Industrial gas turbines are often used as a mechanical drive for pumps and compressors or in power generation as an electric power supply. The gas turbine has for many years been a popular engine due to its flexibility with respect to different types of fuel and due to a design, that enables a high power-to-weight ratio. A simplified description of a gas turbine is that the engine consists of a cold and hot section. The turbo compressor section belongs to cold section and the combustion chamber together with the turbine section belongs to the hot section. In the hot section of a gas turbine, the condition is extremely severe because of an aggressive environment characterized by high temperatures, increased temperature gradients, high pressure and centrifugal forces resulting in large stresses on individual components together with an oxidizing and corroding atmosphere. Materials used in the high temperature section (hot gas path) of a modern gas turbine are different types of superalloys, as single crystal, directionally solidified or polycrystalline alloys, depending on temperature and load conditions. In the first turbine stage, temperature is very high due to exposure to the combustion gas. To handle the problem with creep, single crystal superalloys are often used in this section. In the second row of turbine blades, the temperature of the gas is lower and polycrystalline superalloys are typically used. IN-792 is a cast polycrystalline superalloy with high strength, good resistance to hot corrosion and a cheaper option than single crystals. In the hot section of gas turbine, IN-792 is a suitable material for components such as turbine blades and vans where a complex load condition, high temperature and severe environment prevails. Due to startup and shutdown of the gas turbine engine during service, the components in the hot section are exposed to cyclic load and temperature. This will generate mechanical and thermal fatigue damage in gas turbine components. Steady state temperature gradient arises by the cooling system acting at cold spots during service to introduce tensile stress, which indirectly gives rise to creep damage in the component. This work includes tree studies of deformation and damage mechanisms of superalloy IN-792. The first study is made on test bars exposed to thermomechanical fatigue in laboratory environment, the second and the third study is made on turbine blades used during service. In the second study, the machines are placed off-shore and exposed to marine environment. In the third study the machine is landbased and exposed to an industrial environment. In the second study, the deformation and damage mechanisms are compared between the turbine blades used during service and the test bars exposed to thermomechanical fatigue testing in the first study.

科学研究費補助金 研究種目:基盤研究(B)(2) 課題番号:07455279 研究代表者:森永 正彦 研究期間:1995-1996年度

Examensarbetet har utförts under våren 2017 vid Bergsskolan i Filipstad, i samarbete med voestalpine Precision Strip i Munkfors. Att producera så kostnadseffektivt som möjligt likväl att minimera material som kasseras är något företag idag ser som självklart. På samma gång som detta efterlevs bör även kundnöjdheten maximeras. Utrymmet att göra fel har minskat vilket leder till en ständig strävan att undvika att produkter med oönskade defekter går ut till kund. För att nå detta måste företaget ha en förståelse för vilka mekanismer som påverkar vilka defekter. Syftet med det här arbetet är att dokumentera bandstålets processteg, från råmaterial till halvfabrikat. På så vis kan arbetets mål uppnås, det vill säga att hitta vilka möjliga orsaker som kan påverka bandstålets rakhet, specifikt den så kallade kortkrokigheten. Det finns två typer av rakhet, långkrok och kortkrok. Den som ställer till med problem vid beläggning och slipning av bandstål är den så kallade kortkroken. Därmed är det detta som voestalpine Precision Strip önskat hjälp med att kartlägga. Materialet som studerats var tre olika band av samma stålsort (UHB 20C), dessa var alla tänkta att gå vidare till beläggningen. För att bandet ska kunna beläggas måste materialet vara helt rakt, toleransen är +/- 33 µm, vilket många gånger innebär att bandet ser rakt ut trots en rakhetsavvikelse. Finns en avvikelse går det inte att färdigställa produkten utifrån kundspecifikation och materialet används då till annan slutprodukt, eller i värsta fall skrotas. För att kartlägga vilka mekanismer som bandstålet utsattes för användes den teoretiska ansatsen ”de sju förbättringsverktygen”, en