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The reaction between carbon and iron oxide-containing slag is crucial to efficient electric arc furnace steelmaking. The reaction occurs via gaseous intermediates, and the rate of gas generation by carbon gasification is limited by the chemical reactions at the slag-gas and carbon-gas interfaces. The aim of the present study was to obtain an understanding of the gasification rate limiting factors and slag foaming behaviour that could be readily applied to industrial electric arc furnace situations. The rate of carbon gasification was measured in experimental simulations of an electric arc furnace heat with slags containing between 21.6 and 48.2 wt% 'FeO'. It was found that rate control was dominated by the carbon-gas chemical reaction. A model was developed which describes the carbon gasification rate, amount of residual carbon in the slag, gas composition, slag-gas interfacial area and bubble diameter during carbon injection into slag. The model predicts rate control by the carbon-gas chemical reaction, in agreement with experimental observations. The slag foaming behaviour was investigated, and it was found that the foaming index is a useful parameter in quantifying foam height only if void fraction is constant with respect to gas flow rate. The average bubble size was observed to be an important factor in determining foam stability, with smaller bubble size resulting in greater foam height. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

The objective of this study was to utilize an electric arc furnace ¡]EAF¡^in a steel mill to melt municipal incinerator fly ash ¡]MIFA¡^of different sources ¡]Plants K1 and K2¡^ and evaluate its effectiveness in aspects of environment and economy. The results of full-scale tests have shown that slag thus generated by the EAF was found to be non-hazardous based on the TCLP result and also met the standard of CNS 14602. However, EAF dust thus obtained remained hazardous as it was originally a listed waste by Taiwan EPA. Test results have indicated that this novel treatment technology would not deteriorate the quality of steel billets and bars produced. Moreover, when melting MIFAs from Plant K1¡]with 2.00 wt¢H of MIFA¡^ and Plant K2 ¡]with 3.28 wt¢H of MIFA¡^, the air quality in the steel mill surroundings and off-gas from the stack were all below the regulatory limits. Thus, it would not cause additional pollution problems from this practice. Based on the total capacity of EAFs in Taiwan, it was estimated that these EAFs would be capable of melting fly ash generated by municipal incinerators in Taiwan. From the economic perspective, this melting practice would not lower the production rate of EAF steel-making and increase the tap-to-tap cycle time, consumption of electrical energy, consumption of oxygen, and consumption of graphite electrodes. Furthermore, through this novel practice, the contents of MIFA have turned out to be able to replace some portions of quick-lime and coke powder required for steel-making. Test results have also shown that 1 wt¢H of MIFA injection would generate additional 8.93 kg of slag and 2.76 kg of EAF dust. It was found that an additional cost of NT¢C318 per ton of MIFA treated would be resulted through this practice. This treatment cost is very low as compared with NT¢C8,000 per ton of waste treated by solidification and followed by landfilling. Assuming a melting cost of NT¢C5,000 per ton of MIFA is charged by EAFs, it would save more than ten million NT¢C per year for a municipal incinerator with an annual generation of 5,840 tons of MIFA. On the other hand, for a mini-mill with an annual capacity of 264,000 tons of billets, it would have an additional income of 37 million NT¢C if 3 wt¢H of MIFA is melted while making steel.

The dissertation forms part of an ongoing project for the modelling and eventual control of an electric arc furnace (EAF) process. The main motivation behind such a project is the potential benefits that can result from automation of a process that has largely been operator controlled, often with results that leave sufficient room for improvement. Previous work in the project has resulted in the development of a generic model of the process. A later study concentrated on the control of the EAF where economic factors were taken into account. Simulation results from both studies clearly demonstrate the benefits that can accrue from successful implementation of process control. A major drawback to the practical implementation of the results is the lack of a model that is proven to be an accurate depiction of the specific plant where control is to be applied. Furthermore, the accuracy of any process model can only be verified against actual process data. There lies the raison d'etre for this dissertation: to take the existing model from the simulation environment to the real process. The main objective is to obtain a model that is able to mimic a selected set of process outputs. This is commonly a problem of system identification (SID): to select an appropriate model then fit the model to plant input/output data until the model response is similar to the plant under the same inputs (and initial conditions). The model fitting is carried out on an existing EAF model primarily by estimation of the model parameters for the EAF refining stage. Therefore the contribution of this dissertation is a model that is able to depict the EAF refining stage with reasonable accuracy. An important aspect of model fitting is experiment design. This deals with the selection of inputs and outputs that must be measured in order to estimate the desired parameters. This constitutes the problem of identifiability: what possibilities exist for estimating parameters using available I/O data or, what additional data is necessary to estimate desired parameters. In the dissertation an analysis is carried out to determine which parameters are estimable from available data. For parameters that are not estimable recommendations are made about additional measurements required to remedy the situation. Additional modelling is carried out to adapt the model to the particular process. This includes modelling to incorporate the oxyfuel subsystem, the bath oxygen content, water cooling and the effect of foaming on the arc efficiency. / Dissertation (MEng (Electronic Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering / unrestricted

