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By Saul Garcia Hernandez

The research work objective is to study a new ladle shroud internal design to reduce the slag emulsification in the tundish during ladle transient periods. A 3D mathematical model of the tundish was created to solve the fundamental equations, a turbulence model, and a multiphase model. The results show that using a conventional ladle shroud, the fluid is delivered with an excessive amount of kinetic energy being dissipated inside the tundish bath, generating strong mixing flow patterns and entrapping a massive amount of slag. In the other hand, the proposed ladle shroud dissipates the kinetic energy before the fluid enters the tundish promoting less intense mixing patterns; thus, the amount of slag emulsification is reduced significantly. Consequently, if the internal design of the ladle shroud is able to dissipate the kinetic energy before the fluid enters the tundish, it shall be possible to reduce considerable the slag emulsification and the slag opening area.

Aug 17, 2017

By Gerd Weyand

Gontermann-Peipers GmbH (GP) Germany developed a new, high alloyed steel grade for the manufacturing of back-up rolls. The advanced GP double pour casting processes provide highest flexibility in being quite open in rolls work layer chemistry and hence microstructure with no influence on core respectively neck properties. GP took the process advantage to provide a brand new back-up roll grade with remarkably reduced roll wear while operating with textured work rolls. In the meantime several successful trials have been made with this new roll grade on different Skin Pass Mills. As a result the performance of back-up roll and thus availability of mill will be improved while specific costs for mill will drop. This quite new back-up roll grade has recently been launched. As next step increasing the field of applications is under progress.

Aug 17, 2017

By Alexandre Silva Guimarães

O presente trabalho avaliou o comportamento de extração dos metais cálcio, magnésio e níquel, contidos em licores sintéticos sulfúricos, utilizando-se o extratante Cyanex 272 (0,64 mol/L) e misturas entre Cyanex 272 (0,64 mol/L) e ácido versático (0,53 mol/L). Os resultados revelaram que a adição de ácido versático ao Cyanex 272 provocou um aumento nas extrações de cálcio, que atingiram cerca de 40% em pH = 5,1, decrescendo com a elevação do pH do licor até atingir aproximadamente em 15% pH = 5,9. As extrações de níquel (em torno de 80% em pH = 7,1) foram favorecidas, enquanto as extrações de magnésio permaneceram em torno de 75-80%, numa faixa de pH entre 6,0 e 7,0, em comparação com a utilização de apenas Cyanex 272 como extratante. O níquel pode ser separado dos metais cálcio e magnésio, pela mistura dos extratantes nas concentrações estudadas, em pH = 5,1, utilizando-se de 2 a 3 estágios de contactação.

Aug 7, 2018

By Lucas Tedesco Bolzan

Blindagens contra armas de fogo são de grande importância para proteção do homem, no contexto atual de violência urbana e conflitos armados. Destacam-se os sistemas de blindagem multicamada (SBMs), constituídos por materiais diferentes, pelo seu bom desempenho e menor peso. Um SBM típico é constituído de uma camada cerâmica frontal, uma segunda camada de compósito e uma camada posterior de metal dúctil. Apesar de serem tipicamente fabricados em materiais sintéticos, uma alternativa é a utilização de compósitos reforçados com fibras naturais como segunda camada. Este trabalho tem como objetivo verificar a eficiência de SBMs que utilizam compósitos de poliéster com 30%vol. de fibras ou tecido de sisal. Foram realizados ensaios balísticos com munição 7,62 mm, e verificou-se que os SBMs com fibras e tecido de sisal se enquadram no critério da norma internacional (NIJ 0101.06), de resistir ao impacto balístico e imprimir deformação menor que 44 mm no material de referência (plastilina), além de manterem sua integridade após o impacto.

Aug 17, 2017

By Maria Vianna Rigatto

Nesse trabalho, foram realizados ensaios de abrasão do tipo roda de borracha em um aço ASTM A242, com o intuito de verificar se a orientação do desgaste em relação à da laminação influencia no comportamento em desgaste do material. Estes ensaios foram executados seguindo a norma ASTM G65-16. Todas as amostras foram fresadas e lixadas para a realização dos ensaios, além de limpas com acetona para medição da massa tanto antes quanto depois do ensaio de desgaste. Utilizando a massa perdida após o ensaio e considerando um possível desgaste da roda de borracha, foi calculado o volume perdido nos ensaios. Além disso, foi medida a microdureza do aço, nos sentidos transversal e longitudinal à laminação, bem como analisadas as microestruturas nos respectivos sentidos antes e depois dos ensaios de desgaste. Os resultados mostraram que a orientação do desgaste em relação à orientação de laminação possui influência na taxa de desgaste e que no sentido transversal à laminação essa taxa foi 9,6% menor que no sentido longitudinal.

