Steel Times International January February 2022 by Quartz Business Media

DIRECT REDUCED IRON

INNOVATIONS

CONFERENCE REPORT

PERSPECTIVES Q&A

AMI’s SmartFurnace technology at OEMK’s Stary Oskol mill in Russia.

The latest global contracts and new products news for the steel industry.

Manik Mehta reports from the Steel Success Strategies conference.

Endress + Hauser’s Andrew Preece answers our tricky questions.

Since 1866

www.steeltimesint.com January/February 2022 - Vol.46 No1

STEEL TIMES INTERNATIONAL – January/February 2022 – Vol.46 No1

Clean and Reliable Ironmaking Solutions for Steelmakers Around the World

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25/01/2022 07:37:45

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CONTENTS – JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

DIRECT REDUCED IRON

INNOVATIONS

CONFERENCE REPORT

PERSPECTIVES Q&A

AMI’s SmartFurnace technology at OEMK’s Stary Oskol mill in Russia.

The latest global contracts and new products news for the steel industry.

Manik Mehta reports from the Steel Success Strategies conference.

Endress + Hauser’s Andrew Preece answers our tricky questions.

Since 1866

2 Leader By Matthew Moggridge.

www.steeltimesint.com January/February 2022 - Vol.46 No1

STEEL TIMES INTERNATIONAL – January/February 2022 – Vol.46 No1

Front cover: Midrex Clean and Reliable Ironmaking Solutions for Steelmakers Around the World

ALTERNATE ROUTES TO GREEN STEEL

EDITORIAL Editor Matthew Moggridge Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855151 matthewmoggridge@quartzltd.com Editorial assistant Catherine Hill Tel:+44 (0) 1737855021 Consultant Editor Dr. Tim Smith PhD, CEng, MIM Production Editor Annie Baker Advertisement Production Martin Lawrence SALES International Sales Manager Paul Rossage paulrossage@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855116 Sales Director Ken Clark kenclark@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855117

4 News round-up The latest global steel news. 12 Innovations New products and contracts. 20 Latin America update 100 years in Brazil. 23 India update India’s steel demand. 26 Steel Success Strategies 2021 Conference takes stock of steel industry and trade.

33 Cover story: Decarbonisation Alternate routes to green steel. 39 Direct Reduced Iron Smart thinking by OEMK. 43 Cokemaking Coal blend and coal strength. 50 Perspectives Q&A: Endress + Hauser Bringing steel up to speed. 52 History Resting among kings and queens.

Managing Director Tony Crinion tonycrinion@quartzltd.com Tel: +44 (0) 1737 855164 Chief Executive Officer Steve Diprose SUBSCRIPTION Jack Homewood Tel +44 (0) 1737 855028 Fax +44 (0) 1737 855034 Email subscriptions@quartzltd.com Steel Times International is published eight times a year and is available on subscription. Annual subscription: UK £215.00 Other countries: £284.00 2 years subscription: UK £387.00 Other countries: £510.00 3 years subscription: UK £431.00 Other countries: £595.00 Single copy (inc postage): £47.00 Email: steel@quartzltd.com

Published by: Quartz Business Media Ltd, Quartz House, 20 Clarendon Road, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1QX, England. Tel: +44 (0)1737 855000 Fax: +44 (0)1737 855034 www.steeltimesint.com Steel Times International (USPS No: 020-958) is published monthly except Feb, May, July, Dec by Quartz Business Media Ltd and distributed in the US by DSW, 75 Aberdeen Road, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437. Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville, PA. POSTMASTER send address changes to Steel Times International c/o PO Box 437, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437. Printed in England by: Pensord, Tram Road, Pontlanfraith, Blackwood, Gwent NP12 2YA, UK ©Quartz Business Media Ltd 2022

ISSN0143-7798

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January/February 2022

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LEADER

Future Steel Forum – keeping it real in 2022...

Matthew Moggridge Editor matthewmoggridge@quartzltd.com

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January/February 2022

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I thought I would focus the attention of this month’s Leader article on this magazine’s annual conference, the Future Steel Forum, which this year takes place at the Grandior Hotel in Prague, Czech Republic, 8-9 June. This year’s event is important because it is a live event. Last year, the global pandemic forced us to move things online, but now we’re back and I heartily advise everybody to keep an eye out for new announcements regarding this year’s programme. If you turn to page 10 of this issue you will see an advertisement asking potential speakers to submit abstracts for the conference. The deadline has been moved back by a month to 8 February 2022. This year will mark the fifth anniversary of the Future Steel Forum. When I first set about developing the event, back in 2015, I pretty much travelled the globe looking for (and finding) reputable speakers. Two years later when we opened our doors to paying delegates at the Sheraton Hotel in Warsaw, Poland, we were very much ahead of the curve (and have remained so). The event was, in fact, one of the few (if not the only) steel conference dedicated 100% to the role of Industry 4.0 and its

associated technologies in the steelmaking process. We ran the event twice in Warsaw before switching to Budapest in 2019, the last conference before the arrival of COVID-19. And now, as I say, we’re back, live (and kicking) and looking forward to our arrival in Prague in the summer. A word or two about our programme: the Forum has always attracted high calibre speakers who know a thing or two about digital manufacturing. Most of the major steelmakers have been represented including ArcelorMittal, Tata Steel, US Steel, Liberty Steel Group, Big River Steel, Severstal, Metinvest, TMK, Kobe Steel, POSCO, voestalpine and Emirates Steel. Leading production technology companies at the forefront of research and development into Industry 4.0-based systems for steel have also played a major role in the event’s success. I refer specifically to Primetals Technologies, SMS Group, Danieli, Fives Group, Tenova, PSI Metals and many others. This year’s Forum has attracted some very interesting presentations and I’m expecting more, so please register now for the 2022 event and let’s get back to the real world of live steel events.

11/27/21 5:59 PM

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NEWS ROUND-UP

The UAE's Steel Producers Committee (SPC), has been launched on the sidelines of the Middle East Iron & Steel Conference, hosted in Dubai from 6 to 8 December 2021. The SPC has been formed to represent steel makers and associated businesses at ministries and local entities across the UAE, in efforts to improve productivity and the performance of its members. Source: MenaFN, 6 December 2021

Arkansas lawmakers have voted to create tax incentives to bring US Steel's new 3St a year flat-rolled mill to the state. The state legislature passed a bill to provide tax relief for the potential $3 billion investment in electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking in the state. The bill awaits the governor's signature. The tax credit would apply to waste reduction, reuse, or recycling equipment, with the bill adding steel mill facilities as a qualified growth project. Source: Argus Media, 9 December 2021

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US Steel, Norfolk Southern, and car builder Greenbrier have combined on a new gondola car design which will reduce the weight of each car by up to 15,000 pounds through use of a high-strength, lighter-weight steel. The new steel has the potential to extend the lifespan of each car to 50 years, while the design will also increase capacity. The companies are highlighting the sustainability impact of the new cars, which they claim will be more energy efficient both during production and in use. Source: Trains, 9 December 2021

South Korean Steelmaker POSCO has announced it will split off its steel operations to become a holding company. The reorganisation is an attempt to find new growth in the business and enhance shareholder value, POSCO said in a regulatory filing. POSCO will hold a shareholder meeting on 28 Jan 2021 and the split is expected to take place on 1 March 2022, with the holding company being named POSCO Holdings Inc. Source: Nikkei Asia, 10 December 2021 For more steel industry news and features, visit www.steeltimesint.com

The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has announced the final results of its review of the antidumping (AD) duty order on South Korean steel between 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020. The US DOC has determined that the South Korean producers’ sales of the goods were made below normal value during the review period, except for the Hyundai Steel Company, and has assigned a 0.59% weighted average dumping margin for South Korea, and a 0% margin for Hyundai Steel. Source: Steel Orbis, 10 December 2021

ArcelorMittal is investing $30 million in carbon recycling company LanzaTech, having already recently partnered with the company in the Steelanol project in Belgium. With LanzaTech’s gas fermentation technology, the plant will capture carbonrich waste gases from the steelmaking process to reduce ArcelorMittal Ghent’s carbon dioxide equivalent CO2 emissions by 125kt/yr, and will produce 80 million litres of bio-ethanol. Source: Renewables Now, 10 December 2021

Chairman of the World Steel Association and chairman and managing director (CMD) of JSW Group, Sajjan Jindal, said the steel industry may achieve its net-zero emission target shortly if it turns to clean hydrogen for production. Addressing the Minerals, Mining and Metals e-Conclave in India, he said, “Viable green steel production could be more than a decade away even though major steelmakers are actively developing plans to adopt the process to meet carbon-neutral goals. In this context, switching to clean hydrogen seems to be the most likely immediate solution to get to net-zero.” Source: The Indian Wire, 12 December 2021 www.steeltimesint.com

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NEWS ROUND-UP

Thyssenkrupp Uhde Chlorine Engineers, a provider of technologies for electrolysis plants, has received a contract from Air Products and Chemicals Inc. (APD), a supplier of essential industrial gases and other equipment, to deliver a two-gigawatt electrolysis plant for green hydrogen ventures at NEOM, a planned $500 billion futuristic megacity, in Saudi Arabia. Under the contract, the German company is expected to engineer, procure, and fabricate the proposed plant based on their large-scale 20 megawatt alkaline water electrolysis module. Source: Nasdaq, 13 December 2021

Russkaya Energiya has announced the purchase of the Vorkutaugol, a coal company in the north Russian Komi region, for 15 billion rubles ($180.6 million). The seller is steel company Severstal, with the acquisition due for completion in early 2022. Vorkutaugol is one of the biggest coal companies in Russia and accounts for more than 10% of the country’s coal production. According to Severstal, the deal comes on the basis of the company’s strategy to streamline business activities and decarbonize the industry. Source: The Barents Observer, 13 December 2021

Victor Rashnikov, chairman of Russian steel producer MMK, announced MMK’s aim to continue its investments in Turkey in order to realise the company’s potential, with hopes to reach a production capacity of 2-2.2Mt/yr of steel with the recent commissioning of an electric arc furnace. MMK is focused on closing the gap in the Turkish market, with the hot rolling mill at full capacity creating additional $250 million earnings. Source: Steel Orbis, 13 December 2021

Japanese steelmaker JFE Steel Corporation has announced that it has restarted its blast furnace no. 4 at its Kurashiki plant, following the completion of upgrades. Modernization of the blast furnace cost approximately $440 million. New features were added to reduce operating costs including the upgrading of the material transfer capacity, installation of new equipment in the cast house, and improved cooling systems designed to extend product life. Source: Steel Orbis, 15 December 2021

Metinvest, the integrated group of steel and mining companies, and SMS group along with its subsidiary, Paul Wurth, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work together on decarbonisation solutions. The MOU is also expected to provide the parties with the opportunity to develop and test new technologies to enhance iron and steelmaking, as well as downstream processes. Source: Market Screener, 15 December 2021

Brazilian miner Vale SA has announced that its subsidiary, Vale Canada, has signed a deal to sell its 50% stake in steelmaker California Steel Industries to Nucor Corporation for $400 million. Vale said in a securities filing that it expects the deal to be concluded by spring 2022, adding that it underscores its focus on core businesses and its commitment to a leaner portfolio. JFE Steel Corp holds the remaining 50% stake in California Steel Industries. Source: Reuters, 13 December 2021

Steel and mining group Evraz completed a review of the feasibility of demerging its metallurgical coal assets and consequently announced it would separately list the coal assets under Raspadskaya (RASP). The demerger, Evraz said in a statement, would allow each separate business to pursue tailored strategic, capital allocation and sustainability objectives. RASP currently provides about 70% of Evraz’s metallurgical coal supply requirements needed to support its operations. To aid the transition, certain trading arrangements, including two new, long-term coal offtake agreements would continue to the end of 2026. Source: Mining Weekly, 15 December 2021 www.steeltimesint.com

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NEWS ROUND-UP

Brazilian integrated steelmaker Gerdau has named a new CFO, Rafael Japur, who will replace the former CFO, Harley Scardoelli from February 2022. Japur previously held the title of general manager of finance operations, and will also assume a role as director of investor relations, reporting to the steelmaker’s CEO, Gustavo Werneck. Gerdau has stated that Scardoelli, who spent 33 years at the company, will retire to pursue ‘personal projects’. Source: Steel Orbis, 16 December 2021 Tata Steel has executed a long-term agreement with Angul Sukinda Railway (ASRL), for the construction, operation and maintenance of an additional railway line. The agreement is for a period of 20 years to meet the logistic requirements of Tata Steel's Kalinganagar Steel Plant. Tata Steel will be funding the entire expenditure for construction of the Additional Rail Line by subscribing to 40 million non-convertible, non-cumulative, redeemable preference shares. Source: Business Standard, 16 December 2021

The world’s second largest steelmaker, Arcelor Mittal Nippon Steel, will invest 1 trillion rupees to set up a 24Mt/yr integrated greenfield steel facility in Kendrapara, Odisha. The state government said that the approved project will be the largest manufacturing facility in India and will be completed within seven years. At its Kendrapara complex, it will produce various grades of steel through the use of the latest green steel-making technology. Source: Mint, 17 December 2021

Hyundai Steel has started to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using cattle manure in its steelmaking process. The plan is to recycle livestock waste and reduce greenhouse gases by using a manure-based fuel instead of coal. Hyundai has signed a business agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the National Agricultural Co-operative Federation to promote production and use of a solid fuel based on cow dung. The company will consider using the fuel in furnaces after further conducting operational tests. Source: Business Korea, 1 7 December 2021

Three of Britain’s former Northern Ireland secretaries have warned UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to sort out the wrangling over Brexit or continue to be snubbed by Joe Biden on steel tariffs. The prime minister has been urged to take heed of his US counterpart’s protective approach to Northern Ireland, which faces turmoil over its post-Brexit trade arrangements. The EU has said it is open to technical tweaks, but reiterated that the arrangement is needed to protect its single market. Source: Politico, 1 7 December 2021

Baoshan Iron and Steel Co., Ltd, the listed subsidiary of China Baowu Group, has issued its action plan to reduce carbon emissions. Baosteel said it will strive for carbon neutrality by 2050 by transforming the iron and steel production process, upgrading its energy structure, and accelerating research and development of a new low-carbon emissions process. Baosteel will also implement technological innovation to further reduce emissions. Source: Steel Orbis, 17 December 2021

South Korea's POSCO plans to focus on expanding and ‘greening’ its steel business. The steelmaker plans to raise its crude steel production capacity by almost 48% to 68Mt/yr in 2030 from 46 Mt/yr in 2021 while furthering its ‘green’ goals that would lower its annual carbon dioxide emissions to 71Mt from 79Mt over the same nine-year period, the company said. Source: S&P Global, 17 December 2021

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NEWS ROUND-UP

Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Posco International Corp and Posco Engineering & Construction Co Ltd. The MOU represents Posco and Petronas’ aim to jointly explore opportunities in carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies as well as carbon dioxide (CO2) storage solutions in Malaysia. Both parties will assess opportunities to unlock CCS potential and identify suitable technology within the scope of carbon capture, transportation of CO2 and storage for potential application. Source: The Star,18 December 2021