This dissertation forms part of the ongoing process at UP to model and control the electric arc furniture process. Previous work focused on modelling the furnace process from empirical thermodynamic principles as well as fitting the model to actual plant data. Automation of the process mainly focused on subsystems of the process, for example the electric subsystem and the off-gas subsystem. The modelling effort, especially the model fitting resulted in parameter values that are described with confidence intervals, which gives rise to uncertainty in the model, because the parameters can potentially lie anywhere in the confidence interval space. Robust model predictive control is used in this dissertation, because it can explicityly take the model uncertainty into account as part of the synthesis process. Nominal model predictive control – not taking model uncertainty into account – is also applied in order to determine if robust model predictive control provides any advantages over the nominal model predictive control. This dissertation uses the process model from previous wok together with robust model predictive control to determine the feasibility of automating the process with regards to the primary process variables. Possible hurdles that prevent practical implementation are identified and studied. / Dissertation (MEng (Electronic Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering / MEng / unrestricted

This dissertation forms part of the ongoing process at UP to model and control the electric arc furniture process. Previous work focused on modelling the furnace process from empirical thermodynamic principles as well as fitting the model to actual plant data. Automation of the process mainly focused on subsystems of the process, for example the electric subsystem and the off-gas subsystem. The modelling effort, especially the model fitting resulted in parameter values that are described with confidence intervals, which gives rise to uncertainty in the model, because the parameters can potentially lie anywhere in the confidence interval space. Robust model predictive control is used in this dissertation, because it can explicityly take the model uncertainty into account as part of the synthesis process. Nominal model predictive control – not taking model uncertainty into account – is also applied in order to determine if robust model predictive control provides any advantages over the nominal model predictive control. This dissertation uses the process model from previous wok together with robust model predictive control to determine the feasibility of automating the process with regards to the primary process variables. Possible hurdles that prevent practical implementation are identified and studied. / Dissertation (MEng (Electronic Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering / MEng / unrestricted

<p>Steel heating and melting processes consume the majority of the energy used in advanced short-process steelmaking practices. Economic and environmental pressures from energy consumption drive the research to improve the furnace operation efficiency and energy efficiency. The goal of this research is to utilize computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling to provide useful tools and recommendations on the steel heating and melting practices in the steelmaking process. The steel slab reheating process, the steel scrap preheating process and the steel scrap melting process are studied.</p> <p> </p> <p>A transient three-dimensional (3-D) CFD model was developed to simulate the flow characteristics, combustion process and multi-scale, multi-mode heat transfer inside the reheating furnace. The actual geometry of an operating industrial furnace was used and typical operating conditions were simulated. Specific walking speeds of slabs in production were modeled using a dynamic mesh model which is controlled by a user-defined function (UDF) solved using ANSYS Fluent. Fuel variations at different zones with respect to time were also considered. The model was validated with instrumented slab trials conducted at the SSAB Mobile (Alabama) mill. The temperature field in the furnace and the temperature evolution of a slab predicted by the CFD model are in good agreement with those obtained from the instrumented slab trials. Based on the simulation results, the slab reheating process and the temperature uniformity of a slab at discharge were able to be properly evaluated. In addition, a comprehensive two-dimensional (2-D) numerical heat transfer model for slab reheating in a walking beam furnace was developed using the finite difference method. An in-house code was developed. The model is capable of predicting slab temperature evolution during a reheating process based on real time furnace conditions and steel physical properties. The model was validated by using mill instrumented slab trials and production data. The results show that the temperature evolution predicted by the model is in good agreement with that measured by the thermocouples embedded in the instrumented slab. Compared with 3-D CFD simulation of a reheating process, this 2-D heat transfer model used for predicting slab temperature evolution requires less computing power and can provide results in a few seconds. A graphical user interface was also developed to facilitate the input and output process. This is a very convenient and user-friendly tool which can be used easily by mill metallurgists in troubleshooting and process optimization.</p> <p> </p> <p>CFD models for steel scrap preheating and melting processes by the combined effects of the heat source from both oxy-fuel combustion and electric arc were also developed. The oxy-fuel burners firing natural gas (NG) are widely used in EAF operation during the scrap preheating and melting stages. In order to understand the role of oxy-fuel combustion and potentially increase the energy input from NG while decreasing the electricity consumption, numerical simulation of scrap preheating by oxy-fuel combustion in an EAF was firstly conducted. A 3-D CFD model was developed with detailed consideration of gas flow, oxy-fuel combustion, heat transfer between gas and solid scrap and scrap oxidation. The model was validated by a small-scale experimental study and applied onto a real-scale EAF.</p> <p> </p> <p>Scrap melting in bath is comprehensively studied with a CFD model developed to simulate the melting in bath process under given operating conditions. Two sub-models were developed for model integration: steel melting model and coherent jet model. The multiphase volume of fluid (VOF) model and the enthalpy-porosity technique are applied to describe the steel melting process. The coherent jet model calculates the gas jet momentum and is integrated into the flow model to calculate its effect on the fluid flow in the bath. The electric arc was treated as a heat flux to represent the heat transfer from the electric arc during the melting process. Model validations were conducted for each sub-model to ensure their accuracy. Parametric studies were also carried out to obtain useful information for real practice. </p><p>Overall, the CFD models developed in this research work have demonstrated value in improving energy efficiency in the energy-intensive steelmaking processes. The developed CFD models also provide insights for better understanding of the multi-physics processes.<br></p> <p> </p>

