the previous two charts are the same as the nitrogen content before tapping from the BOF process. This is proof that the EAF can be used to produce high-quality grades of steel, including low carbon and low nitrogen products for automotive purposes.Thequality of DRI has an impact on equipment design and on the ability to produce the highest-quality steel. One example could be high gangue content in DRI, which consequently generates higher amounts of slag and less oxygen penetration. Acid gangue (low CaO / SiO2 ratio) in DRI has an impact on higher consumption of slag builders, and conse quently higher generated slag volume. In order to control slag volume, the typical practice is to reduce slag basicity, which consequently has a lower phosphorous partition ratio. Also, higher amounts of generated slag could lead to a higher amount of tapped carryover slag and phosphorous reversions during secondary metallurgy. However, steel grades with lower quality requirements and higher maximum allowed phosphorous content could be produced with low-quality DRI, with non-metallic compounds content up to approximately 7%. As described above, carbon content in DRI has a direct impact on nitrogen con tent before tapping and at the same time on reduced running costs, mainly due to higher chemical energy and reduced spe cific electrical energy consumption (Fig 8).

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HBI as a clean material has less impact on nitrogen control during the EAF pro cess: lower carbon content and different material density. However, for vacu um-treated grades with proper overall steelmaking process evaluation, HBI is beneficial and a useful material for clean steelNitrogenproduction.removal during the vacuum tank degassing process could be up to 50-55% based on different inlet nitro gen and sulfur content. Strong nitrogen removal during the RH process is possible with ultra-low sulfur content only. As explained above, for EAF-based steel making the main target is the final quality requirement and the capability of existing

Figure 8. Impact of different carbon content in DRI on equipment design and specific electrical energy consumption (reference: 1.50%C)

Figure 6. Evaluated nitrogen content before tapping from EAF for a charge mix with more than 80% of cold (hot) DRI (5) Figure 7.Nitrogen content before tapping from EAF for different carbon contents in DRI (6)

Summary

PhoenixTM Optic System ´Thru-process` Optical Proﬁling Discover so much more Combine our Optical and Temperature Profiling Systems. Optical….theProfiling...eyethruyour furnace! PhoenixTM info@phoenixtm.deGmbHPhoenixTM Ltd sales@phoenixtm.comUK PhoenixTM LLC info@phoenixtm.comUSA www.phoenixtm.com Capture a video of what your product sees through the entire furnace during a live production run Ideal for your CAB and Vacuum Brazing line! New Innovative Technology from PhoenixTM Get the aluminium industry’s most informative read, direct to your inbox or letterbox. Subscriptions include six issues a year, the annual directory, two additional digital supplements and much more! PRINT + DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS NOW AVAILABLE ALUMINIUMTODAY.COM/SUBSCRIPTIONS

5. Electrical Steelmaking in place of Basic Oxygen Process – Danieli Vision from Quality Point of View; B. Vucinic, F. Gandin; MPT Inter national; No 5; November 2020; page 14.

References 1. Green steel by EAF route: a sustaina ble value chain in the EU Circular Economy scenario; « Green Steel by EAF » WORKSHOP REPORT, Bergamo, Nov 2019 2. The Steel Industry in Germany – Trends in Clean Steel Technology and Refractory Engi neering; A. Buhr, R. Bruckhausen, R. Fahndrich 3. Effect of Hot Metal on Decarburization in the EAF and Dissolved Sulfur, Phosphorous and Nitrogen content in steel, Baek LEE and II Sohn; ISIJ International, Vol. 55 (2015), No. 3, pp. 491-499 4. Modeling, Optimization and Estimation in Electric Arc Furnace (EAF)- Operation; Yasser Emad Moustafa Ghobara; McMaster University; August 2013.

FURNACEGREENER40 Furnaces International September 2022 www.furnaces-international.com (brownfield) or new (greenfield) secondary metallurgy facilities. With an evaluated pattern of quality adjustment (i.e. nitrogen pattern) during tapping and overall sec ondary metallurgy with the chosen type of EAF, the proper charge mix shall be evaluated. Fig 9 clearly shows an increas ing EAF transformation cost with higher HBI in the charge mix. Some reasons for higher transformation costs (without raw material cost) are higher specific electrical energy and higher consumption of slag builders.

6. The production of Steel Applying 100% DRI for Nitrogen Removal, The Experience of Arcelor Mittal Lazaro Cardenas Flat Carbon; R. Lule, F. Lopez, J. Espinoza, R. Torres and R.D. Morales; AISTech 2009.

The electric arc furnace is already recognized as a ‘green steel’ melting unit. To be able to produce high-qual ity grades (including flat products), the steelmaking philosophy and steelmaking approach must be changed. Comparing a BOF-based process with an already low nitrogen content before tapping with pre-treated hot metal, the focus must be on final quality requirements, capability of the chosen secondary refining units, and a proper, tailor-made electric arc furnace with selected raw material. With proper process control with a closed process loop, self-learning application, and a steelmaking process in dynamic mode (Danieli Q-MELT for EAF process and Q-Ref for secondary metallurgy) it is possible to replace a BOF with an EAF for the production of high-quality flat products. Also, thanks to the high flexibility of the EAF process, it is possible to apply lower-quality raw mate rial as well (i.e., low-quality DRI) for steel grades with lower-quality requirements, which has a direct impact on the process and steelmaking business flexibility. A long reference list of Danieli installations running different types of EAFs confirms this statement. �

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