India's state-owned Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has been awarded the Golden Peacock Environment Management Award in the Steel Sector by the Institute of Directors. SAIL has been the winner of this award for three consecutive years. The award recognises the efforts made by SAIL for sustainable and environmentally responsible steel making, such as the creation of carbon sinks by massive plantation drives, a gradual shift to LED lighting, and enhancing the share of renewable energy. Source: Orissa Diary.com, 18 December 2021

Metso Outotec has been awarded a new contract to supply key grinding equipment for ArcelorMittal’s Las Truchas 2.3 Mt/yr iron ore processing plant revamp project in Mexico. The value of the order is approximately $19 million, and includes two Metso Outotec Premier™ grinding mills with a total installed power of 19 MW. In addition, Metso Outotec will deliver an in-house designed 'mill reline' machine. Source: International Mining, 20 December 2021

China-based Anyang Iron and Steel Group announced that it plans to buy the 25% stake currently held by Brazilian miner Vale in a joint venture with Anyang Yu Vale Yontong Pellet Co. Ltd. (Anyang). The acquisition will be worth $14.11 million. Following the transaction, Anyang Steel’s stake in Anyang Yu Vale Yongtong Pellet Co. will increase from 75% to 100%, with Anyang Yu Vale Yongtong Pellet Co. becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Anyang Iron and Steel Group. Source: Steel Orbis, 20 December 2021 A family of bald eagles which has resided at US Steel’s Mon Valley Works Irvin Plant in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, for three years, is now accessible to the public, with The Pennsylvania Game Commission granting US Steel permission to install a live camera that will safely capture videos of the birds. This is believed to be the first such camera at a steel plant. The eagles, which employees have named ‘Irvin and Claire’ after the Mon Valley Works facilities, began building their nest in 2019 and hatched an eaglet in 2020, and two more eaglets in 2021. Source: Business Wire, 21 December 2021

Tata Steel has been recognised for its health and safety excellence initiatives by the World Steel Association (worldsteel) under the category ‘Occupational Health Management’. The initiatives include two technology-driven innovative concepts deployed at the company’s manufacturing units – ‘POD concept’ and ‘Digital Covid Safety Tracks’. These applications ensured workforce safety and business continuity by mitigating COVID risks and were implemented via the COVID impact centre. Source: The Avenue Mail, 20 December 2021 Steel made at Tata Steel’s Port Talbot plant in Wales is behind the world's largest offshore wind farm due to be completed by 2026, the Indian steel major said on Wednesday. The Dogger Bank Wind Farm, capable of providing green energy for six million homes in the UK, will make use of steel processed into hollow sections at the Indian steel major's Corby and Hartlepool sites in north-east England. Source: The Economic Times, 22 December 2021

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NEWS ROUND-UP

Energy intensive industries have urged the European Union to address soaring energy prices, saying the record costs have hit their competitiveness and could prompt European companies to relocate. Extending months of price rises, European gas hit record levels this week in response to low storage, cooler temperatures and fears over supply from Russia. Around 20 of the EU's 27 member states have rolled out emergency measures in response to the price surge, including energy tax reductions and subsidies for consumer bills. Source: Reuters, 23 December 2021

ArcelorMittal, the largest manufacturer of rolled steel in Ukraine, has announced that in 2021 the company invested over £6.6 million in social initiatives in Kryvyi Rih and the surrounding region. According to the company, this is its contribution to large-scale projects in four areas – healthcare, education, co-operation with local communities, and the development of Kryvy Rih. Source: Open 4 Business, 24 December 2021

Hyundai Engineering Co. has announced plans to build a 400 billion won plant in Dangjin that uses plastic waste to produce high-purity clean hydrogen. The plant will process 100,000 tons of plastic waste annually to produce 22kt of high-purity clean hydrogen through pyrolysis and gasification, and is part of efforts to diversify business towards eco-friendly energy production. Full-scale commercial production is expected to begin in 2024. Source: EconoTimes, 24 December 2021

Seshagiri Rao, joint managing director at JSW Steel, believes that steel demand will bounce back sooner than expected due to government incentives and a ‘robust’ economy. Rao commented that the result of correction in steel prices and exhausted inventories suggests a positive trend, despite complications surrounding bad weather and new COVID variants. Source: The Hindu Business Line, 27 December 2021

China's daily crude steel output is expected to rise in 2022 after retreating in December 2021. Last year China ordered steelmakers to keep their crude steel output within 2020 levels, in a bid to curb carbon emissions and cap iron ore prices in line with the country's decarbonization plans. The move led to a decline in the country's annual crude steel output for the first time since 2016. China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has said that industrial growth will be top priority in 2022. Source: S&P Global Platts, 27 December 2021

Severstal, one of Russia's largest steelmakers, will need to pay an extra 25 billion roubles ($340 million) in taxes in 2022 due to changes in the calculation of a mineral extraction tax and the excise tax on metal, the company's main shareholder Alexey Mordashov has announced. He said that the company has already paid around 25 billion roubles in export duties in 2021. Source: London South East, 27 December 2021 ArcelorMittal has announced that, together with German energy company EWE AG and its subsidiary Swb AG; it has received funding of over €10 million from the state of Bremen for the companies’ joint HyBit project (hydrogen for Bremen industrial transformation). The funding corresponds to around half of the total investment budget, and includes the construction of a 12 MW electrolysis plant that will use renewable energy to produce green hydrogen. Construction of the plant is scheduled to start and finish in 2022. Source: Steel Orbis, 28 December 2021 www.steeltimesint.com

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“THIS EVENT IS THE ONLY MEETING FOR INDUSTRY 4.0 FOCUSSED ON THE STEEL INDUSTRY IN EUROPE”

The long awaited Future Steel Forum is LIVE in Prague from 8-9 June 2022

Kiyoshi Ebihara, Nippon Steel Corporation

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS – SUBMISSION DEADLINE TUESDAY 8 FEBRUARY 2022

TOPICS INCLUDE: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE • MACHINE LEARNING • SUSTAINABILITY • LOGISTICS • PLANT SAFETY The Future Steel Forum was launched to address the growing interest in digital manufacturing within the global steel industry, particularly the technologies associated with Industry 4.0 such as Big Data, the Industrial Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Over the past five years, the event has attracted speakers from major steelmakers including ArcelorMittal, Tata Steel, Voestalpine, POSCO, Emirates Steel, US Steel, Big River Steel, Liberty Steel Group, TMK, Kobe Steel, Metinvest Digital, Badische Stahl-Engineering, Buderus Stahl and many others. Future Steel Forum speakers tend to be involved in the development and/or use of systems that rely upon these technologies, and the event itself endeavours to attract a mixed audience of steelmakers and technologists. In a nutshell, the Forum is an event for forward-thinking steelmakers who embrace new hightech production technologies that embody the essence of so-called “smart manufacturing”.

SPEAKERS ALREADY CONFIRMED FOR 2022 • ARCELORMITTAL • JFE STEEL CORPORATION • POSCO • METINVEST DIGITAL • WORLD STEEL ASSOCIATION

“IT’S AN EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS THE EVOLUTION OF THE STEEL INDUSTRY”

• MATERIALS PROCESSING INSTITUTE

Diego Diaz Fidalgo, ArcelorMittal

“WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO MY COLLEAGUES INVOLVED WITH THE DIGITALISATION OF THE BUSINESS, THE EVENT GIVES A VERY GOOD GLOBAL OVERVIEW” Luigi Morsut, Danieli & Co

Submit your speaker application before 8 February at www.FutureSteelForum.com PAST AND PRESENT EXHIBITORS AND SPONSORS INCLUDE…

FSF_2022_CallforPapers_DPS_Ad.indd All Pages

ORGANISED BY

20/01/2022 11:29

“THIS EVENT IS THE ONLY MEETING FOR INDUSTRY 4.0 FOCUSSED ON THE STEEL INDUSTRY IN EUROPE”

The long awaited Future Steel Forum is LIVE in Prague from 8-9 June 2022

Kiyoshi Ebihara, Nippon Steel Corporation

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS – SUBMISSION DEADLINE TUESDAY 8 FEBRUARY 2022

SPEAKERS ALREADY CONFIRMED FOR 2022 • ARCELORMITTAL • JFE STEEL CORPORATION • POSCO • METINVEST DIGITAL • WORLD STEEL ASSOCIATION

“IT’S AN EXCEPTIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO ASSESS THE EVOLUTION OF THE STEEL INDUSTRY”

• MATERIALS PROCESSING INSTITUTE

Diego Diaz Fidalgo, ArcelorMittal

“WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO MY COLLEAGUES INVOLVED WITH THE DIGITALISATION OF THE BUSINESS, THE EVENT GIVES A VERY GOOD GLOBAL OVERVIEW” Luigi Morsut, Danieli & Co

Submit your speaker application before 8 February at www.FutureSteelForum.com PAST AND PRESENT EXHIBITORS AND SPONSORS INCLUDE…

FSF_2022_CallforPapers_DPS_Ad.indd All Pages

ORGANISED BY

20/01/2022 11:29

INNOVATIONS

Smart solution for melt shop operations ABB has launched ABB Ability™ Smart Melt Shop, the first smart factory digital application of its kind for the metals industry. It claims to increase melt shop productivity, save energy and improve employee safety. Based on digital algorithms, the new solution offers real-time ladle tracking, automated crane scheduling and a predictive thermal modelling engine. The tracking engine follows ladle movement via cranes and transfer cars in real time. According to ABB, radar and laser positioning technologies provide accurate visualization while reducing hardware footprint and maintenance needs compared to radio-frequency identification (RFID) solutions. The automated crane scheduling includes job forecasting, route planning and automatic acknowledgement of jobs. ABB hopes to enable steelmakers to move towards autonomous operations by eliminating manual co-ordinations, with increased safety in hot zones due to lower footfall. The thermal engine function uses ladle thermal history from the tracking engine and forecasted heat movement from scheduling engines to predict the thermal loss during ladle transfer and the correct lift temperature at the ladle furnace. This results in better superheat compliance at the caster, eliminating caster slowdowns, hence increasing productivity. JSW Steel Ltd has installed ABB Ability Smart Melt at its Dolvi Works in Maharashtra state. The

Indian steelmaker has announced an expectation to increase its EBITDA profit by around $2million per annum through 4% higher casting speeds, time savings of one working day per month and additional output equating to 24kt/yr. “We’re proud to launch ABB Ability™ Smart Melt Shop – the first of its kind in the metals industry, enabling steelmakers to digitally connect all processes and moving equipment in the melt

shop, achieving synchronized operations and removing bottlenecks in production capacity,” said Tarun Mathur, global product manager, Metals Digital, ABB. “The digitalization of core processes will drive new levels of productivity, safety and sustainability outcomes for the metals sector.” For further information, log on to go.abb/processautomation

AMETEK introduces new performance services AMETEK Surface Vision, is now offering a range of new system services, under the moniker AMECare. The company claims these will ensure optimum levels of operation for the lifetime of its inspection and monitoring products. AMECare, which features a range of global services available 24/7, offers assistance for a variety of needs, from initial set-up to training and spare parts. Starting from purchase, AMECare claims to provide tailored support for the installation, alignment, calibration, and configuration of new systems. Other services offered as part of AMECare include technical support, training to ensure operators get the best out of their systems, and advice on stocking the right spare parts. Yamina Lansari, global manager of technical services for Surface Vision, said: “We understand our customers often have mission-critical systems where downtime is not an option. AMECare service and support engineers understand the importance of remote and on-site services to ensure the most appropriate action in the event of any problems.” Preventative maintenance is included in the AMECare package to identify and solve potential problems early, before they cause significant,

costly process downtime. This service aims to lead to less general maintenance, fewer part failures, and optimal system performance. Paul Stuyt, global manager of projects and service at Surface Vision added: “With over 2,500 installations worldwide, we understand how important it is to keep your systems working. Our global team of service and project engineers are constantly reviewing and updating our processes, ensuring customers always receive best-in-class service and support to get the most out of their systems.” AMETEK lists other benefits of using AMECare as reduced material waste, improved product quality, enhanced defect detection, and process optimization. For further information, log on to ameteksurfacevision. com

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INNOVATIONS

Fives signs orders on Bronx machine Fives, a leading plant builder for the steel industry, has signed several orders on Bronx straighteners for delivery to various countries, such as Mexico, Spain and Russia. A new six-roll straightening machine has been ordered by a leading steel manufacturer in Mexico for its tube facility in the country. The Bronx machine, designed for mechanical tubing processing, is scheduled for delivery in Q2 2022. A heavy-duty 10-roll straightener has been contracted by a global steel pipe manufacturer for a plant located in south-eastern Russia. The new fully motorized machine is claimed to

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process high-yield seamless stainless steel pipes up to 280mm in diameter and wall thicknesses of up to 30mm. A European heavy industry solution provider has passed an order for the fifth Bronx section straightener with equipment delivery scheduled for early 2023. The straightener is a fully motorized 11-roll straightening machine equipped with the very latest COMPASS, a computer-controlled automatic setting system, customized to provide management, maintenance and quality control information. “Our successes are built on three pillars – repu-

tation, reliability and experience,” says Jon Dunn, chief executive officer of Fives Bronx, a Fives’ subsidiary designing and supplying finishing equipment worldwide. “The machines are rigidly constructed and designed to meet high standards of straightness and surface finish for reliability and accuracy of seamless and welded tubular products’’.

For further information, log on to: www.fivesgroup.com

January/February 2022

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INNOVATIONS

Konecranes launches Battery as a Service On 12 December 2021, Konecranes officially launched Battery as a Service (BaaS), designed to facilitate financing and support customers of the E-VER range of Li-ion-powered electric forklift trucks. Through this service, Konecranes will provide chargeable, upgradable and remotely monitorable Li-ion batteries to its BaaS users. This will

allow the customers to purchase an E-VER electric heavy forklift without battery and to choose the best battery set-up that suits their needs. The battery is subscribed to by customers for a monthly fee, based on its actual usage which can be monitored in real-time at the yourKonecranes. com customer portal (the battery becomes an OPEX). Batteries can also be renewed when the

rental agreement comes to an end or if needed by the renter during the hire period. Continuous monitoring, says Konecranes, guarantees optimal performance of the battery. The launch of Konecranes BaaS claims to make the purchase decision much easier and represents a better balance between capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operating expenditure (OPEX) which

Harsco’s eco products drive zero-waste philosophy With almost 50 years of experience in developing dust extraction solutions and centralised vacuum systems, Dustcontrol UK is set to exhibit its range of construction equipment at the much-anticipated Executive Hire Show 2022. The company will exhibit the equipment on Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 February at the Coventry Building Society Arena, Coventry, showcasing the firm’s DC Tromb dust extractors, DC 2900 and DC 1800 eco vacuums, and DC AirCube cleaners at stand H31. James Miller, managing director of Dustcontrol UK, said: “The Executive Hire Show is always a great exhibition, and it promises to be another exciting event in 2022. As with previous events, we’ll be demonstrating our popular and high-quality construction mobile equipment, with a focus on their cutting, grinding and cleaning capabilities.” The recently remodelled versions of the

Harsco Environmental, a division of Harsco Corporation and the global leader in environmental services and products, has announced a rebranding of its formerly named Applied Products line to ecoproducts™ – a service line that includes 62 products serving seven industries, including iron and steel, road making and abrasives, roofing, construction and cement. The new ecoproducts™ moniker was selected to better reflect Harsco Environmental’s drive to provide a sustainable alternative to virgin material by being more cost effective and offering higher performance than raw materials such as mined or processed metals. “Where most see waste, we see unimagined value,” said Russ Mitchell, vice president and chief operating officer for Harsco Environmental. “Since our inception, Harsco Environmental has been renowned for its vast service offerings and has remained at the front lines for our customers. As we evolve into an environmental solutions

provider, we are committed to increasing our sustainable offerings. Our rebranding to ecoproducts™ better represents what this product line offers to all stakeholders, the industry and our customers.” The rebranding is a shift by Harsco Environmental towards its new strategy of solving its customers’ environmental challenges through the development of end-to-end solutions. To support this focus, the company has adjusted some of its internal structure and has recently launched a new website focused on ecoproducts™. As a key provider of on-site material processing and environmental services to the global metals industry, Harsco Environmental has operations at more than 130 customer sites in more than 30 countries.