teori utvecklad i Japan som är användbar då kvalitetsförbättringar efterfrågas. Arbetet börjades med litteraturstudier, det var svårt att hitta studier och annan litteratur som behandlar ämnet kortkrok i allmänhet och kortkrok i kallvalsat bandstål i synnerhet. Förutom litteratur erhölls en del information av personal på voestalpine Precision Strip i Munkfors. Det gjordes inga intervjuer utan enbart samtal med personal på plats i Munkfors. Dessa samtal ledde till ökad förståelse för vad problemet innebär och ett orsak-verkan-diagram gjordes. Fem möjliga orsaker till kortkrok vid kallvalsning av stål identifierades. Utifrån detta ritades ett flödesschema över hela processen upp. De fem möjliga orsakerna som studerades närmre var ·        tvärprofil ·        reduktionen i tre olika valsverk ·        kontaktlängd och valsmaterial i valsverken ·        rullsaxen som kantskär och slittar materialet ·        den mänskliga faktorn. Utifrån detta arbete kunde flera alternativa svar på problemet till varför kortkrok uppstår identifieras. Det kan vara stickserien i valsverk 311, bomberingen som var sliten/icke-sliten i valsverk 322, kontaktlängden i valsverk 345, materialet i arbetsvalsen i valsverk 311 eller rullsaxen. Ett antal orsaker som kan påverka att kortkrok uppkommer är överhuvudtaget inte är studerade. Till exempel värmebehandling, friktion och smörjmedel. I arbetet framkom en orsak som mest trolig till varför kortkroken uppstår, rullsaxen. Att rullsaxen påverkat kortkrokens uppkomst kan bero på den mänskliga faktorn likväl som att det kan bero på att den är felkonstruerad för just detta ändamål. I dagsläget saknas exakta rutiner för hur arbetsprocessen vid rullsaxen utförs, vilket inneburit att de som arbetar vid maskinen gör samma sak men på olika vis. Slutresultatet kan ha påverkats av vilken person som arbetat vid valsen. Det finns en möjlighet att voestalpine Precision Strip kan vinna på att ha detaljerade inställningsscheman så det är möjligt att utesluta att slutresultatet påverkas av vem som arbetar vid maskinen. / This thesis has been carried out during the spring of 2017 at Bergsskolan in Filipstad, in cooperation with voestalpine Precision Strip in Munkfors. The demands to produce as cost-effectively as possible is increasing as well as demands to minimize the amount of discarded materials and at the same time maximize customer satisfaction. To achieve this, the company must have an understanding for the mechanisms that influence the defects. The purpose of the thesis is to document the production steps of the strip steel process, from raw materials to processed steel. Doing that the goal can be achieved, i.e. to find the parameters that influence the strip steel's straightness, specifically the so-called camber. There are two types of straightness which causes problems and the important one in this thesis is the so-called camber. The material studied was three different strips of the same steel (UHB20C) which were all supposed to move on to the department CCB (Coated Coater Blades). But to proceed, the material must be perfectly straight. The tolerance is as small as +/-33 microns, which often means that the strip looks straight even when there is a straightness deviation. If so, the material may be used in a different application and occasionally it will be scrapped. To identify the mechanisms the strip steel was exposed to, the theoretical approach “the seven QC-tools", was used. This is a theory usable when quality improvements are demanded. The work begun with literature studies, however, it was very difficult to find studies and other literature that discussed camber in cold-rolled strip steel. In addition to literature some information was obtained through conversations with the staff in Munkfors. This led to better understanding about the problem. Afterwards it was time to draw a chart over the causes effecting the camber. Five parameters were identified as important and was chosen for closer looking. The parameters studied more closely were: ·        transverse profile ·        reductions done in the three different rolling mills ·        contact length and materials in the work roll ·        slitter scorer (the machine that slits the material) ·        human influence Then a flow chart of the entire process was drawn up. There are several alternative answers to the problem this paper is trying to solve. The answer could be among the parameters studied but it may as well be found among causes not studied. For example friction, lubricants or the heat