Oct 30, 2017

By Thomas Schanz

Current steel market conditions require small investments only to lower operational cost. SMS Concast has developed new products which optimize continuous casting process cost for long product steel production. This paper describes a selection of three products. All three systems are patented (patent pending for CONDRIVE). CONSAFE, a non-radioactive mould level measurement system for reliable mould level measuring on open stream casting CCM’s; CONSTIR-MWS, an improved control software for electromagnetic stirrers which lowers energy cost by 35%; CONDRIVE, a brand new oscillation drive system which provides the features of a hydraulic oscillator, however with a cost efficient electric drive.

Aug 17, 2017

By Gabriela Olsson Schneider

O acúmulo de poliestireno expandido (EPS) em sua forma pós-consumo é atualmente um motivo de preocupação em termos de impacto ambiental. Desenvolve-se, portanto, diferentes formulações de uma resina veículo para tinta que aproveitam este material como matéria-prima, através da dissolução do mesmo em solventes de origem natural extraídos da casca de laranja, quais sejam o próprio óleo essencial e seu componente majoritário D-limoneno, e em C9 aromático, junto aos copolímeros termoplásticos ESBR, SIS, SBS e SEBS e óleo de soja epoxidado (ESBO) como plastificantes. Obtém-se, em diferentes formulações, um desempenho favorável à futura adição de pigmento e demais aditivos, em termos de compatibilidade, elasticidade e aderência avaliados conforme normatização nacional e internacional. Observa-se especial sucesso com o uso do copolímero SEBS e do ESBO como plastificantes, concomitantemente à eficiência semelhante dos três solventes utilizados, o que permite a substituição do C9 aromático por componentes de origem natural e residual.

Aug 16, 2017

By Shibu John

Rising energy demand and steadily decreasing quality of raw materials due to the global resource depletion are great challenges to the steel production today. The FINEX® Process has been developed jointly by POSCO, Korea and PRIMETALS Technologies Austria, to provide the iron making sector with the capability to lower hot metal production costs, environmental pollutions and to increase the flexibility in terms of operation and the choice of raw materials. FINEX® is a new technology combining a gas-based reduction in a series of fluidized bed reactors and a reduction smelting in a melter gasifier. Commenced in April 2007, the first 1.5Mtpa commercial plant has demonstrated the competiveness as an alternative iron making route. Another 2.0 Mtpa, third generation FINEX® (3G) plant was recently installed at POSCO, Pohang Works and has been operating satisfactorily since its blow-in in January 2014. Based on the well-proven plant concept, new process features, the highly competitive production costs and environmental advantages, the FINEX® Process can be considered as a competitive alternative to the conventional blast furnace iron making route.

Aug 17, 2017

By Christoph Sedivy

Industrie 4.0 is slowly but surely arriving in the melt shops. Furnaces are being equipped with more and more sensors, digital models are increasing the degree of automation, and information is being shared between different aggregates within the plant. Because the electrode control system plays a key role in electric steelmaking, it naturally assumes an important position in the melt shop’s Industrie 4.0 strategy. In addition to reliable, state-of-the-art core regulation functionality, monitoring and reporting tools and the ability to communicate with other equipment are also required. Therefore, the latest generation of our electrode control system, the Melt Expert, was developed based on Industrie 4.0 design principles. Intelligent plant condition diagnostics, performance monitoring, and user-defined reporting are essential modules in this new system. With these functionalities, electrode control systems are developing into the information and control center of the furnace. A newly developed software app brings most relevant process information to mobile devices. This feature allows steelmakers to keep an eye on the performance of their equipment anytime and anywhere. This paper describes the new features of the electrode control system and shares our customers’ operational experience. Our focus is on the practical aspects of plant status monitoring, KPI reporting, and diagnostic functionality as well as the improvements achieved.