For further information, visit www.harsco-environmental.com

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25/01/2022 07:07:19

INNOVATIONS

is also more comparable to the LCC distribution of a diesel engine-powered lift truck. BaaS is intended as a future-proof solution to challenges such as battery degradation, battery renewal, battery upgradability and lower resale value. This service is targeted on keeping the machine resale value independent from battery degradation. The innovation of vehicle-battery separation

and battery subscription has come true, says Konecranes, and represents a significant milestone for the company.

For further information, log on to: www.konecranes.com

Dustcontrol UK set to exhibit range Tromb range claim to meet modern safety requirements while offering ergonomic and modular functions. One of the major updates is that the new DC TrombTwin model is separable, meaning the dust extractor and pre-separator are easily detached and re-assembled from each other – making them easier to transport for actions such as floor grinding. The DC 2900 range can be used for industrial vacuuming or on-tool dust extraction. Its suction casings make it particularly effective for cutting, drilling, and sanding activities. James concluded: “The show will provide us with an excellent opportunity to show the tool hire industry how we can help businesses stay healthy through the use of efficient dust extraction.” For further information, log on to www.dustcontroluk.co.uk

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25/01/2022 07:07:25

INNOVATIONS

Mazzella Companies announces CIS acquisition Mazzella Companies, manufacturer and distributor of lifting products based in North America, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Contractors & Industrial Supply Co., Inc. (CIS). This acquisition is intended to strengthen Mazzella’s footprint in Tennessee and Alabama, as well as reinforce Mazzella’s commitment to be a onestop resource for lifting, crane service, cranes, and rigging services and solutions. Contractors & Industrial Supply Co., Inc. (CIS) was founded in 1970 by Hank Schiller and serves a variety of industries including manufacturing, construction, steel, marine, electrode handling, and light and sound. CIS is a full-service rigging supplier including custom lifting slings, fall protection devices, hoists, cranes, and rigging

systems. Effective immediately, Contractors & Industrial Supply Co., Inc. will operate as Mazzella CIS. “CIS will complement the wide range of rigging products and services that Mazzella Companies offers. Both companies are committed to delivering our customers with expertise and the safest and most effective overhead lifting and rigging solutions,” says Tony Mazzella, CEO of Mazzella Companies. This acquisition will provide Mazzella with a new location in Nashville, Tennessee, adding to their pre-existing central US locations in Memphis, Chattanooga, Oklahoma City, Dallas and Birmingham. “Over the past several years, I’ve been looking

for a way to keep our strong legacy going and to help us take the next step as an organization. I was committed to finding the best fit for all of us and Mazzella has the right culture and the right leadership team to create more opportunities for us and will provide more resources to help bring our important work together,” says Tom Schiller, president of Contractors and Industrial Supply Co., Inc. For further information, log on to www.mazzellacompanies.com

FAC issued to KOCKS for 3-roll RSB®

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25/01/2022 07:07:51

INNOVATIONS

Fives Landis and AddUp design custom coolant nozzle French plant builder Fives Landis Corp. and AddUp, a joint venture between Fives group and Michelin specializing in metal additive manufacturing, have partnered to design and 3-D print a custom coolant nozzle. The custom nozzle design allows the flow position and shape to match the challenging wheel geometry with fewer components in the assembly, while also providing flow to the metal cutting zone in the grinding machine. This, claims Fives, increases the machine’s performance and optimizes the grind cycle. According to Fives, with the use of traditional production processes fabricating this complex part is difficult and requires multiple pieces. However, with metal additive manufacturing, also referred to as metal 3-D printing, this type of nozzle component can be realized from the 3-D digital design to the final metal part in a matter of days, rather than weeks. AddUp teams first started by laying out the part in the 3-D build preparation software, AddUp Manager, then developed the manufacturing recipe for the print, including melt strategy and build orientation, before transferring the file

to the AddUp FormUp 350 Powder Bed Fusion machine. The nozzle is printed in stainless steel, using the AddUp FormUp 350 Powder Bed Fusion machine in a few hours. In this machine, parts are made in successive horizontal layers. For each layer, metal powder is spread across the build plate and a laser melts the areas that need to be solidified. Lastly, post processing operations including stress relief, wire EDM and bead blasting complete the part, making it ready for assembly on the grinding machine. The FormUp 350 is designed to achieve up to 0.1 mm dimensional accuracy and 99.99% material density, ensuring accurate and repeatable part performance without failure. The final result is a one-piece coolant nozzle that delivers coolant flow into precise locations, intended to optimize the performance of the machine.

Chinese state-owned steel producer Shandong Iron and Steel Group Co Ltd, (SGIS) has issued an FAC (Final Acceptance Certificate) to Friedrich KOCKS GmbH & Co KG, Germany, for their 3-roll reducing and sizing block (RSB®) 500++/4 in 5.0 design. The new medium section bar mill at LAIWU works has implemented the KOCKS RSB® 500++/4 for their low temperature rolling process, with the RSB® including a size control system (SCS®), a 4D EAGLE® profile gauge and

the design and closed-loop automation. The RSB® produces SBQ products within a range of Ø 50.0 up to Ø 130.0 mm. SGIS is the 12th biggest steel producer in the world with an annual production of nearly 22Mt of steel and equipped with the biggest KOCKS RSB® enters the expanding and demanding market for medium size SBQ products.

For further information, log on to www.fivesgroup.com

For further information, log on to www.kocks.de/en January/February 2022

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25/01/2022 07:08:31

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Electric vehicle battery recycling partnership announced

Primobius GmbH and the North American steelmaking company Stelco Holdings Inc. have entered an agreement, with both companies partnering to commercialize Primobius’ proprietary advanced electric vehicle battery recycling and processing technologies in North America. Primobius, the partnership between Australian Stock Exchange-listed company Neometals Ltd. and SMS group, is a venture that aims to commercialize an environmentally friendly recycling solution for lithium-ion-batteries (LIB). Primobius has developed a CO2-reduced, two-step system combining mechanical and hydrometallurgical processes to bring high-purity chemicals back into the battery supply chain. Stelco executive chairman and CEO Alan Kestenbaum commented: “By providing this service, Stelco will be able to recycle end-of-life electric vehicles, convert them into green steel and recover from their batteries high purity metals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt and manganese. The synergies obtained by joining the leading engineering company in the world with the leading battery metals technology company and with our state-of-the-art steelmaking capabilities position Stelco as the best-in-class partner to automotive OEMs, particularly those pursuing electric vehicle strategies.” This new partnership represents a significant milestone for Primobius, in supporting its strategy to become the leading LIB recycler through the establishment of a second operating base. The option agreement with Stelco grants Primobius the right to acquire between 25% and 50% equity in Stelco recycling.

Prof. Dr. Hans Ferkel, CTO at SMS group and a member of the advisory board of Primobius, commented: “We recognize the need to secure access to large volumes of future end-of-life LIBs and the present need to recycle a significantly growing volume of end-of-life batteries. The partnership presents the perfect opportunity for us to enter one of the world’s fastest growing cell making markets.” As a leading supplier of steel to automotive OEMs, Stelco consumes scrap as part of its steel manufacturing process and is planning to secure sufficient volumes of end-of-life vehicles to source scrap steel feedstock. “Stelco is thrilled to partner with Primobius. After an extensive search for best-in-class technologies worldwide, including a detailed review of Primobius’ newly commissioned and operational demonstration plant in Hilchenbach, Germany, on the premises of leading engineering firm SMS group, Stelco has reached an agreement that will enable Stelco to create a closed-loop system of auto recycling and provision of green steel and battery metals back to its automotive OEM customers.” Kestenbaum commented. As Primobius has licensed its battery recycling technology to Stelco, the steelmaking company is now in a position to mature its feedstock targeting activities with an additional direct access to a sustainable industrial-scale battery recycling solution. For further information, log on to www.sms-group.com www.steeltimesint.com

25/01/2022 07:08:41

LATIN AMERICA UPDATE

100 years in Brazil In December 2021, ArcelorMittal Longos celebrated its 100th anniversary of operating in Brazil. The journey from 1921 to the present day cannot be dissociated from the hurdles the nation faced to industrialise, nor the economic challenges that have emerged along the way. In part one of the story, Germano Mendes de Paula* looks at the period 1921 to 1974. IN 1917, a group of engineers and entrepreneurs from the State of Minas Gerais established the Companhia Siderúrgica Mineira (CSM). According to the book Louis Ensch e a Belgo Mineira, written by Antonio José Polanczyk, they decided to locate the mill in Sabará, for the following reasons: a) access to the railroad; b) the proximity (21km) from Belo Horizonte, the State capital; c) the availability of labour; d) the urban infrastructure; e) the abundance of iron ore and forests, remembering that the new venture would produce pig iron using charcoal. Started up in November 1920, CSM’s first blast furnace was originally capable of producing 25 tonnes per day and was at the time the largest equipment in the country. The company experienced a lot of problems in the early days, such as: a) a limited market for pig iron; b) fierce competition from other national producers and imported products; c) low technical expertise. If Luxembourgbased Aciéries Réunies de Burbach-EichDudelange (Arbed) had not acquired majority control of CSM in 1921, it is likely that the company would have been bankrupted. The company was renamed Companhia Siderúrgica Belgo Mineira (CSBM), or simply Belgo (which means

Belgian, in Portuguese). In fact, Arbed was the leader of a European consortium that invested in CSBM. Regarding the Brazilian partners, from the 20 initial investors, only 10 decided to continue as shareholders. However, two years later, all remaining Brazilian investors sold their shares to a Belgian bank. Arbed’s original plan was to continue operating Sabará until a new and larger steel mill was constructed in João

Monlevade, also in the State of Minas Gerais. In 1925 after the company gained control of CSBM, a six-tonne SiemensMartin was added in addition to an iron and steel foundry and a rolling mill (for rebar and light sections) in Sabará. The plant became the first integrated mill in South America. Mr Polanczyk, who played important executive roles in CSBM, including CEO between 1991-1993, explained that Arbed was familiar with the use of high phosphor and low iron ore content minerals. Its European mill was a coke integrated facility and employed the Thomas process. However, as Brazilian iron ore had the opposite characteristics (low phosphor and high iron ore content), it was decided to utilise Siemens-Martin technology instead, a process that Arbed was unfamiliar with. In addition, Arbed employed a charcoal blast furnace and not one fuelled by coke. CSBM opted to add a second charcoal blast furnace (45t/day), a second SiemensMartin (10t) and improvements to the rolling mill in Sabará. However, due to the difficulties executing projects as planned and unfavourable market conditions, Sabará was shut-down from June 1926 to July 1927. In particular, the company put in a fairly poor performance in 1927, when it

* Professor in Economics, Federal University of Uberlândia, Brazil. E-mail: germano@ufu.br January/February 2022

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LATIN AMERICA UPDATE

produced only 155t of steel (Table 1). CSBM continued to expand its Sabará works, adding a second blast furnace in 1929 and a third 1931. In 1930, a wire drawing facility was installed for nails, and in 1935, a small hydroelectric dam was inaugurated. Also that year the installed capacity of a new rolling mill was boosted from 23kt/yr to 37kt/yr. Sabará’s steel shop remained operational until 1985 and while it continues to fabricate drawn products today, it definitely had a secondary role after the commissioning of the Monlevade steelworks. Monlevade’s steelworks In 1935, CSBM began construction of its Monlevade mill, a plant that is still operational today. The first blast furnace came on stream in July 1937 and the steel shop in April 1938. The rolling mill and the wire drawing facility were inaugurated in January 1940. The plant, also a charcoalbased integrated mill, had an initial capacity of 50kt/yr. In reality, it was only fully completed in 1943, including the installation of a rail mill, which expanded capacity to 100kt/yr. It is estimated that roughly one third of production consisted of rails and the remaining output was barbed wire. From 1924 to 1946, Brazilian annual crude steel production amplified from 4.5kt to 342kt, of which

CSBM accounted for some 70% of the accumulated output. CSBM opened a welded pipe factory in Monlevade in May 1947 and a galvanising pipe plant in January 1948. The company installed its first sintering plant in South America in September 1948. A Steckel rolling mill was commissioned in October 1949 to produce sheets for its tube activities and to provide third parties. In 1953, Monlevade produced 129kt of pig iron and 138kt of crude steel (Table 2). In October 1957, the company started-up its first BOF in the Americas at Monlevade; it had a nominal capacity of 240kt/yr. The company claimed to be the sixth plant in the world to adopt BOF technology and had a long tradition of being pioneering with regard to the Brazilian steel industry. From the late 1940s to mid-1970s, Belgo-Mineira reinforced two of its main strategies. First, the growing importance of drawn products in the product mix. The construction of Cimaf began in 1947 and was dedicated to the manufacture of cables, wires and screws. The Contagem drawing mill commenced operation in 1959, but the machinery transfer from the Monlevade mill was completed four years later in 1963. It had a 100kt/yr capacity. In March 1968, a new 300kt/yr wire rod mill was inaugurated in Monlevade and in November 1972 the rolling mill was

Table 1. Sabara’s initial pig iron and crude steel production (kt)