treatment the material is exposed to. Due to all measurements done in this study there is one parameter most likely to be the cause of camber, the slitter scorer seems to influence the material straightness most of all. Though it is not cleared why the slitter scorer affects the camber more than the other production steps. It could be caused by human influence, it is a machine where very small mistakes, probably unconscious, can lead to big consequences. It may also be due to malfunction of the machine. Rolling is a craft which means that the person working at the rolling mill, and the other machines in the production process, has a big influence on final outcome. Voestalpine Precision Strip could probably gain a lot by having detailed setting schedules and measuring instruments that would help the staff doing the exact same thing every time. Hopefully the outcome would not fluctuate as much as it does in the current situation. / <p>Presentationen har redan ägt rum, i juni 2017 på Bergsskolan i Filipstad</p>

The vehicles industry is facing increasing demands for fuel efficiency and cost reduction due to environmental legislation, sustainability and customer demands. Therefore, there is a great need to develop and produce lightweight components by using materials and processes that offer higher specific strength and/or design optimization. Semi‐solid aluminium casting offers design freedom and castings with lower shrinkage and gas entrapment defects compared to high pressure die castings. The lack of understanding of microstructure and defect formation, and design data, for semi‐solid castings is a barrier for foundries and designers in the vehicles industry to use semi‐solid castings. In this study, the effect of two grain refiners on slurry formation and surface segregation of semi‐solid Al‐7Si‐0.3Mg castings produced by the Rheometal™ process was evaluated. The influence of grain refinement on primary α‐Al grain size, shape factor and solid fraction was analysed in addition to the solute content of the surface segregation layer. The influence of magnesium on the formation of intermetallic phases during solidification and the heat treatment response of Al‐7Si‐Mg semi‐solid castings was investigated. The magnesium content was varied from 0.3 to 0.6wt.% and the semi-solid castings were analysed in the T5 and T6 conditions. Energy dispersive spectroscopy was used to identify the intermetallic phases formed during solidification. Tensile testing was performed and the results were correlated to the magnesium and silicon concentration measured in the interior of the α‐Al globules formed during slurry preparation. The results suggest that the addition of grain refiner decreases the solid fraction obtained in the Rheometal™ process. However, no significant effect was observed on the α‐Al grain size and shape factor. A good correlation was obtained between the magnesium concentration in the interior of the α‐Al globules formed during slurry preparation and the offset yield strength for all alloys. The low magnesium solubility in α‐Al at temperatures in the solidification range of the Al‐7Si‐Mg alloys is suggested to be the reason for the low hardening response for the T5 heat treatment compared to the T6 condition.

Used lead-acid batteries are the main raw material in secondary lead production. Technologicalprogress in the car industry, have raised concerns regarding the lead-acid battery’s leading positionas electrochemical storage system in the future. However, the lead-acid battery industry isadvancing with innovations, such as hybrid and micro-hybrid vehicles, and is believed to have acontinued important role in the rechargeable battery market. Lead is one of the most investigatedmetal due to concerns from society regarding the negative effect on human health and theenvironment. Consequently, that has led to tighter controls and regulations of the lead processingindustry which, in turn, has led to technological improvement concerning design and operation ofthe lead processing plants. Used lead-acid batteries have a complex composition with a variety ofcomponents made of lead (i.e., metallic, oxide or sulphate) and non-lead materials (plastics andelectrolyte). Traditionally, battery recycling is done without separating those components.However, to optimise the use of resources and decrease the environmental impact of secondarylead production, a pre-treatment step to the batteries recycling is desired. The pre-treatment iscomprised of breaking the batteries and separation of the