A redução no volume de resíduos produzidos, industriais e agrícolas, vem se tornando uma exigência constante em todos os processos de produção. A falta de espaço físico para a disposição destes resíduos, a contaminação ambiental causada por eles, além da necessidade de preservação dos recursos naturais não-renováveis e da diminuição do consumo de energia e emissão de poluentes, tornam a reciclagem e a reutilização dos resíduos uma alternativa bastante atraente. A construção civil apresenta-se como um setor bastante apto à utilização de técnicas de reaproveitamento de resíduos, provenientes das mais diversas indústrias. Além de todos os benefícios ambientais, este reaproveitamento, pela construção civil, pode gerar recursos financeiros, bem como, possibilita a melhora das características de alguns materiais de construção, e pode diminuir o custo de construção, fator importante, quando se avalia o déficit de habitacional existente no Brasil. Neste trabalho, desenvolveu-se um estudo baseado no aproveitamento de escória de aciaria elétrica, resíduo gerado a partir da reciclagem do aço, empregada como agregado para concreto de cimento Portland, em substituição total ou parcial dos materiais convencionais. Os resultados obtidos apontaram para a viabilidade de utilização deste resíduo como agregado. / The reduction on the volume of produced wastes, from industries or agriculture, is becoming a current demand in all production processes. The lack of space to dispose these wastes, the environment contamination caused by them, besides the necessity to preserve the non-renewable natural resources, to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission , are making wastes recycling and reutilization an interesting alternative. The civil construction presents itself as a field quite able to utilize techniques to reuse wastes from different industries. Besides all the environmental benefits, this reuse by the civil construction can create new profits, as well as, the improvement of the characteristics of some construction materials and it can also decrease the costs of the construction, which is a major factor, considering the Brazilian habitation deficit. In the present work a study was developed based on the reutilization of the electric arc furnace slag, a metallurgic waste from the steel recycling process, employed as an aggregate to the concrete of Portland cement, totally or partially replacing the conventional materials. The obtained results indicate this waste reutilization viability.