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renovated and amplified to 500kt/yr capacity. CSBM’s focus on the drawing market was accentuated when the company exited from some segments of its tubes and sections markets. The Steckel rolling mill (120kt/yr) was shut down in January 1971, followed by the welded tube mill (24kt/yr) in December of the same year. Finally, in February 1974, the rail and section rolling mills, with a combined capacity of 60kt/yr, were deactivated. The company’s second major strategy – its high degree of backwards vertical integration – was reinforced when it acquired the shareholding control of SA Mineração de Trindade (Samitri) in 1952 and established Samarco in 1973, both iron ore mining operations. In addition, Companhia Agrícola e Florestal Santa Bárbara (CAF) was created to develop reforestation and charcoal activities in 1957. In 1974, CSBM was focused on wire rod and drawing products, with a high degree of vertical integration. In that year, it produced 534kt of pig iron (equivalent to 9.1% of Brazilian output), 730kt of crude steel (or 9.7%) and 617kt of common long steel products (or 23.3%). Therefore, while CSBM had lost its production share because Brazil started to fabricate ﬂat steel products, it continued to be the market leader of the long steel segment. �

Table 2. Monlevade’s initial pig iron and crude steel production (kt)

January/February 2022

25/01/2022 12:43:10

INDIA UPDATE

India’s steel demand comeback Following a year of reduced off-take due to harsh weather conditions, Coronavirus measures, and looming price cuts, India has sought measures to boost steel production and consumption. By Dilip Kumar Jha* AFTER a strong restocking had picked up until October 2021, India’s steel demand took a pause in November 2021 as stockists reduced off-take, slowed new orders, and took preventative measures amid expectations of a price decline to avoid stockpiling ahead of the Coronavirusinduced lockdowns. The spread of the Omicron variant in particular cautioned stockists to stay away from fresh orders. However, stockists’ reluctance over delaying a fresh stockpiling has worried primary steel producers, as inventories of both crude and finished steel continued to build in factory premises. With an aim to sync supply with demand, primary steel producers are working on strategies for a production cut to avoid being forced to offer discounts. The November slowdown India’s finished steel consumption reported a decline by 8% on a year-on-year (y-o-y) basis and 3.2% month-on-month (m-o-m) to 8.47Mt due to sluggish demand, with stockists using their own inventory to meet consumers’ off-take. Data compiled by the Joint Plant Committee (JPC) showed India’s finished steel production at 9.19Mt in November 2021, a rise of 1.7% from

SHINING BRIGHT India’s steel production and availability (Mt) Period

Crude steel production

Finished steel production

Consumption

April - November 2021

April - November 2020

April - November 2019

April - November 2018

Source: Ministry of Steel, Government of India

November 2020 and a decline of 2.2% from October 2021 levels. Despite the decline in November 2021, India’s average monthly finished steel consumption reported a staggering 20% jump to 8.25Mt between April and November 2021, compared to 6.87Mt in the corresponding period last year. India’s cumulative finished steel consumption was recorded at 66Mt during the April – November 2021 period. The production, transportation, and consumption of steel was disrupted in the initial months of the financial year April 2021 – March 2022 because of the second wave of the devastating coronavirus pandemic, but recovered later as a result of a massive economic stimulus package announced by the government to bring India’s economy

back from the Covid-related contraction. The government’s huge infrastructure push with an investment outlay of INR 1000 billion (US$13.14 billion) yielded a positive result for steel consumption in India. In November 2021, however, India’s steel demand was affected by cyclones and unseasonal rains, which halted construction activity for a couple of weeks. These conditions continued in December 2021, and resultingly, the acceleration in steel consumption witnessed in the MayJune 2021 period slipped by November – December 2021. In between, steel prices in the international markets have fallen, which Indian stockists expect to ﬁlter through to local markets as well. Subsequently, Indian stockists are clearing their inventory before placing new orders which has caused a

* India correspondent www.steeltimesint.com

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INDIA UPDATE

slowdown in India’s steel demand, albeit temporarily. Demand to bounce back According to Seshagiri Rao, joint managing director, JSW Steel, India’s steel demand is currently under pressure but will bounce back sooner rather than later on account of exhausting pipeline inventory at the stockists’ levels. “Steel prices in the international markets have declined, so Indian stockists expect some corrections in steel prices before they place new orders. We, therefore, expect India’s steel demand will bounce back in a few weeks from now. Nobody can continue not to buy new stocks unless and until there is no demand. All leading indicators are showing a positive trend,” Rao added. Echoing a similar response, T V Narendran, managing director of Tata Steel, said: “The current strong upcycle in the steel industry will sustain for a longer horizon. We are optimistic that the government’s focus on infrastructure, ongoing reform measures, rationalization in the goods and services tax (GST),

and unwavering thrust on initiatives like ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat [self-reliant India]’ will provide momentum to India’s growth story.” India is a net exporter of steel; during the financial year, April 2020 – March 2021, steel exports stood at 10.79Mt: 29% higher than the 8.36Mt reported the previous financial year. For the period between April and November 2021, India’s total steel exports jumped by 31% to 9.53Mt as against 7.30Mt reported in the comparable period last year. Special steels India also imports a huge quantity of special steel from various countries including China, Japan, and South Korea among others. India’s import of steel jumped by 29.8% to 4.75Mt for the financial year April 2020 and March 2021, compared to 3.67Mt in the previous financial year. During the April to November 2021 period, however, India’s steel imports jumped by 13.5% to 3.06Mt compared to 2.69Mt in the same period last year. Steel prices in India are currently

hovering around 3% lower than global prices against 3-5% premiums over two months ago. India’s leading equity broking ﬁrm, Kotak Institutional Equity (KIE), believes that the country’s steel export orders have dried up in Indian mills due to ongoing price disparity. Since domestic demand is yet to see a meaningful recovery after restocking in October 2021 and exhausting current inventory, it is set to bounce back shortly, KIE added. Drafted in 2017, India’s National Steel Policy aims to boost the country’s steel production capacity to 300Mt by April 2030 – March 2031 and increase the per capita consumption through continuous expansion in the infrastructure, construction and housing sectors. Currently, India’s per capita steel consumption stands at 74.1kgs, which has grown exponentially from its prior level of 57.6kgs ﬁve years ago. Now, the government of India aims to increase India’s cumulative steel consumption to 230Mt by 2030-31, from the current level of 93.3Mt, with double the rural per capita consumption to 38kgs from the existing 19.6 kgs. �

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STEEL SUCCESS STRATEGIES 2021

Conference takes stock of steel industry and trade With sustainability leading the conversation at the Steel Success Strategies 2021 conference, “green steel” is expected to become a mantra in the global steel supply chain, as manufacturers increasingly invest in climate-friendly production. By Manik Mehta* IT was a remarkable coincidence that US President Joe Biden proudly announced, just a few days before the start of the Steel Success Strategies 2021 conference in Miami, that from 7 to 9 November, the passing of the bipartisan infrastructure bill would modernize the nation’s infrastructure and do justice to America’s image as the world’s leading economy. “The House of Representatives had passed an Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. That’s a fancy way of saying a bipartisan infrastructure bill – a once-in-a-generation investment that’s going to create millions of jobs modernizing our infrastructure – our roads, our bridges, our broadband, a whole range of things – to turn the climate crisis into an opportunity. And it puts us on a path to win the economic competition of the 21st century that we face with China and other large countries and the rest of the world,” President Biden observed, adding that the infrastructure investment would get America “off the sidelines on manufacturing – manufacturing of solar panels, turbines, battery storage, energy and power to electric vehicles from school buses to automobiles”. This, as many steel industry representatives were saying,

would translate into a high demand for steel, which would be needed for the infrastructure development. The expectation among those connected with the production, distribution and sales of steel and products made of the metal is that the massive infrastructure investment, totaling about $1.2 trillion, will generate a strong demand for domestically-produced steel. Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA), a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, described the passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) as a “oncein-a-lifetime investment” that would restore the nation’s crumbling infrastructure, invest in roads and bridges, public transit and rail, broadband and high-speed internet, and deliver clean and reliable drinking water to America’s families. Kevin Dempsey, president/CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), which represents the interests of American steel producers, told Steel Times International that he had perceived a “very upbeat mood” among US steel producers at the SSS-2021 conference, with sustainability being a ‘‘major theme in

conversations among participants and also discussed at the conference.” The AISI president also maintained that the US steel industry was ‘very supportive’ of President Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill which was passed by lawmakers of both political parties. The bill will provide the much-needed financial resources to fund the modernization and upgrading of what many lament as ‘anachronistic infrastructure’. The steel producers are ‘excited’ about the infrastructure bill, which will emphasize on consuming domesticallyproduced steel, underscoring the ‘buy American’ materials for such infrastructure projects. Asked to comment on concern within the steel-consuming industries about rising costs and the decline in the volume of imported steel curbed by the steel tariffs, Dempsey said that steel prices, like prices of other commodities, were driven by steel demand. “After all, this is also evident in the price increases of other products,” he said. Dempsey also expressed concern, which is widespread in the industry, about China’s steel overcapacity – as China quietly sets up plants and other facilities within Southeast Asia, which is closely monitored by the AISI

* USA correspondent January/February 2022

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STEEL SUCCESS STRATEGIES 2021

“The US steel industry needs to stand together going forward in the face of competition with European steel-producing countries aided by

”

subsidies and Chinese companies basically run by the government

Lourenco Goncalves president, chairman and CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs

and also individual steel producers. China’s recent attempt to join the trade pact named the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) which embraces 11 nations of the Indo Pacific, has alarmed many industries in the US, including the steel industry, fearing that this could be a ploy to get unfettered access to world markets. The US under President Donald Trump withdrew from the CPTPP’s precursor trade pact – the TransPacific Partnership – which was pushed by former President Barack Obama to support the US pivot to Asia. President Biden has, so far, shown no inclination to re-join. Besides being welcomed by the steel industry, the IIJA has also been applauded by several trade unions. These include America’s Building Trades Unions, the United Auto Workers, the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industries of the United States and Canada (AFL-CIO), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Services Employees International Union, Amalgamated Transit Union, Transport Workers’ Union, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), and Machinists Union. The increasing use of the direct reduced iron (DRI) process to curb the level of carbon emissions is expected to increase in the future, according to Dempsey’s expectation, because of its advantages, which include the reduction in the use of iron ore and other substances. Meanwhile, thanks to the process’ substantial growth, the steel industry has been making impressive investments to modernize or build new facilities for production and operations.

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The steel industry is increasingly becoming conscious of the trend towards de-carbonization that is being actively supported not only by environmentalists and politicians but also, increasingly, by consumers. Consequently, the steel industry is turning to the direct reduced iron (DRI) process for producing steel – the mantra is called green steel – as a study by McKinsey & Company puts it. However, the study which was also discussed in exchanges at the Miami event, raises the question of the ‘DRI dilemma’ – whether the raw material shortages would hinder the steel industry’s green transition, even as DRI plants are already under construction or have already been announced. The study suggests that new, green technologies will increase the use of DRI, which accounts for 5% of the metallic used in the steelmaking process globally. It is currently used less commonly than pig iron or steel scrap. Traditionally, DRI is produced from the direct reduction of iron ore using natural gas, but emerging technology is enabling the production of DRI using hydrogen as well. Depending on the source of the hydrogen, this offers the potential for truly green steel. Hydrogen-based DRI is, therefore, expected to be a major de-carbonization lever for steelmakers, particularly in Europe. A number of companies have already announced plans to introduce DRI, and strong growth is expected in the future. In fact, scenarios based on a carbon-neutral steel industry – a goal to which many major steelmakers have committed – suggest that DRI production would treble within the next 30 years. Unlike in the production of blast-furnace pig iron, iron ore remains solid throughout

the DRI-production process, thus making it difficult to remove impurities. As a result, the quality of the DRI is closely related to the quality of iron ore inputs. DRI is, therefore, mostly made from very high-quality raw materials, which can be produced at only a limited number of mines. Steel pundits recognize that given the potential deficit of high-quality raw materials, growth in the DRI industry will have to be accompanied by a change in the manufacturing process. Increasingly, DRI will likely have to be made with lowerquality iron ore, which will then have to be upgraded – most likely using a smelting process – to make it more suitable for use in basic oxygen furnaces. This has important implications for steelmakers’ wider plant configurations. Minimills with electric arc furnaces (EAF) would resort to long-term supply contracts to produce DRI suitable for the process. Lourenco Goncalves president, chairman and CEO of Cleveland-Cliffs, who opened the SSS 2021 conference and made the keynote presentation, traced his company’s evolution and spoke at length about the steel industry’s sustainable future, emphasizing, as he put it, the ‘need for a unified United States steel industry’ amid the ever-changing global environment. Goncalves’ rise in the steel industry has been meteoric; indeed, he was acknowledged by many as a major force within the American steel industry in a relatively short period as he transformed Cleveland-Cliffs from its five iron-ore mining and pelletizing facilities into a steel producing giant after acquiring other steel companies, including AK Steel. His

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STEEL SUCCESS STRATEGIES 2021

‘

’

... he had perceived a very upbeat mood among US steel producers

‘

at the SSS-2021 conference, with sustainability being a major theme in conversations among participants and also discussed at the conference.

’

Kevin Dempsey, president/CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI)

feat of boosting the revenue of ClevelandCliffs from some $2 billion in 2019 to an estimated $21 billion in 2021, has caught the attention of many in the industry. “The US steel industry needs to stand together going forward in the face of competition with European steelproducing countries aided by subsidies and Chinese companies basically run by the government,” he maintained. Touching on a sensitive question that has confronted US steel producers, Goncalves raised the question of steel companies remaining competitive amid the growing pressures facing them to keep emissions under control. “We don’t need to be blast furnace steelmakers against electric-arc furnace steelmakers, integrated mills against minimills. We don’t need to be one service centre competing against another service centre. We need to be one United States steel industry leading the world. It’s about leveling the playing field,” he said, citing

the example of Cleveland Cliffs which has four fully integrated steel mills, one standalone blast furnace, five electric-arc furnaces, one operational DRI plant, five high-end automotive finishing facilities and soon – with the recent $775 million acquisition of Ferrous Processing & Trading Co (FPT) – 22 scrap processing facilities. The FTP acquisition has given the company control over the entire life cycle of steel. With the acquisition, expected to be completed later this year, ClevelandCliffs will control 15% of the prime scrap merchant market (1.5Mt). Another speaker at the Miami conference, Dean Kanelos, the market development and product applications manager of Nucor, the biggest steelmaker and also recycler of steel in the US, highlighted Nucor’s greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity. He emphasized that Nucor’s GHG emissions were less than one third of the global average, in spite of Nucor producing nearly one-fifth of the average integrated steel mill (BF-

Todd Ames senior key account manager of Midrex Technologies Inc., headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, made a

‘

presentation entitled Direct Reduction in the Gradual Transition

’

to CO2-free Steelmaking

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BOF). While the global average of GHG emissions was 1.69 ton for every ton of steel produced and the integrated average around 2.15, Nucor’s reading was 0.47 ton, according to Kanelos. Alan Kestenbaum, executive chairman/ CEO of Canadian steel company STELCO, which has made over $700 million in strategic investments since 2017, said that raw material shortages could hinder STELCO’s transition towards lowering GHG emissions. The DRI system requires very high quality ore and unlike in the production of blast-furnace pig iron, iron ore remains solid throughout the DRI-production process, making it difficult to remove impurities. “A significant expansion of the DRI industry will likely lead to a shortage of raw materials within the next decade – not all iron ore is suitable for DRI and supply will be insufficient even if steelmakers both fully utilize existing mines and open new mines capable of producing the necessary inputs,” Kestenbaum said. Todd Ames senior key account manager of Midrex Technologies Inc., headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, made a presentation entitled ‘Direct Reduction in the Gradual Transition to CO2-free Steelmaking”, and maintained that the iron and steel industry was responsible for 7-9% of global CO2 emissions, requiring new technology to achieve global decarbonization targets. “The investment to transition our industry is estimated at more than $1 trillion. About 1.9 billion tons of crude steel are produced globally with ~70% BF-BOF,” Ames said, adding that not enough scrap or DRI was currently available to significantly reduce global emissions. One of the oldest players in this industrial segment, Midrex provides direct iron reduction technologies and continues to www.steeltimesint.com

25/01/2022 07:33:07

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STEEL SUCCESS STRATEGIES 2021

“The steel markets in the Gulf in the 2020/21 (ﬁscal) year was a great year with robust demand in the construction sector… besides the construction sector, we have also had good demand in air-conditioning which has boosted demand for steel. The GCC markets absorb some 60% of our exports while the remaining 40% go to the rest of the world, with the United States absorbing some 20% of our

”

exports.