battery components. The aim of the present thesis, was to study the components of a used lead-acid battery, which willbe the outgoing material of a future plastic separation plant at Boliden Bergsöe, and their effect onthe process. Furthermore, the study aimed at investigating the possibilities to adjust the feedcomposition for further process optimisation and improvement of the process quality in terms ofenergy usages and environmental impact. This was done by characterise, through qualitative andquantitative composition and mass distribution, the fractions in a used lead-acid car battery. Four lead-acid car batteries were provided for dismantling to study mass distribution, and toliberate the components for further analysis. The analytical techniques used in this study werequalitative and quantitative (Rietveld) XRD analysis, SEM-EDS and TGA. The result showed thatoverestimated amount of battery separators (PE) has been used at production planning in energyandemission calculations, which can cause financial losses due to overpaid emission tax. The pastefraction showed a large variation in mass between the studied batteries and consists mostly ofPbSO4. Large variation in the paste mass may cause uneven sulphur emission from smelter.Consequently, this reinforces the need for implementation of the separation of the battery feed fora better control of the paste addition to the smelter. When PE decomposes in the shaft furnace the remaining ash will mainly consist of silica, whichwill affect the sulphur uptake in the shaft furnace. The large content of silica leads to a lower energycontribution to the process; however, a lower content of hydrocarbons leads to lower CO2emissions. If a desulphurisation of the pastes would be implemented, it is believed to affect theprocess through a decreased need of coke and iron. A reduced usage of coke and iron would lowerthe production costs and lead to decreased CO2 emissions. A desulphurisation will also decreasethe lead sulphate content in the feed, thus lead to better control of the sulphur emissions. This study provides additional support and further insight into composition and mass distributionof the components in a lead-acid battery. Furthermore, the study indicates possible impact of thefuture separation on the new feed properties and on the subsequent processing.

A liga de alumínio designada AA4006 é muito utilizada na indústria. É uma liga do sistema Al-Fe-Si, com teores (% em massa) de Si na faixa de 0,8 a 1,2% e Fe entre 0,5 e 0,8%. Apesar de ser bastante utilizada, ela foi pouco estudada. Neste trabalho foi realizado um estudo comparativo da microestrutura e da textura cristalográfica entre chapas da liga AA4006 produzidas por dois processos industriais de lingotamento: contínuo (Twin roll caster TRC) e semicontínuo (Direct chill DC). Para a caracterização microestrutural, foram utilizadas as técnicas de microscopia óptica com luz polarizada, microscopia eletrônica de varredura com microanálise química, medidas de condutividade elétrica e ensaios de dureza Brinell. A textura cristalográfica foi determinada por difração de raios X. Foram detectadas e discutidas diferenças significativas nas morfologias e distribuições de grãos e de partículas de fases intermetálicas. O estudo da textura cristalográfica foi realizado ao longo da espessura das tiras e os resultados mostraram variações significativas da textura entre as chapas ao longo da espessura. A chapa produzida por lingotamento contínuo apresentou uma típica textura de cisalhamento nas proximidades de sua superfície, enquanto nas regiões mais internas a fibra foi observada. O estudo da recristalização de chapas metálicas laminadas a frio é muito útil para a obtenção da temperatura de amolecimento do material submetido a um tratamento térmico. Tratamentos térmicos isócronos no intervalo de uma hora foram feitos em amostras das duas chapas e a chapa produzida pelo processo TRC apresentou a temperatura para 50% de recristalização em torno de 290 ºC e a amostra da chapa produzida pelo processo DC em torno de 270 ºC. A textura cristalográfica pode mudar com a recristalização e com a laminação do metal. Utilizando estas etapas de processamento do material, a orientação dos grãos de uma tira metálica pode ser otimizada, a fim de, por exemplo, melhorar a estampabilidade de chapas na obtenção de um dado produto com valor agregado. Neste trabalho as curvas de amolecimento para duas chapas produzidas por lingotamento contínuo e lingotamento semicontínuo da liga de alumínio AA4006 também