O setor siderúrgico, assim como os demais setores da indústria, vem buscando alternativas para a redução dos custos de produção e aumento de produtividade. Em aciarias elétricas, os principais custos de produção do aço podem ser divididos, de forma simplificada, entre o custo dos insumos e o custo das matérias primas. Os refratários estão entre os cinco maiores custos na produção do aço em usinas semi-integradas. Entretanto, o conhecimento detalhado da microestrutura e do comportamento desses materiais ainda é bastante restrito aos seus fabricantes. Tendo em vista a importância dos refratários na produção do aço, este trabalho teve como objetivo gerar conhecimento acerca de sua microestrutura e comportamento em operação, com foco na diminuição do consumo e maximização dos lucros da empresa. Para tal, com o intuito de conhecer detalhadamente sua microestrutura e prever seu desempenho, foram realizadas análises de caracterização em laboratório e testes que simularam as condições de operação. Após os testes laboratoriais, os materiais selecionados foram testados em operação em forno elétrico a arco, buscando encontrar o melhor conjunto de materiais sob o ponto de vista de estabilidade do processo e custo de refratários. O cenário que apresentou melhores resultados em relação à performance e ao consumo específico foi a configuração A, onde foram utilizados os tijolos A, massa de soleira X, massa de reparo K e canal EBT P. Além disso, a substituição do tijolo C pelo tijolo A gerou uma redução de custo de 40%, e o conhecimento gerado com a caracterização do canal EBT proporcionou uma redução de 29,9% no preço desse item. / The steel industry, like other sectors of the industry, is seeking alternatives to reduce production costs and increase productivity. In electric steelworks, the main steel production costs can be divided, in a simplified way, between the cost of inputs and the cost of raw materials. Refractories are among the five largest costs in steel production in semi-integrated mills (mini-mills). However, detailed knowledge of the microstructure and behavior of these materials is still quite restricted to their manufacturers. Given the importance of the refractories in the production of steel, this study aimed to generate knowledge about their microstructure and behavior in operation, focusing on the reduction of consumption and maximization of profits. For that, in order to know in detail the microstructure and predict its performance, characterization analyzes and tests simulating the operating conditions were performed in the laboratory. After laboratory tests, the selected materials have been tested in operation in electric arc furnace, seeking to find the best set of materials from the point of view of stability of the process, and cost of refractories. The scenario that best results presented, in terms of performance and the specific consumption, was Configuration A, where bricks A, ramming mix X, repair mix K and EBT P were used. Moreover, the replacement of Brick B by brick A, generated a cost reduction of 40%, and the information gathered with the characterization of EBT, reduced the price of that item by 29.9%.

O Pó de Aciaria Elétrica (PAE) é um resíduo sólido originado na fabricação de aços em Fornos Elétricos a Arco (FEA), classificado como resíduo perigoso pela ABNT NBR 10004- 2004. Isto porque ele contém metais nocivos ao meio ambiente (como chumbo e cádmio), embora seja constituído, em sua maior parte, pelos elementos ferro, zinco e oxigênio. Devido aos custos onerosos para disposição e por tratar-se de resíduo perigoso, a indústria procura pela possibilidade de retorno ao processo produtivo do aço. Uma das alternativas é a reintrodução na aciaria elétrica através de aglomerados autorredutores como parte da carga do FEA. Neste trabalho, são produzidas misturas autorredutoras contendo PAE e coque de petróleo, apresentando as correspondentes caracterizações químicas e físicas. Através de ensaios termogravimétricos é feita uma avaliação do comportamento destas misturas, mostrando a possibilidade do emprego desta técnica na aferição prática do teor ótimo de coque, em aglomerados. Além disto, foram produzidas pelotas autorredutoras através do uso de um disco laboratorial, sendo as pelotas submetidas a testes físicos e mecânicos, com uso de aglomerantes e também testes de autorredução em fornos mufla e em aparato experimental. Como resultados destes experimentos pode-se concluir que o cimento Portland ARI e a combinação de cal hidratada com cinza de casca de arroz possuem melhor resistência a compressão frente aos outros ligantes utilizados. O grau de metalização obtido para a maior parte das amostras não passou de 35%. A remoção de zinco foi de aproximadamente 85%, para temperatura de 1100 ºC, com 45 minutos e com 10% de coque de petróleo. Isto indica a possibilidade de enriquecimento da nova poeira gerada em zinco. Fato este que agrega valor para tratamento do resíduo em outros processos externos. / The Electric Arc Furnace Dust (EAFD) is a solid waste generated by electric steelmaking, in Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF), being considered a hazardous waste by the Environmental Protection Agency. That is because of its harmful metals, although it is composed, in majority, by elements iron, zinc and oxygen. Due to high costs involved for its disposal and because it is a hazardous waste, industry seek for the possibility of returning the EAFD back to the steelmaking process. One of the alternatives is by reintroduction via electric meltshop through self-reducing agglomerates as part of the furnace burden. In this work, self-reducing mixtures of EAFD and petroleum coke were produced, showing as result corresponding chemical and physical characterizations. Using thermogravimetric tests, an evaluation of the mixtures behavior was carried out, demonstrating the possibility of using this technique in a practical measurement of optimal content of coke, in agglomerates. Furthermore, selfreducing pellets were pelletized using a laboratorial disc, with these agglomerates being tested in physical and mechanical strength essays, with different binders employed and also selfreduction tests in vertical electric furnace and experimental apparatus. As part of the results it could be concluded cement and the combination between hydrated lime and rice husk ash achieved the best results, in compressive strength, comparing to other binders. The metallization degree for almost all samples achieved a maximum of 35%. Zinc removal, for temperatures around 1100 ºC, in an experiment of 45 minutes and using 10% of petroleum coke, was approximately 85%. It indicates the dust to be enriched with zinc. This fact adds value to the waste for treatment in other processes.