Sadashiv Shetty, general manager (commercial) at AGIS

Product Type

Thickness (mm)

Tons produced p/a

Hot Rolled Pickled & Oiled Coils

1.2 to 4.5

350,000Mt

Cold Rolled Full Hard Coils

0.2 to 2.5

250,000Mt

Hot Dip Galvanized Coils

0.2 to 2.5

500,000Mt

*Galvanized steel sheets and slit coils are also offered as per customer requirement.

Table 1. AGIS’ product range and capabilities*

provide reliable solutions for today’s global steel industry. Ames commented on steelmakers moving toward developing their transition plans to de-carbonize and spread-out investment over time. In addition to the cost challenge of making the transition, there was also the cost challenge which the steel industry had to meet in order to make the transition to de-carbonized production. As greener steel production grows, prices of prime scrap – or industrial scrap – are also expected to soar, according to industry experts. Green steel, as some delegates reiterated, will be the mantra for carmakers like Mercedes Benz which have committed to using green steel in car production by 2025. While carmakers will be using green steel, they will also generate prime scrap – meaning carmakers will have a strong interest in both segments. US-EU tariffs An important subject discussed on the sideline of the conference, was the USEU agreement on tariffs. The Biden administration’s agreement, reached a week earlier, with the European Union to replace the tariffs with quotas was also discussed during the networking session between some US and European delegates; some conference participants, speaking ‘strictly off the record’, as one delegate told this January/February 2022

SSS Miami.indd – read MM..indd 4

correspondent, wondered if the US-EU deal could ease steel prices. The understanding reached between Washington and Brussels suggests that the Section 232 steel and aluminium tariffs against the EU’s 27 member countries will be replaced by a quota system that could result in lower steel prices, as Gina Raimondo, the US Commerce Secretary, said in the US capital. The US administration had not released at the time of the Miami conference specific details about the volume of duty-free steel that would be allowed into the US. However, the United Steelworkers International president Tom Conway subsequently stated that the volume exported by the EU under the quota system will be less than the volume imported from the EU in 2017 and 2018. Steel industry representatives, including AISI president Kevin Dempsey, emphasized that it was important that the government enforces the quota system. “If the quota system is not strictly enforced, the agreement will lose its purpose,” said one delegate. The overall sentiment at the conference was that demand for steel will continue to thrive. US steelmakers said demand for steel will remain strong extending well into the next year, keeping prices high for customers such as auto and appliance makers and stoking continued investments in new mills.

Breaking into world markets Not many in the West would know that the steel industry in member states of the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) is asserting its position in international markets and is keen to penetrate into world markets. The Miami event also had representatives of some GCC-based steel companies whose products are shipped to a number of markets worldwide. The conference was attended by representatives of Al Ghurair Iron & Steel LLC, (AGIS), a joint venture of the Al Ghurair Group, UAE and Nippon Steel Corporation, Japan, the largest flat steel rolling and hotdip galvanizing complex in the GCC region. Located strategically in Abu Dhabi, the 500kt/yr facility caters to the requirement of the construction, fabrication and other non-automotive industries primarily in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region. The main production lines include a semicontinuous pickling line, a 6-Hi reversing cold rolling mill and two continuous galvanizing lines. Table 1. In a PowerPoint presentation at the conference, Abu Bucker Husain, the CEO of AGIS, provided an overview of the major steel producing nations of the Middle East. “Persia (Iran) is the biggest producer at 29Mt/yr, but is under sanctions, while the KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) is the largest producer in GCC at 7.5Mt/yr, and the UAE (United Arab Emirates) is small but with a lot of plans to add capacities’’. Sadashiv Shetty general manager (commercial) at AGIS, sounded upbeat at the Miami event. “The steel markets in the Gulf in the 2020/21 (fiscal) year was a great year with robust demand in the construction sector… besides the construction sector, we have also had good www.steeltimesint.com

25/01/2022 07:33:12

BOF

Steelm a ki n

EAF

GLOBAL EVENT SPONSORS

STEEL SUCCESS STRATEGIES 2021

demand in air-conditioning, which has boosted demand for steel. The GCC markets absorb some 60% of our exports while the remaining 40% go to the rest of the world, with the United States absorbing some 20% of our exports,” Shetty told Steel Times International. While the big supplying nations, such as China, India, Japan and Korea, were slapped with steel tariffs under Section 232 of the Trade Act, the Gulf-based companies reacted by making adjustments in dealing with the tariffs. “Yes, we were affected by Section 232 steel tariffs. However, our customers (in the US) have got used to it because the US is still a net importer of galvanized steel,” Shetty explained. However, his company also had to reduce its profit margin so as not to unduly burden the customers, and continue to offer products at reasonable prices. The Gulf in itself become a battleground between the large supplying nations, notably India and China, which find the region attractive because there are no

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tariffs on imports, though reports suggest that Saudi Arabia is planning to introduce – or has already introduced – new import

tariffs on steel products. The GCC does not, generally, have per se any protection layer in the form of tariffs. Steel is gaining importance in the GCC countries, which also have their individual steel trade associations. As in many parts of the world – and this has become acutely disruptive in the US – supply chains have been affected because of shipping delays and distribution. Ports on the west coast of the US present a disruptive dysfunctional sight as delays continue to plague both shippers and importers. “Facing unprecedented delays and hurdles, shipping is turning out to be a big challenge today, and this is not about supply and demand. Indeed, demand is not a major problem; shipping and getting the supplies delivered to the customers is a problem which, in my personal view, will remain until the end of 2022,” Shetty maintained, adding that demand was solid, and this was also reflected in the upbeat mood among many steel companies at the Miami event. �

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25/01/2022 07:33:23

DECARBONIZATION

Alternate routes to green steel Worldwide concern with the damaging effects of climate change is driving three interconnected trends in heavy industry, namely, the desire to (i) decarburise production, (ii) link production to renewable energy and (iii) minimise usage of virgin feedstocks by maximising recycling. By G A Brooks1 and S A Hornby2 THESE trends are driving innovation and investment in many industries and are likely to do so for the next couple of decades. The steel industry is at the forefront of these trends with significant investment in new technology currently underway around the world. New iron and steelmaking routes are being developed in Sweden, Austria, and Germany, with other new plants being proposed in several other countries. [1] This push towards ‘green’ production routes is currently driven by the western world’s objection to large quantities of carbon use in steel production. Political and social pressures, bolstered increasingly by financial institutions and investors (particularly in the EU) are driving large industries to largely decarbonize by 2050, if not 2035, if they wish to continue to operate.

The challenge to decarbonize today’s 1.8 billion tonne world steel industry is enormous. The major steel producing routes, the blast furnace/oxygen steelmaking (BF/OS – using virgin ores, coke, and scrap) and the electric arc furnace (EAF using scrap and ore-based metallics (OBMs)) all currently rely on hydrocarbons (either coal or natural gas (NG)). Only a tiny proportion of production is linked to renewable energy sources. While EAFs produce about 28% of world steel, they account for only 8% of the CO2 generated by the steel industry. On the other hand, the BF/OS route produces almost 72% of the steel but 92% of the CO2. [2] As the great majority of steel production carbon is consumed in the ironmaking steps, emphasis has been on decarbonizing both the BF and existing DRI processes (i.e.,

Midrex and Energiron), as well as exploring new ironmaking options using hydrogen (H2) as both a fuel and a reductant. [1] Using hydrogen to replace coke/coal and NG in the BF, and NG in existing DRI shaft processes is technically feasible but there are significant issues associated with these approaches, namely: a) Green hydrogen (made from renewables) is currently expensive (over 4USD/kg, depending on location) and production is significantly lower than steel production requires. [2, 3] b) Blue Hydrogen, generally cheaper than green hydrogen, requires carbon capture storage and/or utilisation technology whose viability depends greatly on geography and is itself politically controversial. c) Apparently, hydrogen injection into

Hematite pellet

Oxydising condition

Oxydising condition Flux/Additions

Reducing condition

Fluxed magnetite pellet

Fig 1. Layout of magnetite processing routes (reproduced from Purohit et al.) [4]

1. Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia 2. Global Strategic Solutions, Inc., Charlotte, North Carolina, USA www.steeltimesint.com

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DECARBONIZATION

Fig 2. The ULCOS experimental blast furnace (EBF) concept in Lulea [11]

the BF appears to be limited due to its adverse impact on the processes’ heat balance, particularly in the raceway region of the furnace. It is also not clear whether the role of the coke in the hearth can be readily replaced with a non-carbon source. Further developments and innovations in preheating, redistribution of the gases in the shaft and replacement bed materials, may overcome these issues. [4] d) Commercial hydrogen DRI production is technically feasible. There are doubts about post-processing of the resulting zero carbon DRI, effects of which would be compounded if lower grade iron ores (Fe<65% - currently 97% of available ores) are processed. Zero carbon DRI would lower productivity, produce large quantities of slag, dramatically increase energy requirements and present dissolved gases and steel quality challenges (analysed previously by the authors). [2] In this article, alternatives to hydrogen use in ironmaking which could effectively lower the carbon footprint of steel production are postulated. Opportunities considered are magnetite processing, hot oxygen BF injection, increased scrap use in OS furnaces (OSFs), and optimising existing EAF technology. Pursuing these options simultaneously with new hydrogen ironmaking developments could, in many cases, represent lower risk approaches to reducing steel’s carbon footprint.

(46% - 60%). [5]. In recent years, use of agglomerated feed materials into the BF, in the form of sinter and/or pellets, has increased, as has the general trend of partially replacing coke through Pulverised Coal Injection (PCI) through the tuyeres. Sinters are usually made from hematite (Fe2O3) fines, whereas pellets are generally formed from magnetite (Fe3O4) ores after an induration process. Magnetite ores are generally more capable of being enriched through magnetic separation than hematite ores. This potentially will be a crucial advantage in future years if DRI production rises as expected. The current practice for making iron from magnetite concentrates is schematically shown in Fig 1. During pelletization, the magnetite pellets undergo

6. Heating of oxygen

Fig 3. Schematic representation

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4. Heat transported by gas (and dust)

of different regions and heat flows within a BOF. [13] CO + CO2+ dust

5. Heat loss during and between the blows Mixing in slag bath

Reaction zones areas of oxygen jets

+ iron droplets + gas emulsion III Oxidation by [O] saturated melt penetrating into bath periphery

and other fluxes

Iron droplet formation

I Primary oxidation zone; impact

Dust formation Post combustion CO + 1/2 O2= CO2 (FeO) + CO = Fe + CO2 Oxygen jet 7. Heating of lime

Foaming slag

II Secondary oxidation zone; slag

Processing magnetite without oxidising The blast furnace dominates CO2 generation in BF/BOS steel production

an oxidation roasting process involving four different stages: drying, preheating (800°C to 900°C), induration (1200°C to 1350°C) and cooling. [6] Converting magnetite to hematite before charging to the BF is done because it is thought magnetite has a lower reducibility compared to hematite and, therefore, cannot be directly charged into reduction units such as a BF. Recent work by Purohit et al, has found that highly reducible magnetite, (comparable to current fluxed sinters) can be made by combining magnetite with lime. [6, 7, 8] The proposed route consists of a thermal treatment process (around 950°C to 1000°C) prior to the reduction unit using fluxes or other additives to convert magnetite to an intermediate reducible form (Fig 1). This temperature range ensures complete decomposition of the flux and, under mildly reducing conditions, prevents the oxidation of magnetite to hematite. Purohit et al found that the formation of the CaFe305 (CWF) phase is highly beneficial for making both a highly reducible, but also strong, pellet. These lime magnetite pellets (LMPs) have the potential to lower BF CO2 emissions by 140kg to 160 kg CO2/tonne of hot metal (HM) (/TeHM) produced. Work is currently underway to confirm these laboratory scale tests and determine reproducibility of LMPs, impact of mineral gangue and lime content, weathering behaviour along with thermal treatment, Capex and Opex [6, 7, 8]. The concept could also be extended to include mixtures of CO/H2 in the reducing gases, as would be

Lime dissolution 3. Heating of

Temperature up to 2000-2500°C

molten slag

Mixing in iron bath

1. Iron melt heating Inert gas

~1300

~1700ºC

2. Heating and melting of solid scrap

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DECARBONIZATION

of Phase I, removal of CO2 from the BF top gas, the reheating and re-injection of the CO/H2 and the use of pure Oxygen (O2) had been achieved. The shaft and hearth tuyere blast injection temperatures of 900oC and 1250oC respectively, containing 21% to 40% O2, achieved recycling ratios of <90%, CO2 content <3%, with BF behaviour similar to a conventional BF. As (CO+H2) injection increased to 650Nm3/TeHM, carbon input dropped 24%, coke rate by 120kg/ TeHM and CO2 emissions by 24%. A 50% CO2 reduction is expected to be achievable with CCUS.