foram determinadas e comparadas. Embora as diferenças detectadas entre as curvas de amolecimento tenham sido pequenas, foi possível verificar que a recristalização da chapa produzida por twin roll caster TRC ocorre em temperaturas mais elevadas do que na chapa produzida pelo processo direct chill DC. Resultados da textura cristalográfica em amostras destas chapas (laminadas e recozidas) foram obtidos utilizando difração de raios X e difração de elétrons retroespalhados EBSD. Estes resultados indicaram a presença da textura de cisalhamento na superfície e a fibra no centro da amostra laminada a frio (70% de redução) da chapa obtida por lingotamento contínuo. Na amostra da chapa obtida por lingotamento semicontínuo, a componente cubo e a fibra foram vistas na superfície e no centro. Uma textura fraca com grãos orientados ao acaso foi vista nas duas amostras (TRC e DC) recristalizadas das duas chapas, possivelmente, devido à nucleação estimulada por partículas. A fibra desapareceu nas amostras (TRC e DC) recristalizadas. / AA4006 Aluminum alloy is extensively used in industry. It belongs to the Al-Fe-Si system, with Si between 0,8 and 1,2 % mass, and Fe between 0,5 and 0,8 % mass. This alloy is less studied despite its extensive use. A comparative microstructural study has been performed in as-received AA4006 alloy strip produced by two industrial casting processes: twin roll caster (TRC) and direct chill (DC). Polarized optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with microanalysis, electrical conductivity measurements and Brinnel hardness tests have been used for microstructural characterization. Significant differences in the grain and intermetallic particle sizes, morphologies and distributions were detected and are discussed. Thermal treatments effects on the silicon content in solid solution were also studied. Crystallographic textures have been also determined. Textures across thickness of both sheets have been analyzed and compared. Results showed significant texture changes across thickness of the specimens. Texture analysis was carried out using X-ray diffraction technique. Twin roll caster (TRC) sheet presented the typical shear texture near the surface, while, in internal regions, the -fibre was observed. A recrystallization study of cold rolled metallic sheets is very important to obtain softening temperature for the material during annealing. After cold rolling with 70% of reduction in thickness, followed by isochronous heat treatments, the samples of the two sheets produced by TRC and DC presented a 50% recrystallization temperature around 290 ºC and 270 ºC, respectively. Crystallographic texture can change during the metal rolling and recrystallization. These processing steps can optimize the grain orientation distribution in a metal strip to improve, for instance, the stamping process, in order to obtain an aggregated value product. Softening curves were also compared and determined for the two sheets (rolled and annealed) of the AA4006 aluminum alloy produced by twin roll caster TRC and direct chill DC processes. It was detected that the recrystallization of the strip produced by TRC process occurs at a higher temperature than that for the DC process, despite the little differences in their softening curves. Crystallographic texture results, for the sheet samples, were obtained by using X-ray diffraction and electron back scatter diffraction EBSD techniques. These results indicated the shear texture presence on the surface and fiber at the center of the cold rolled (70% area reduction) sample for the sheet produced by TRC process. In the sheet sample produced by the DC process, under the same conditions, the cube component and fiber texture (at the surface and at the center) were observed. A texture with random oriented grains was detected in two deformed and recrystallized samples of the two sheets (TRC and DC). It is suggested that this texture occurs due to the particle stimulated nucleation. There was fiber absence in the recrystallized samples (TRC and DC).

Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara AB (LKAB) rullar järnmalmslig till råkulor, som sedan bränns till pellets. Råkulorna bildas i rullkretsar som består av rulltrummor och rullsiktar. Under 2017 färdigställdes en pilotskaleanläggning för kulrullning i LKAB:s Agglomeringslaboratorium i Malmberget. Syftet med anläggningen är att prediktera dynamiken i en storskalig rullkrets, under olika betingelser. Detta examensarbete är ett första försök att i forskningssyfte studera gensvaret i LKAB:s pilotrullkrets. Syftet var att undersöka om pilotrullkretsen kan prediktera dynamiken och råkulekvalitet i rullning i storskaliga rullkretsar och målet var att fastställa ett effektivt körsätt. Kulrullning är inom LKAB:s kärnkompetens och därför har reagensursprung och karaktär samt dimensionering av rullkretsen lagts med sekretess. Kodnamn används både för sliger och reagens. Arbetet inleddes med att skapa ett körschema med målet att så många olika blandningar som möjligt kunde köras i pilotrullkretsen under en normal arbetsdag. Fem olika blandningar kunde köras. Fyra olika tillsatser testades: bentonit, ett flotationsreagens (FLOT), ett organiskt bindemedel (OB) och en ny utvecklingsprodukt (UTV). Första körningen i pilotrullkretsen var med varierande doseringar av bentonit eftersom dess inverkan i kulrullning är välkänt hos LKAB. Försök två och tre, med FLOT respektive OB, kunde jämföras mot tidigare erfarenhet från storskaliga försök. Det fjärde och sista försöket var ett test hur pilotrullkretsen predikterade utvecklingsprodukten UTV. Varje typ av försök utfördes två gånger. Pilotrullkretsen predikterade väl både dynamik och råkulekvalitet i alla de tre försöken där erfarenhet från storskaliga körningar var tillgängligt. Den nya, okända, UTV-produkten visade en förbättrad råkulekvalitet, utan att dynamiken i kretsen påverkades negativt. UTV kan därför vara ett intressant alternativ för ett framtida storskaligt försök hos LKAB. Det framtagna körschemat fungerade mycket väl. Ett ”grundanalyspaket” har skapats för att underlätta planering och genomförande för framtida pilotrullkretsförsök hos LKAB. Antalet personer som behövs vid rullkretskörningar beror på antalet blandningar och analyser. Vid enklare körningar behövs minst fem personer, utöver försöksledaren. Mer komplexa körningar kan kräva sju personer. / Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara AB (LKAB) produce pellets from magnetite iron ore. Pellets are formed by balling moist iron ore concentrate to green pellets, which are then burned to pellets. The green pellets are formed in balling circuits consisting of balling drums and roller decks for screening. In 2017 a pilot scale balling circuit with a drum was completed in LKAB's agglomeration laboratory in Malmberget. The purpose of the pilot balling circuit is to predict the dynamics in a full scale balling circuit under different conditions. This master degree project is an initial attempt to study the response in LKAB's pilot circuit in terms of green pellet quality and dynamics in the circuit. The goal was to determine an effective way to run experiments and to investigate whether the pilot circuit can predict the dynamics of balling in large-scale circuits. Pelletizing production is within LKAB's core competence, and therefore the origin and character of the reagents, as well as the design of the pilot balling drum circuit, are confidential. Code names are used for both iron ore concentrates and reagents. The work began by creating a test procedure with the aim of running as many different mixtures as possible in the pilot balling circuit during a normal working day. Five different mixtures could be run. Four different additives were tested: bentonite, a flotation reagent (FLOT), an organic binder (OB) and a new development product (UTV). The first experiment in the pilot balling circuit was run with varying doses of bentonite because its impact in balling is well known at LKAB. Experiment two and three, with FLOT and OB, could be compared to previous experience from large scale test runs. The fourth and last experiment was a test of how the pilot circuit predicted the behavior of a new development product UTV. Each type of experiment was performed twice. The pilot balling circle predicted well both dynamics and green pellet quality in all three experiments where experience from large-scale runs was available. The new, unknown, UTV product showed improved green pellet quality, without affecting adversely on the dynamics of the circuit. UTV can therefore be an interesting option for a future large scale run at LKAB. The developed working schedule worked very well. A "basic analysis package" has been created to facilitate planning of future experiments in the pilot balling circuit. The number of persons needed to run the circuit depends on the number of mixtures and analyzes. For smaller experiments, at least five people is required, in addition to the leader of the experiments. More advanced experiments will demand seven people.