Oct 30, 2017

By Diniz Ramos de Lima Júnior

Dentro das refinarias os tanques de armazenamento desempenham um papel fundamental, pois armazenam matéria prima para abastecimento das unidades, produtos intermediários entre os processos e produtos finais para distribuição. O presente trabalho apresenta de modo comparativo as características mecânicas e microestruturais da zona termicamente afetada de juntas soldadas formadas pelos processos de soldagem com Arame Tubular (FCAW) e Eletrodo Revestido (SMAW) aplicados na fabricação e reparo de tanques de armazenamento utilizados na indústria de petróleo. Os procedimentos de soldagem para cada junta soldada seguiram EPS (Especificação do Procedimento de Soldagem) utilizada por uma empresa que fabrica e repara tanques de armazenamento para indústrias de petróleo. O metal de base utilizado foi o aço estrutural de classificação ASTM A-36 em geometria plana e com chanfro tipo K. A solda foi multipasses de topo na posição horizontal (2G). Para realização deste estudo foram realizados quatro tipos de ensaios destrutivos: tração, microdureza Vickers, impacto Charpy e metalográfia. Os resultados indicaram a importância da seleção do processo de soldagem em termos de produção e formação da junta soldada e uma heterogeneidade devido as diferentes microestruturas presentes nas zonas termicamente afetadas que demostraram grande influência no perfil de microdureza.

Aug 8, 2018

By Franco de Castro Bubani

Cu-base alloys (Cu-Zn-Al, Cu-Al-Be, Cu-Al-Ni), depending on their composition, have martensitic transformations that can be thermally or mechanically induced between a metastable structure called austenite and one or more metastable structures called martensites. In single crystals, depending on the specific composition of the alloy and the crystallographic orientation of the tensile axis, martensite-martensite transformations can be mechanically induced. The hysteresis associated to these martensite-martensite transitions is usually much greater than the one associated to the austenite-martensite transformation. Thus, martensite-martensite transitions are potential candidates for energy dissipation in a mechanical damper. Possible applications that would benefit from high hysteresis include seismic damping devices, dampers for satellites and the aerospace industry, defense and others. We present pseudoelastic cycling results of alloys submitted to different thermal treatments. Our conclusions highlight the fact that, under certain conditions, Cu-base alloys deliver better damping performance than commercially available SMAs and even the new Fe-base SMAs.

Aug 7, 2018

By Alberto Lainati

The Bar Reducing and Sizing Technology has a core function in the value-chain for the production of rolled SBQ (Special Bar Quality) products. The EVO 2+4-roll is based on the compact combination of a 2-roll high-reduction module followed by a 4- roll low-reduction module for precise sizing. The EVO 2+4-roll mill, allows to gain significant technical and economical advantages in the hot- and post-rolling process routes: dimensional and surface accuracy, quick adaptability to processing variances and to small lots requirements, superior technological features of as-rolled product, competitive capex and opex. The EVO 2+4 unit has a very compact design, which makes it suitable both for new mills and upgrade applications.

Aug 17, 2017

By Gergö Rimaszéki

Due the fast growing of pig iron and steel in the last years associate with some mineral resources changes (Hematite?Itabirite), has been checking the sinter feed degradation. The typical sinter feed (0.15;-6.3 mm) has become limited and the rapid growing production resulted in more and more fine ore (< 150 µm) availability in the market. The sinter plant operators are facing several new challenges since the mixing and granulation- and the sintering behavior of the fines containing mixtures often differs from the traditional sinter feed´s behavior. The utilization of fines in the sinter plants might increase the process water consumption required for the mixing and granulation process or even the solid fuel consumption, which effects the operational cost of the plant significantly. The current study presents an overview about Outotec´s laboratory facilities and competence regarding the mixing and granulation of fines in different equipments. The usage of high intensity mixers (HIM) – vertical and horizontal as well – showed to be the most effective, based in cold agglomeration tests in small scale, in case of fine ore handling. Permeability and particle size distribution curves are used to evaluate and demonstrate the efficiency of the different equipments. Outotec´s ”Know-How” with the different type of mixer and the modern laboratory facilities provide an excellent opportunities to optimize the mixing and granulation procedure and utilize up to 100 % pellet feed

Aug 17, 2017

By Ernst Lindemann

Steel suppliers are required to deliver sheets with particular qualities and with lightweight-potential to the automotive industry. New types of steel call for new production processes. SMS group has developed a new micro-mill-concept, the core of which is the belt caster. This was first built on an industrial scale and has been put into operation and developed together with Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH. The robustness in industrial-scale operation could be verified. The full use of the belt casting technology, mainly related to energy efficiency and CO2 reduction, is realized with the micro-mill-concept. This is an in-line-process, casting and rolling in one line.