Fig 4. Heat contribution from different reactions in a BOF [14]

Fig 5. Effect of PCR on the global warming potential and the BOF % scrap feed [15]

expected present in DRI processes and BFs with hydrogen tuyere injection. The major outcome of this work is the apparent lack of necessity to oxidise magnetite ores to hematite to make iron which would significantly reduce the carbon and/or hydrogen requirement of any ironmaking process. This theoretically could also increase the availability of ores for DRI/EAF steel production (now only 3%) as well as lower the NG and/or H2 requirements thereof. Using hot oxygen blast furnace injection The BF is the major emitter (1.219Te CO2/ TeHM) in an integrated plant.[4] Addressing this area could reduce emissions to a level www.steeltimesint.com

Decarbonisation S Hornby.indd – read MM..indd 3

approaching a DRI plant level and closer to EAF/DRI steelmaking with NG-produced DRI. In the 1990s, a method for preheating air mixed with cryogenic liquid gases (usually O2) to temperatures potentially as high as 1700oC, using a pebble heater was developed. The resulting ‘hot blast’ could be used for boring into a solid scrap charge or, of interest in this paper, to inject into the BF tuyeres to reduce CO2, carbon injection and coke rate. [9, 10] This pebble heater technology was incorporated into the ULCOS-Blast Furnace development work (Fig 2), which aimed to reduce the BF CO2 emissions by 50%. [11] Phase I was launched in 2004 with 48 companies involved. In 2010, at the end

Melting more scrap in BOFs Traditionally, scrap melting in BOF technology has focused on controlling the heat balance in the furnace and regulating tapping temperature. Scrap use around the world varies from 10 to 25% of the feed depending mainly on the silicon content and temperature of the hot metal, the required tapping temperature and level of post combustion in the furnace. [12] The flow of heat inside a BOF is both complex and transient. Fig 3 shows schematically some of the different regions and complexity of heat flow within the process 13 . A recent mass and energy balance model, validated against plant data by Madhaven et al., detailed the impact of these parameters on the ability to melt scrap for different grades of steel. [12, 14, 15] Fig 4 shows the contribution to the incoming heat for a typical BOF blow, where the carbon oxidation to CO is the dominant source of heat, followed by silicon oxidation then post combustion of CO to CO2. This specific blow is calculated for a post combustion ratio (PCR) of 0.12. Significantly more heat would be available for melting scrap (or increasing tapping temperature) if the PCR was increased only marginally, given the highly exothermic nature of this reaction. Of course, this assumes the heat from post-combustion can be effectively used in the furnace, as opposed to the post-combustion in the space above the slag only increasing the heat of the refractories and gases leaving the furnace. In fact, this type of postcombustion is used in industry to melt materials that tend to build up at the throat of the furnace. Fig 5 shows how increasing the proportion of scrap in the feed is predicted to affect the global warming potential January/February 2022

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DECARBONIZATION

Fig 6a. SICON basic shredder outputs

(GWP) from the BOF for a given PCR. For example, according to the model, increasing the post combustion from 10% to 30% PCR could lower the GWP of the BOF by 10% with an increase in scrap feed from 22% to 28%. BOFs commonly operate with up to 25% scrap feed with less than 20% PCR. In the future, BOF operators will need to explore higher levels of post-combustion to satisfy the desire to lower the CO2 generation associated with steelmaking. There are other motivations also for increasing the level of scrap processed in a BOF, namely: a) Saving the capital associated building an EAF for melting scrap. b) Reducing the level of pig iron production. c) Maintaining the quality and productivity advantages of BOF technology compared with EAF technology but with less iron production. However, there are significant challenges associated with pushing PCRs above 0.2 and scrap use above 30%, in particular: i) Ensuring good heat transfer between post-combustion reactions and the scrap feed. ii) Potential increased damage to refractories from increased scrap feed. iii) Potential issues with the residuals in the scrap effecting product quality. iv) Ensuring good furnace control to avoid poor melting and unused PC heat. These challenges could be addressed through improved sorting and sizing of scrap and semi-continuously feeding scrap into the BOF which has been preheated using hot PC gases. In fact, the EOF January/February 2022

Decarbonisation S Hornby.indd – read MM..indd 4

Fig 6b. SICON premium shredder outputs

(developed in Brazil in the 80s) incorporates these features and achieves over 35% scrap feed through a combination of post combustion and scrap preheating. [16] If the BOF becomes more of a versatile scrap melting technology (i.e. able to process a wide range of materials), other evolutions in the design of the vessel are likely, such as the introduction of other energy sources into the vessel (eg hydrogen burners) and larger baths to deal with the scrap quantity. Lowering the EAF carbon footprint The EAF carbon footprint would be lowered significantly if green energy was available at all plants. Depending upon the source, generation of 1kWh of power produces 0.295 to 1.005kg of CO2 [17]. Considering a 100% scrap charge requires 285kWh – 375kWh/Te liquid steel (Tels), 84kg – 111kg CO2/Tels (or 0.93M - 0.42MTe CO2/year for a 1MTe/year steel mill) would be saved. This will almost double for an 80% charge of 0%C H2 DRI which will likely require an average of 606kWh/Tels. [3] The power disparity between scrap and 0%C H2 DRI melting is predominantly due to a lack of chemical energy (currently 30-50%), increased gangue, lower carbon efficiency (injection and /or charge versus in-situ) and lack of foamy slag leading to slower bath reactions, higher power and lower productivity. By 2050 this will equate to approximately 291TW/year additional power and 206 more 2MTe/year DRI plants. [3] Scrap-based EAF steelmaking, currently the lowest CO2 producer (0.18Te CO2/Testeel (Renewable Energy (R)) to 0.399Te CO2/ Testeel) and power consumer, compares more

than favourably with DRI EAF steelmaking at 0.8 (R) to 1.0Te CO2/Testeel. However, with the current under-processed scrap, the volatility of scrap quality means quality steel cannot be made with a 100% scrap-based EAF process. Scrap is not sold to exacting quality standards as are BF or DRI ores. Perhaps with mills (American in particular) adding in-house scrap processors to their portfolio to secure future supplies, improved quality demands may ensue. Improved metallic iron content, known chemistry and bulk density of scrap are important as they dictate yield, steel quality, number of charges, and ultimate profitability (most steel product issues can be traced back to the melt shop and scrap quality). The prime scrap supply is dwindling, and an obsolete scrap glut is on the horizon. With future ‘green’ H2 DRI EAF steelmaking cost prohibitive without enough green H2 and power (and green carbon sources), scrap beneficiation and guaranteed quality is becoming crucial. [2, 18] In 2019, 50% world scrap trade was HMS, 33% of US scrap use was shred (lower than in the rest of the world), copper was 0.34% (up from 0.22%Cu in 1982) and is expected to rise with continued recycling. [19] Beneficiation and shredder residues recovery is needed to lower copper and dirt. [20] . Fig 6 shows examples of SICON’s basic and premium shredder outputs [21], choice of which would be steel mill and/or scrap processor specific to optimize scrap quality and maximize profitability. With white goods’ 5-year to 8-year life expectancy, shredding would prevent increasing steel/scrap copper content and the need for OBMs (DRI, HBI, pig iron (PI), www.steeltimesint.com

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DECARBONIZATION

granulated PI or HM) for dilution thereof. 0.08%Cu steel has been produced from cleaning and shredding scrap. Removing dirt (wood, stones, concrete, plastics etc.), separating non-ferrous metallics and segregating by chemistry could increase the metallic yield of the scrap (89% to 98.5%). This in turn will improve EAF operations by lowering consumables, power consumption, slag and dust generation, increase productivity and liquid steel yield, thereby enhancing profitability. Sales of Fluff, Zorba or Twitch derived from shredding will add to the profitability (often permitting shredder payback of less than one year). [20, 21] A bulk analytical system which can accurately process high scrap volumes (263-285Te/hour for a 2MTe/year steelmill) will facilitate scrap grade segregation. Some exist currently but are limited to 130Te/hour max. With or without scrap beneficiation, steel mills require knowledge of each metallic’s value in use (VIU), based on chemistry and individual melt characteristics. Combining this with scrap optimization (to determine the least cost charge to meet a required product chemistry), off-gas analysis (OGA – to maximize fuel efficiency, minimize OG system heat loss and prevent explosions), an environmental algorithm (to ensure a low carbon footprint) and scrap beneficiation, will avail mills of untapped profit. [3, 18] We must not forget that carbon is needed to make steel. Currently this is often sourced from PI, cast iron borings or high carbon DRI. Their in-situ carbon’s recovery is >95% versus charged or injected carbon (24%-76%). As these high carbon footprint sources dwindle as predicted, new carbon sources will be required to ensure good EAF operations and low liquid steel nitrogens, derived from the foamy slag practice. [3, 17] This will be exacerbated further if zero carbon H2 DRI EAF steelmaking comes to fruition. Sourcing could comprise recycled wastes (tyres, tyre wire, cast iron borings, tank tracks) or biomaterials. Another opportunity to reduce EAF melt energy, hence CO2 emissions, and increase productivity is using a pebble heater (PH) to preheat air (1000oC to1600oC), O2 enriched air (30% O2) or 100% O2 (both to 500oC to 1200oC). The hot gases help overcome the limiting step in scrap melting – energy/ heat transfer to the bulk scrap – by boring a hole in bulk scrap, and more evenly transferring energy thereto, facilitating use www.steeltimesint.com

Decarbonisation S Hornby.indd – read MM..indd 5

of conventional melting tools. With a PH, power can be reduced from 480kWh to 280kWh/Te (-42%) and melt down time from 58min to 42min. (-28%). [10] Conclusions As the future ‘green process’, H2 DRI EAF steelmaking has extreme techno-economic issues which will create socio-economic hardships. The steel industry should consider: 1. Developing new, or applying known, technologies to current brownfield mills can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of today’s industry. 2. Developing new ways to process magnetite ores without oxidising it to hematite could save up to 150 kg CO2 per tonne of steel produced. 3. Processing more scrap in a BOF through increased post-combustion and utilisation of heat, maintains the productivity/quality advantages of BOF technology over EAFs, but generates less CO2. 4. Scrap should be beneficiated and its characteristics quantified as strictly as are ores. Payment for quality must be the future mindset. Profitability will stem from higher yield metallics, more efficient EAF operations and reclamation of non-ferrous components. � References 1. Tang, J., Chu, M., Li, F, Lu, Z. and Zhou, Y., Development and Progress on Hydrogen Metallurgy, International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials, Vol 27, No. 6, June 2020, p. 713 2. Hornby, S. and Brooks, G.A, Impact of Hydrogen DRI on EAF Steelmaking, Direct from Midrex, June 2021 (available at https://www. midrex.com/tech-article/impact-of-hydrogen-drion-eaf-steelmaking/) 3. Hornby, S., The Hydrogen Economy – Alternatives? SUSTAIN Sustainability in Steel Bi-Annual Conference 2021 4. Chen, Y. and Zuo, H. (2021) Review of Hydrogen-Rich Ironmaking Technology in Blast Furnaces, Ironmaking & Steelmaking, 48:6, 2021, p. 749-768 5. steelonthenet.com, CO2 Emissions by Steel Process Step 6. Purohit, S., Brooks, G.A, Rhamdhani, M.A. and Pownceby, M.I, Alternate Processing Routes for Magnetite Ores, Proceedings of AISTech, Pittsburgh Pa. USA 2018 7. Purohit, S., Brooks, G.A, Rhamdhani, M.A., Pownceby, M.I and Scarlett, N., Alternate Route

for Processing Magnetite for Lower Carbon Footprint Ironmaking through Lime- Magnetite Pellets Containing CaFe3O5, Ironmaking and Steelmaking, Vol. 47, No. 6, 2020 8. Purohit, S., Brooks, G.A, Rhamdhani, M.A. and Pownceby, M.I., Evaluation of Concentrated Solar Energy for Iron Ore Agglomeration, Journal of Cleaner Technology, Vol. 317, No.1, 2021 9. Queille, P. et al., Pebble Heater, A HighTech Approach for Blast Preheating, Revue de Metallurgie, Journal Issue 10, ATS 1997 International Steelmaking Conference 10. US patent 6,030,431 issued Feb 29th, 2000, Method for an Improved Energy Input into a Scrap Bulk, L’Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l’Etude et l’Exploration de les Procedes George Claude 11. Van der Stel, Ing. J., Development of ULCOSBlast Furnace, Working Toward Technology Demonstration; IEAGHG/IETS Iron and Steel Industry CCUS and Process Interaction Workshop, November 2013, Tokyo, Japan. 12. Madhaven, N., Brooks, G.A., Rhamdhani, M.A., Rout, B.K. and Overbosch, A., Application of Mass and Energy Balance in Oxygen Steelmaking, Ironmaking and Steelmaking, Vol. 48, No.8, 2021 13. Jalkanen, H, and Holappa, L., Treatise on Process Metallurgy, Vol.3, Elsevier, 2014, p. 223-270 14. Madhaven, N., Brooks, G.A., Rhamdhani, M.A., Rout, B.K. and Overbosch, A., General Heat Balance for Oxygen Steelmaking, J. Iron Steel Res. Int., Vol. 28, 2021, p. 538-551. 15. Madhaven, N., Brooks, G.A, Rhamdhani, M.A., Environmental Impact of Basic Oxygen Steelmaking Process, Submitted to the Journal of Materials Sustainability – Under Review, November 2021 16.Vidhyasagar, M., Murali, G. and Balachandran, G. Thermo-kinetics, Mass and Heat Balance in an Energy Optimizing Furnace for Primary Steelmaking, Ironmaking and Steelmaking, Vol. 48, No. 1, 2021, p. 97-108 17. Hornby, S., Hydrogen-Based DRI EAF Steelmaking – Fact or Fiction?, Iron and Steel Technology Jan 2022 18. Hornby, S., Charge Optimization for Residual Control in the EAF, 3rd Annual Australia New Zealand Steel Conference, November 2021 19. Daehn, K., Cabrera Serrenho, A., Attwood, J., How Will Copper Contamination Constrain Future Global Scrap Recycling, Environmental Science Technology, June 2017 20. Clayton, J., Bond, G., The Future of Cold Steelmaking and Recycling, SUSTAIN Network, August 2020 21. SICON Webinar, Scrap Solutions for the Steel Industry (found at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=GacP_eoy0ng) January/February 2022

26/01/2022 09:33:45

Clean and Reliable Ironmaking Solutions for Steelmakers Around the World

Did you know the natural-gas based MIDREX® Direct Reduction Process paired with an EAF has one of the lowest CO2 emissions of any steelmaking route today? The CO2 footprint can be further reduced by using green hydrogen as it becomes available on a sufficient scale utilizing MIDREX H2TM technology. With MIDREX, the approach is flexible enough to provide a staged transition to the Hydrogen Economy.