This thesis study employs textural classification techniques applied to four different data groups: (1) visible light photography, (2) high-resolution drill core line scan imaging (3) scanning electron microscopy backscattered electron (SEM-BSE) images, and (4) 3D data from X-ray microtomography (μXCT). Eleven textural classes from Aitik ores were identified and characterized. The distinguishing characteristics of each class were determined such as modal mineralogy, sulphide occurrence and Bond work indices (BWI). The textural classes served as a basis for machine learning classification using Random Forest classifier and different feature extraction schemes. Trainable Weka Segmentation was utilized to produce mineral maps for the different image datasets. Quantified textural information for each mineral phase such as modal mineralogy, mineral association index and grain size was extracted from each mineral map.  Efficient line local binary patterns provide the best discriminating features for textural classification of mineral texture images in terms of classification accuracy. Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) statistics from discrete approximation of Meyer wavelets decomposition with basic image statistical features[PK1]  (e.g. mean, standard deviation, entropy and histogram derived values) give the best classification result in terms of accuracy and feature extraction time. Differences in the extracted modal mineralogy were observed between the drill core photographs and SEM images which can be attributed to different sample size[PK2] . Comparison of SEM images and 2D μXCT image slice shows minimal difference giving confidence to the segmentation process. However, chalcopyrite is highly underestimated in 2D μXCT image slice, with the volume percentage amounting to only half of the calculated value for the whole 3D sample. This is accounted as stereological error. Textural classification and mineral map production from basic drill core photographs has a huge potential to be used as an inexpensive ore characterization tool. However, it should be noted that this technique requires experienced operators to generate an accurate training data especially for mineral identification and thus, detailed mineralogical studies beforehand is required. / Primary Resource Efficiency by Enhanced Prediction (PREP) / Center for Advanced Mining and Metallurgy (CAMM)

In a particle based geometallurgical model, the behavior of the particles can be used for forecast the products and quantify the performance of the different ore types within a deposit. The particle tracking is an algorithm developed by Lamberg and Vianna 2007 whose aim is to balance the liberation data in a mineral processing circuit composed by several processing units. Currently, this tool is being developed for the HSC Chemistry software by Outotec.The objective of this study is to understand and evaluate the particle tracking algorithm in a geometallurgical test for iron ore. To achieve this objective, the liberation data is balanced in a Davis tube test circuit. A total of 13 samples from Leveäniemi iron ore were process in a Davis tube circuit.The magnetite is the main mineral in the Leveäniemi iron ore samples. Its high recovery in the Davis tube circuit along with the V, Ti and Mn suggest that these elements are present in the magnetite lattice. These penalty elements in the iron concentrates cannot be avoided at the stage of mineral concentrations.The washing effect of the Davis tubes controlled by the rotational and longitudinal agitation of the tube perturb the particles agglomeration between the pole tips of the electromagnet. A higher agitation frequency and amplitude will wash away most of the gangue minerals and also fine grained magnetite.In this work, the particle tracking is depicted and implemented in a magnetic separation circuit for high liberated material. The liberation data was balanced in a way that the particle classes can be followed through circuit and their recoveries can be calculated. Nevertheless, the algorithm requires further validation and analysis of its limitations in terms of resolution and reproducibility.

The development of alternative binder systems for tungsten carbide (WC) based cemented carbides has again become of relevance due to possible changes in EU regulations regarding the use of Cobalt (Co). A framework for the ICME (Integrated Computational Materials Engineering) based Materials Design is presented to accelerate the development of alternative binder systems. Part one of this work deals with the design of the cemented carbide composite hardness. It has been shown that the intrinsic binder hardness is comparable to a bulk metal alloy and that based on the binder solubilities a solid solution strengthening model developed in this work can be employed. Using a method presented in this work the non-equilibrium, frozen-in binder solubilities can be obtained. Both the design of the binder phase and composite hardness is presented based on a general Materials Design approach. Part two deals with a multiscale approach to model the surface gradient formation. The experimentally missing data on liquid binder diffusion has been calculated using AIMD (Ab initio Molecular Dynamics). The diffusion through the liquid cemented carbide binder has to be reduced to an effective diffusion value due to the solid carbides acting as obstacles that increase the diffusion path. The geometrical reduction of the diffusion has been investigated experimentally using the SIMS (secondary ion mass spectroscopy) technique in WC-Nickel-58Nickel diffusion couples. The geometrical contribution of the so-called labyrinth factor has been proven by the combination of the experiments and in conjunction with DICTRA simulations using the precise liquid AIMD diffusivities. Unfortunately, despite the improved kinetic database and the geometrical diffusion reduction, the surface gradient formation cannot be explained satisfactory in complex cemented carbide grades. Additional, but so far unidentified, contributions have to be considered to predict the surface gradient thickness. / <p>QC 20170919</p>