3735 Glen Lake Drive, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28208 USA +1 (704) 373-1600 | www.midrex.com Watch our MIDREX H2 video

DIRECT REDUCED IRON

Smart thinking by OEMK AMI SmartFurnace technology has been installed by Russian steelmaker OEMK at its plant in Stary Oskol. There are four highly productive furnaces in total at the plant and they all handle a variety of raw materials and, therefore, experience a range of furnace conditions. AMI’s SmartFurnace system features optimization tools like the DigitARC PX3 electrode regulation system, and the latest modules for electrical and chemical energy control, which have helped improve the operation in three furnaces at the plant. A fourth furnace will benefit from AMI’s technology this coming June (2022). According to AMI, using SmartFurnace technology means that the interaction between electric power and burners, coal and oxygen injection and the feeding of DRI is managed by the electrical, chemical and DRI optimization modules which provide a flexible and open platform with artificial intelligence tools for the implementation of dynamic modelling of all energy sources in the EAF process. There are different ways of approaching the optimization of the steelmaking process and a lot depends upon the specific conditions of the steel plant over a certain period of time. If the main objective is cost reduction, the optimization can be focused on decreasing consumption of electric power, oxygen, carbon, natural gas and so on while minimizing the effect on production. If the objective is to increase production, the strategy must be different, considering www.steeltimesint.com

OEMK.indd – read MM..indd 1

Fig 1. SmartFurnace system architecture at OEMK

EAF 1

EAF 2

EAF 3

105

175-180

Total Scrap Tons

45-50

HBI in Scarp Tons

10-20

125-130

Feed Capacity Ton/h

3.1-3.2

# Burners with Carbon Injectors

MVA Transformer Total Charged Tons

DRI Usage Tons

EAF 4

Table 1

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DIRECT REDUCED IRON

EAF 2

EAF 3

EAF 4

Electrode Consumption

Injected Carbon

Table 2

other factors such as the electric power equipment including the transformer, reactor and the constraints of the power line. For the OEMK plant in Russia, an additional challenge presented itself in the shape of DRI usage. The variation in raw material characteristics have a direct impact on the performance of the furnace, so DRI analysis and close observation of the reaction of the furnace are critical if optimal operation is to be achieved. No matter what the main drive is, the main goal of the optimization task is to find the balance point of the needed trade-offs to maximize the benefits in every heat, and to have a system with the flexibility to adapt the operation when the conditions change. Plant and project description The JSC ‘Alexey Ugarov’ OEMK plant is a steelmaking facility, part of the Metalloinvest group, located at Stary Oskol in the Russian Federation. The plant started operations in 1984 and in 2020 more than doubled its designed capacity by producing 3.5Mt/yr of crude steel, long products and square and pipe billets. The plant is the only integrated facility in Russia that carries out direct iron reduction and smelting using electric arc furnaces (EAFs). The facility produces 3.5Mt of metallized pellets. The main characteristics of the plant’s four EAFs are listed on the previous page, see Table 1. By 2007, all four furnaces had the then latest AMI DigitARC+ Electrode Regulator, and the latest versions of the SmartFurnace optimization modules at the time. In 2018 conversations started regarding the upgrading of all the existing AMI technology to the latest versions. In May 2019 a contract was signed for EAF #3, for execution in October of the same year and after a successful conclusion there, a contract was signed in March 2020 for upgrading the rest of the furnaces. As of April 2021, projects in EAF #2 and #4 have been concluded successfully, and the last EAF will be revamped in June 2022. AMI system description The SmartFurnace EAF Optimization system consists of a series of interacting entities. January/February 2022

OEMK.indd – read MM..indd 2

The DigitARC PX3 electrode regulator, together with the electrical and chemical energy supervisory control application, provide an integral optimization solution of the furnace operation parameters, interconnected to the PLCs through the process network using proprietary drivers, and to the electrode and fluxes actuators. This interaction as installed in OEMK is described in Fig 1. DIGITARC PX3 electrode regulation system The AMI electrode regulator available for AC and DC furnaces is capable of a fast close loop control and fast execution of complex algorithms supported by a dedicated CPU that allows a fast data acquisition to be used for several optimization tools and process monitoring features, including: • Monitoring of arc stability for AC and DC EAFs • Control output filtering to eliminate resonance frequencies • Advanced proportional valve tests • Pre-emptive cave-in and a dynamic non-conductive charge detection • High-speed acquisition of electrode speed and electrode hydraulic pressure • Regulator and furnace performance reports All these features are significant improvements compared to the capabilities of the DigitARC+ Electrode regulator, installed in 2006 and 2007, due to the availability of new technology, and the experience of AMI since that time to the present day.

Smart furnace modules The optimization task consists of finding the balance among all the parameters considering specific production goals that might change over time. SmartFurnace is designed to provide a robust and flexible solution to adapt the furnace operation to the actual situation of scrap quality, mix, steel grade, practices and furnace conditions. The modular nature of the system makes it possible to provide a tailored optimization solution for the specific needs of the steelmaker, allowing them to add modules as they are needed. The subsystems that are part of the installation at OEMK are SmartARC, Oxygen, DRI, and slag modules. The base of SmartFurnace is the VisualKB platform, an expert system graphic programming software developed by AMI. SmartARC Using dynamic power profiles, the SmartARC system adapts to current heat conditions by changing the electrical parameters that provide the flexibility to the operation in order to achieve optimal performance. These parameters include the transformer and reactor taps, regulation mode, and current/voltage set points. SmartARC enables the use of EAF optimization tools like: • Cross arc detection • Furnace roof and water-cooled panels protection • Balance control • Refractory protection Oxygen module C and O2 flow control is handled with this module. Bath current oxidation is estimated using the injected oxygen value and the estimated oxygen demand of the furnace reactions. With these statistical calculations, the system can determine the precise moment to start and stop the oxygen lancing. Precise control of oxidation and carburization minimizes delays at the end of the heat to correct the steel carbon content and decrease the FeO levels in the slag. Slag module The slag sub-module determines the recommended fluxes that should be added to the furnace to achieve an optimal level of MgO saturation in the slag, based on chemical analysis. This condition promotes the formation of foamy slag, arc stability, and protection of the refractory. The www.steeltimesint.com

25/01/2022 07:23:27

W E

C O N V E Y

Q U A L I T Y

Efficient Conveying Technology

HBI is here to stay! Hot Charging of DRI, HCI For 40 years, Köppern briquetting machines have played a key role throughout the world in the production of HBI for DRI processes. And HBI is still in demand, as demonstrated by the new HBI plants equipped with Köppern roller presses at LEBGOK (Russia) and Voestalpine (USA) and the upcoming installation at CLIFFS (USA). » » » »

• Enclosed nitrogen sealed and heat insulated conveying system • No metallisation losses • Significant energy savings • Reduced tap to tap cycles • Reduced electrode consumption

State of the art technology Experts in process technology High plant availability Long-lasting equipment

Köppern – Quality made in Germany.

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AUMUND Foerdertechnik GmbH metallurgy@aumund.de · www.aumund.com

DIRECT REDUCED IRON

estimations of the system allow minimum FeO content in the slag and lower energy loss in the slag formation process. DRI/HBI feeding module This module controls the feeding rate of DRI taking into consideration the conditions of the heat and the chemistry of the DRI. A controlled feeding helps improve energy efficiency, allowing an interaction with the electrical profiles adapting to the reaction of the furnace to the charge material, and optimizing the speed of feeding to achieve the complete material charge without affecting heat time and power input. When the composition or metallization of the DRI changes, or the quantity of DRI used on a particular heat, the contribution of carbon into the bath may change considerably and is very dependent on the DRI rate used and the heat stage. These variations require a co-ordinated control of carbon injection. Smart Furnace implementation results In all three furnaces that have the system installed, two KPIs were evaluated: Electrode consumption and carbon injection. The evaluation consisted of running each furnace for one month and then calculating average electrode and carbon consumptions using every single heat. The idea was to test the performance of the system under real working conditions rather than restrict the test to a few heats with controlled conditions. The result of the implementations so far have been outlined in Table 2. Other benefits such as reducing electricity consumption have been observed. These results are obtained without the deterioration of the remaining furnace performance. With SmartFurnace, a PID controller is implemented to improve the control of carbon injection from the burners. Before implementation, the control was carried out by regulating the pressure and for different carbon fractions the task did not always coincide with the real flow rate. One advantage of the project schedule at OEMK is the experience gained on sequential installations in the furnaces that open up the possibility of testing different control approaches in the implementation of the system. It is also possible to compare the performance between them. The result is that control algorithms running on the first furnaces can be updated with improved features tested in the newer installations. Ultimately, the objective is that OEMK has the latest version of the SmartFurnace control algorithms.

Value in Use considering Productivity, Environment and Resource Efficiency.

Raw material assessment for the DR-EAF route • Value in use considering productivity, environment and resource efficiency • Scrap chemical analysis and uncertainty • Benchmarking recipe cost against theoretical optimum

Conclusion With the variables involved and the many elements that interact in the OEMK furnaces it might be difficult to adjust and evaluate to a wide extent the performance of a complex system such as SmartFurnace. Benefits such as refractory life, better working conditions of the transformer and all power equipment may not be reflected in the short term, but nevertheless will reap rewards in the longer term, resulting in a more efficient use of the energy input. � References

Contact rutger.gyllenram@kobolde.com / www.kobolde.com

G. FERNANDEZ, I. VALDEZ, S. GONZALEZ, J. VILLEGAS; Using SmartFurnace and ZoloScan laser off-gas information to optimize DRI melting at Nucor Hickman. AISTech (2016) F. MARTINEZ, G. FERNANDEZ, Technologies for EAF Energy Optimization, Proceedings, EEC Conference, Venice (2016). www.steeltimesint.com

January/February 2022 Kobolde annons.indd 1

OEMK.indd – read MM..indd 3

2021-01-19 08:09

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COKEMAKING

Glossary of abbreviations CRI – Coke Reactivity to CO2 (%) Higher than 26 more detrimental CSR – Coke strength after reaction (%) Lower than 60 more detrimental CSN – Crucible swelling number: target 5 minimum 6.5 maximum M10 – Resistance to abrasion (%) (6 to 8% desired) M40 – Resistance to fragmentation (%) (higher desired > 80%) MMR – Mean Maximum Reflectance: target 1.14-1.22 (higher for greater reactivity) VM – Volatile matter (tars light oils and ammonia) LTGK – Low temperature Gray King target G3-G4 (A measure of caking properties) Gieseler – Plastometer fluidity target 300-600 (ddpm = Dial divisions per minute) Dilation – change in volume per unit volume >60 target

Coal blend and coke strength A series of six coal blends, totalling 76 samples, were examined at the R & D Centre of SAIL to optimise coke properties using a blend of imported hard coals and indigenous soft coals. Results show that the optimum blend quality parameters are micro fines (<0.5mm): 30- 35.0%, CSN: 5 to 6.5, LTGK: G3 to G4, total reactive 58% to 62%, MMR:1.14 to 1.22, fluidity 300 ddpm to 600 ddpm and total dilatation above 60. By B Ghosh*, B K Sahoo, PK Jha, P K Pankaj, S K Kushwaha, B Chakraborty K K Manjhi COKE from coke oven batteries is the feed for both small and large blast furnaces (BF). The consistency of coke quality parameters is a requirement for higher BF productivity and smooth functioning of the furnaces. Coal preparation and coal blend quality parameters play a very important role for optimum quality coke from a given coal blend. Coke is the solid carbonaceous material

derived from destructive distillation of coking coal. It is considered the most important raw material for the blast furnace as its consistent quality has a greater effect on furnace operation as well as on hot metal quality. This hard and porous carbonaceous product acts as a fuel and a reductant of iron ore and as a permeable support for the burden in the blast furnace. Although coke is a comparatively

expensive input to the cost of hot metal, it is indispensable for the production of liquid iron in a blast furnace. The growth of the iron and steel industry has changed the international coking coal market over the years, resulting in an increase in coal prices and making it more difficult to obtain coal types that were previously readily available. Typically, it requires 120-125 tonnes of coal to make

The authors are with the Research & Development Centre for Iron & Steel, SAIL, Ranchi, Jharkhand, Pin-834002, India *Corresponding author: email: bablu.ghosh@sail.in (B Ghosh), Mobile 8986880236 www.steeltimesint.com

Kumars.indd – read MM..indd 1

January/February 2022

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COKEMAKING

Fig 1. Maximum fluidity (ddpm) vs temperature (°C) (Imp = imported coal)

No of Samples

Imported

(Hard)-1

(Hard)-2

Imported

Fig 2. Mean maximum reflectance (MMR %) and coke strength after reaction (CSR %)

TOTAL HARD

(Hard)-3

Imported

TOTAL

(Soft)-1

(Soft)-3

(Soft)-2

SOFT

INDIGENOUS

Set-1

34.5

6.1

69.0

3.06

6.4

8.8

18.3

12.7

Set-2

40.0

15.6

12.2

67.8

18.4

1.6

6.2

26.2

6.0

Set-3

43.9

13.9

11.5

73.1

15.8

1.0

5.5

22.3

4.6

Set-4

37.8

17.2

10.1

68.4

7.4

0.0

9.5

16.9

14.7

Set-5

48.7

12.3

6.0

67.0

24.8

0.0

24.8

8.2

Set-6

49.5

9.5

8.0

67.0

21.0

0.0

21.0

12.0

Table 1. Average blend compositions (%)

100 tons of coke. As a result of economic considerations, coke producers have opted to reduce the percentage of the more expensive coking coals in their blends. To increase its competitiveness while satisfying blast furnace requirements, coke makers need to produce coke of high quality at a lower cost. The volatile nature of the coal market and the limited reserves of prime coking coals and semi-soft coking coal are driving the costs of blend coal types for coke production. The properties of the coal blend affect not only the operation of the coke making battery but also coke quality. The quality parameters of coking coal also affect the techno economy of the entire steel plant, as more than 50% of raw material costs are attributed to coal. A cost effective and judicious use of coal is very much essential to plant economy. SAIL, therefore, launched a project to assess the quality of 76 coal blends to identify how each influenced coke quality with the objective of finding the optimum blend for coke making. Literature survey A survey of the literature revealed that January/February 2022

Kumars.indd – read MM..indd 2

coal blend bulk density is an important property in the coking process. Some variables, such as moisture and particle size, which are controlled or measured in the coal beneficiation process, exert a strong influence on this feature. The aim of this study[1] was to understand the density variation of coal blends with moisture and particle size when using dry and wet charges. The caking property is one of the most meaningful indices for the evaluation of coking coal, and was used as a basis to analyse the coking mechanism. The index given by the Audibert-Arnu dilatometer widely employed at present is re-evaluated in this paper[2]. The true dilatation (change in dimension) index (DT) is defined as the ratio of the apparent coal volume after dilatation (VD) to that before dilatation (VC) and expressed as, DT = 100(VD-VC)/VC. Among the microscopic organic compounds of coals (macerals) the reactive components, exinites (now termed Liptinite and consisting of spores, pollen, cysts, leaf cuticles, plant resins and waxes – a minor constituent but the most reactive – show the greatest fluidity and dilatation. Inertinites (oxidized

organic material and fossilized charcoal – not reactive – do not soften and show no plasticity. Vitrinites on the other hand – from woody tissue of bituminous coals – readily burn and exhibit an intermediate behaviour[3]. The author [4] underlines that the caking strength of coal particles is directly dependent on the bulk density of the coal mass. At the same time the author says that a decrease in the amount of grinding cannot be considered as a universal method for increasing bulk density. Weathered coals are thought to reduce the charging bulk density in coke ovens due to their increased grain size degradation by cracking of vitrinite. According to author [5], low rank coals are generally dominated by free radicals that readily react with oxygen resulting in the creation of various carbonyl groups. Weathered vitrinite remains relatively inert during carbonization, therefore the coke qualities decrease for weathered low rank coals. Indian coking coals have higher ash content and lower vitrinite content than low-ash imported coking coals, making them harder to crush. As a result, during crushing these produce a larger fraction www.steeltimesint.com

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COKEMAKING

Fig 3. Comparison of fluidity with total dilatation

Fig 4. Maximum fluidity (ddpm) versus coke strength (CSR %)

size (micro fine Volatile matter Ash (%) -0.5mm), % (VM),% Min

CSN

LTGK

Max Min Max Min Max Min Max Min

Vitrinite (%)

MMR (%)

Maximum

Plastic

Total

Fluidity, ddpm

Range °C

Dilatation

Max

Min

Max

Min

Max

Min

Max

Min

Max

Min

Set-1

27.9

51.3

21.3

25.4

9.4

14.7

3.5

6.5

47.6

65.0

1.11

1.24

198

689

Max 96

Set-2

41.2

48.7

21.6

23.7

10.3

11.7

3.5

7.5

59.6

67.3

1.19

1.22

101

459

80 102

Set-3

31.9

21.4

24.6

9.2

11.0

7.0

55.0

65.3

1.13

1.28

522

Set-4

25.5

48.6

21.2

24.7

10.8

14.0

6.5

45.7

66.2

1.13

1.26

479

Set-5

30.9

39.4

21.6

23.2

10.6

11.5

7.5

51.2

58.9

1.19

1.25

335

1131

136

Set-6

39.0

42.0

21.2

21.7

9.3

11.0

5.5

49.7

49.9

1.18

1.22

653

709

102

Table 2 Minimum and maximum values of coal blends characteristics

size which has a detrimental effect on coke strength[6]. Coal rank is a prevalent feature in both coke quality prediction models and coal blending decisions, particularly in the form of the mean maximum vitrinite reflectance (Rv,max)[7,8]. This prevalence is likely due to the relationship between coal rank and other key coal properties such as fluidity[9]. The author [10] reported that a vitrinite reflectance in the range V9–V13, a commonly used aggregate value, is an improved predictor of the measured coke strength after reaction (CSR) than the mean maximum vitrinite reflectance. Coal petrography, which includes both the microscopic identification of the different constituents of coal and the determination of coal rank by measurement of vitrinite reflectance, is a very important tool in the characterisation of coal deposits and coal products[11]. The characterisation and classification of coal for coke making is important in that it allows for selection of coals of a specified quality for particular coking operations, or for prediction of the quality of the coke that will be produced under given conditions[12].

www.steeltimesint.com

Kumars.indd – read MM..indd 3

Experimental Blends of coal were prepared as six sets (Set 1 to Set 6), each blend mixed thoroughly and a representative master-sample kept for each. The blend composition of each set is given in Table 1. Results and discussion Subsequent to homogenisation followed by coning and quartering to sample, the respective coal sets were prepared for the following laboratory characterisation tests: • Size analysis • Proximate analysis • Crucible swelling number (CSN) • LTGK coke type* • Gieseler fluidity** • Petrographic analysis – Maceral composition – V-type distribution Reflectance of vitrinite (RoR/MMR)(Ro indicates oil immersion lens) • Dilatometry *Low Temperature Gray-King caking index **rheological properties Set-1 A total of 16 coal blends for Set-1 were

prepared for characterisation and coke quality evaluation. The average blend mixture (Table 1) of individual coal components in Set-1 were found to be 69.0% of hard coking coal, 18.3% of soft coking coal and 12.7% of indigenous Indian coal – mostly, imported (hard-1): 34.5% and imported (hard-2) 14.0%, made up the hard-coking coal. The measured properties of coal blends in Set 1 varied widely in each of the tests. Micro-fines (<0.5mm fraction) ranged from 27.9% to 51.3%, volatile matter (VM) from 21.3% to 25.4%, ash content from 9.4% to 14.7%, the crucible swelling number (CSN) from 3.5 to 6.5, LTGK from G2 to G6, vitrinite content was 47.6% to 65.0%, mean maximum reflectance (MMR) was 1.11% to 1.24%, maximum fluidity from 198 to 689 ddpm, plastic range (PR) from 72 to 85°C and total dilatation from 45 to 96 (Table 2). Table 3 shows the average quality data for each coal blend set and resulting coke quality. The vitrinite content of the coal is a measure of total reactivity of the blend and the dilatation a measure of the dimensional change on coking. Target values for the coal blends are: Micro-fines<0.5mm: January/February 2022

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COKEMAKING

Coal Properties

Coke Quality

% Micro fines)

Volatile Matter

Ash

(0.5mm)

(VM) %

CSN

Vitrinite,%

Set-1

42.7

23.3

11.5

58.0

Set-2

44.4

22.9

10.9

4.5

63.3

Set-3

37.4

22.6

10.1

Set-4

40.1

22.8

11.8

Set-5

34.1

22.1

Set-6

41.0

21.5

MMR,%

Maximum

Total

fluidity DDPM

Dilatation

M40 %

M10%

CRI%

CSR%

1.20

389

77.7

9.6

23.1

63.8

1.20

272

83.7

7.7

22.3

64.3

61.7

1.21

274

88.4

6.3

66.4

57.6

1.19

267

81.2

7.8

21.5

65.2

10.9

6.5

57.8

1.22

823

117

79.2

7.9

23.1

63.8

10.2

4.5

49.8

1.20

425

79.6

8.1

23.7

64.6

Table 3. Average of coal and coke quality data

Coal Properties

Coke Quality

% Micro fines) Volatile Matter

Ash

CSN

Vitrinite,%

Maximum

Total

fluidity DDPM

Dilatation

M40 %

M10%

CRI%

CSR%

0.03

117

11.8

0.60

0.20

0.70

1.00

0.01

128

14.3

0.58

0.13

0.33

0.18

3.0

0.04

146

19.0

0.60

0.24

0.45

0.32

1.0

4.8

0.03

118

14.0

1.75

0.71

1.52

2.95

0.3

1.3

1.7

0.03

426

26.0

1.03

0.11

0.10

0.21

1.20

1.1

0.14

0.03

26.0

0.14

0.70

0.14

(0.5mm)

(VM) %

Set-1

5.6

1.1

1.4

0.9

5.4

Set-2

3.2

0.9

0.6

1.7

2.9

Set-3

3.0

0.8

0.5

1.4

Set-4

4.9

1.0

0.6

Set-5

3.1

0.5

Set-6

2.1

0.4

MMR,%

Table 4. Standard deviation of coal and coke quality data

30-35%; crucible swelling No CSN 5-6.5; reactivity vitrinite 58-62%; reflectivity MMR 1.14-1.22; fluidity 300-600 and dilation >60%. Target values of coke quality are: fragmentation resistance M40 >80%, abrasion resistance M10 6-8%, coke reactivity to CO2 <26% and coke strength after reaction CSR >60%. For coal blend properties, Set 3 shows the most favourable result with all except the proportion of micro-fines at 37.4%, a little outside the desired range of 30-35%. The only set falling within the micro-fines size is Set 5 (34.1%) but its fluidity is higher than the target of 600 max at 823ddpm. For coke properties, sets 2, 3 and 4 meet all four target values. Table 4 shows the standard deviations associated with each of the properties measured. Set -1 It was found that the total imported coking coal component (both hard and soft coal) in Set-1 varied from 82% to 90% for which the ash content in the blend ranged from 14.7% to 9.4%. Due to an 8% increase of imported coal in the blend the plastic property in terms of maximum fluidity improves by 125 ddpm (from 391 to 516 ddpm) and total dilatation improves by 34% (from 65% to 96%). It was noted that this increase of hard coal component by 8%, improved the coal rank (MMR) by January/February 2022

Kumars.indd – read MM..indd 4

only 0.06%. Comparability studies of coal blend and individual coal types are shown in Fig 1. This shows that the fluidity of the two soft coals do not overlap with that of the plasticity of the three hard coals in the blend. It was noted that with the variation of use of imported coal from 82% to 90%, no noticeable changes were seen in the M10 and CRI values of the coke. M10 values remained between 9.4% to 9.9% and CRI values between 25.5% and 23.9%. This may be due to the fact that there was little variation in the blend rank reflectivity (MMR) which could not affect coke properties such as M10 and CRI. Set-2 Ten coal blends were prepared for Set-2 for characterisation and coke quality evaluation

as before. The average blend compositions (Table 1) of the individual coal component in Set-2 were 67.8% of hard coking coal, 26.2% of soft coking coal and 6.0% of indigenous coal. Mostly, imported (hard1): 40.0%, Imported (hard-2):15.6% and Imported (hard-3):12.2% were present. It has been noted that the variation in coal blend properties (Table 2) such as micro fines (<0.5mm fraction) varied from 41.2% to 48.7%, VM from 21.6% to 23.7%, ash content from 10.3% to 14.7%, CSN from 3.5 to 7.5, LTGK from G1 to G5, vitrinite content from 59.6% to 67.3%, MMR from 1.19% to 1.22%, maximum fluidity from 101 to 459 ddpm, plastic range (PR) from 72°C to 79°C and total dilatation from 40 to 80. The average coal blend properties (Table 3) were micro fines (< 0.5mm fraction) 44.4%, ash content 10.9%, VM 22.9%, vitrinite content 63.3% and reflectance (MMR) 1.20%. The average coking properties such as CSN, total dilatation (TD) and maximum fluidity (MF) were 4.5, 58 and 272 ddpm, respectively. The M40, M10, CRI and CSR averaged 83.7%, 7.7%, 22.3% and 64.3% respectively. Standard deviation (Table 4) of these quality parameters were calculated for micro fines (<0.5mm fraction) as 3.2, VM as 0.9, ash content as 0.6, CSN as 1.7, vitrinite content as 2.9, MMR as 0.01, maximum fluidity as 128, total dilatation www.steeltimesint.com

26/01/2022 07:33:34

COKEMAKING

as 14.3, M40 as 0.58, M10 as 0.13, CRI as 0.33 and CSR as 0.18. Set: 3 - 6 Ten coal blends were prepared for Set-3. The average blend mixtures in Set-3 were 73.1% of hard coking coal, 22.3% of soft coking coal and 4.6% of indigenous coal (Table 1). Mostly, imported (hard1): 43.9%, Imported (hard-2):13.9% and imported (hard-3):11.5% were used in the blend. Table 2 shows the maximum and minimum properties of the Set 3 blend, Table 3 the average quality data for coal and coke and Table 4 the standard deviations of the results of each property. In a similar way, the blend mixtures Sets 4 to 6, are presented in the tables for maximum and minimum values, average coal and coke quality data and standard deviations. In the case of Set 4, 34 coal blends were prepared, reverting to 10 samples for sets 5 and 6. Figs 2-5 graphically show the variation in properties for the blends. Reflectance (measured as mean maximum reflectance or MMR) plays a vital role in deciding the strength of coke after reaction (CSR) (Fig. 2). CSR shows an improving trend to a maximum value at MMR of 1.22. Coal blend fluidity plays an important role in coke quality. Fig 3 compares fluidity with total dilation and Fig 4 the relationship between maximum fluidity and coke strength (CSR). The relationship between ash content and coke’s reactivity to CO2 (CRI) is presented in Fig 5. Conclusions In experimental Set-1, an increase of 8% of hard coal improves the resistance to abrasion of the coke (M10) indices by 0.2% and the reactivity to CO2 (CRI) improved from 23.7% to 22.1%. In Set-3, an average 73.1% of hard coal and 22.3% of soft coal with an average of micro fines (<0.5 mm fraction) of 37.4% was higher than the desired value of 30-35%. If the micro fines content is maintained at 30-35%, battery operation is assisted as well as better coke quality resulting. It is noted that when about 7% of hard coal is replaced by soft coal, deterioration in M10 by 1.4% and the CRI value by 1.8% occurs. But, when 3-4% of indigenous coal replaces hard coal, the M10 indices and CRI value fell by the less detrimental amounts of 2.2% and 3.2% www.steeltimesint.com

Kumars.indd – read MM..indd 5

Fig 5. Relationship of ash content and coke’s reactivity to CO2 (CRI %)

respectively. Set-4 coal blend had on average 85% of imported coal including hard and soft coals maintaining an average micro fine content of about 40%. When imported hard coal was increased from 68% to 74% replacing indigenous coal by 5%, deterioration of coke quality was observed in M10 by 1.1% and the CRI value by 1.0%. But, when hard coal replaced soft coal by the same amount, no such deterioration was observed in coke quality. When soft coal replaced 5% of hard coal an improvement of 1.0% in both M10 and CRI were observed. If imported soft coal replaced indigenous coal by 5%, no noticeable improvement in M10 and CRI values were observed. This study indicates that the optimum blend quality parameters required for blast furnace coke making are 30-35% micro fines (<0.5mm): CSN: 5 to 6.5, LTGK: G3 to G4, total reactive 58% to 62%, MMR: 1.14 to 1.22, fluidity 300 ddpm to 600 ddpm and total dilatation more than 60. � Acknowledgements The authors thank the management of RDCIS, SAIL, Ranchi, for opportunity, guidance and execution to carry out the present research work. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest. References 1. EMH Braga, GLR da Silva, RCV Amaral and M do C Carias, Influence of moisture and particle size on coal blend bulk density, REM, Int Eng J, Ouro Preto, 72(2), 237-242 (2019) 2. K Nishioka and S Yoshida, Index for True Dilatation of Coal and Its Usefulness, Transactions ISIJ, Vol23 (1983) 3. E Psomiadou, Coking pressure and coke structure, Master’s Thesis Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award

of Master of Philosophy of Loughborough University, May 1993 4. VP Lyalyuk, VA Sheremet, AV Kekukh, PI Otorvin, SA Pisar, AD Uchitel, IA Lyahova and DA Kassim, Rational Crushing of Coal Charge for Improvement of Coke Quality for Blast-Furnace Smelting, Metallurgical and Mining Industry, 2 (2010) 2 5. Seung Jae (Michael), LEE, Effect of Weathering on Coal Characteristics and Coke Qualities, thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Engineering in the School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales Sydney, NSW 2052, 6. PK Pankaj, SK Kushwaha, K Manjhi, TK Das & A Gupta, Effect of coal blend crushing on coke quality, International Journal of Coal Preparation and Utilization, 17 (2016) 7. LA North, KL Blackmore, KV Nesbitt, K Hockings and MR Mahoney, Understanding the impact of coal blending decisions on the prediction of coke quality: a data mining approach, Int Journal of Coal Science & Technology, 207–217(2019) 6 8. L North, K Blackmore, K Nesbitt, M Mahoney, Models of coke quality prediction and the relationships to input variables: a review fuel 219:446–466 9. C Coin and A Broome (1997), Coke quality prediction from pilot scale ovens and plant data In: International coal conference, pp 325–333 10. P Kumar, S Barman, M Ranjan, S Ghosh, V VS Raju (2008), Maximisation of non-coking coals in coke production from non-recovery coke ovens, Ironmaking & Steelmaking 35:33–37 11. E Stach, MT Mackowsky, M Teichmuller, GH Taylor, D Chandra and Teichmuller, Stach’s Textbook of Coal Petrology Gebruder Borntraeger, Berlin(1982) 535 pp 12. JM Richards, G Naude, SJ Theron, M McCullum, Petrological characterization of coal: an evolving science, JSAfr Inst Min Metall, 11 (113) 2013, Johannesburg January/February 2022

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