Aug 17, 2017

By Jorge Madias

Los hornos eléctricos de arco han sido motivo de una aplicación dinámica de nuevas tecnologías en lo que va de este siglo. La preparación de la chatarra y el uso de materiales de carga alternativos han dado lugar a la concepción de nuevos equipamientos y experiencias en todo el mundo. Surgen nuevos conceptos para el precalentamiento de la chatarra, superando las limitaciones de mantenimiento y ambientales de los conceptos iniciales y mejorando su performance energética. El aporte de energía química para la fusión supera sus límites año a año, requiriendo el desarrollo de equipamiento capaz de una acción rápida y precisa con grandes caudales de gases y sólidos inyectados. Existen nuevas herramientas para eliminar los riesgos de seguridad en la plataforma del horno, haciendo uso de sistemas de enfriamiento más seguros y duraderos, robots, automación de la operación del agujero de colado, y puertas de escoria controladas desde el púlpito.

Aug 17, 2017

By Dusan Ilic

Conveyor system wear of belts and transfers attribute to a significant proportion of the maintenance costs and lost productive hours when handling hard abrasive ores at high unit rates typical of the iron ore industry. The recent growth phase has seen a rapid increase in mine and export capacity, with many new and upgraded plants operating at high throughput and utilisation. Subsequently, the industry has progressed to an optimisation phase, seeking to maximise production capacity and reduce maintenance costs with minimal capital spend. To support this, a programme of modifying designs was executed to improve conveyor transfer chute and belt life, which identified a need to challenge the industry practice for specification of designs to improve the functionality of the installed equipment. While acknowledging the importance of selecting the highest wear resistant materials for the intended application, this paper investigates design criteria related to decreasing conveyor transfer and belt wear. Of focus is a shift in the manner in which designs are specified, from specifications primarily governing geometrical constraints, to those meeting technical and functional requirements aimed at producing optimum geometry for a given set of material handling parameters. An assessment of transfer design criteria is presented.

Aug 17, 2017

By Marcos Paulo Kohler Caldas

Após a sanção da RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC que entrou em vigor em 01/07/2006 proibindo a utilização de seis substâncias perigosas, sendo elas: chumbo, mercúrio, cádmio, cromo hexavalente, bifenilos polibromados e éteres difenil-polibromado fabricantes de equipamentos eletroeletrônicos tiveram que restringir os usos de tais substâncias. Com isto, as placas de circuito impresso dos equipamentos passaram a ser identificadas com a sigla RoHS ou outra identificação que indique o atendimento a diretiva. O presente trabalho visa analisar um lote de placas mãe de computadores obsoletos direcionados ao CEDIR-USP (Centro de Descarte e Reuso de Resíduos de Informática) no período de 01/01/2013 a 30/05/2013, identificando-as como “lead free” ou “comuns”, a fim de verificar a relação entre placas livres de substâncias perigosas e placas contendo tais substâncias. O lote possuía quantidade aproximada de 3.230 placas. Após a separação, as placas “lead free” foram classificadas por marca e nacionalidade. O resultado da pesquisa mostrou que mesmo após onze anos da edição da diretiva o percentual de placas livres de substâncias perigosas ainda é muito baixo. Cerca de 97,80% das placas de circuito impresso coletadas ainda possuem em sua composição substâncias perigosas. Verificou-se que todas as placas “lead free” encontradas são de origem chinesa e seus fabricantes são: Gigabayte, Itautec, Intel e CE. O estudo também classifica a origem dos resíduos como: industriais, da própria universidade ou residenciais.

Aug 8, 2018

By Marco Antonio Meggiolaro

Most cyclic plasticity models used in multiaxial fatigue life predictions are based on a concept of a yield surface, which divides the elastic and plastic domains. Plastic straining occurs when the stress state reaches the surface and tries to move outward. Subsequent plastic straining causes the stress state to remain on the yield surface, which will translate to prevent the stress point from moving outside it according to a kinematic hardening rule that models the Bauschinger effect. The accurate modeling of the yield surface shape is fundamental to predict stress-strain relations. In this work, the main yield surface equations for isotropic materials are compared. Even though most materials can be modeled using Mises and Tresca surfaces, other need to consider the effect on the yield strength of the hydrostatic stress or the normal stress acting on a critical plane. It is shown that pressure-sensitive models originally devised for concrete can be applied to predict yielding in some materials, and even fatigue life for metallic structures with short cracks.

Aug 8, 2018

By Mariana Carla Mendes Rodrigues

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

Aug 17, 2017

By Shibu John

The COREX® process is beside the FINEX® technology the only industrially realized alternative to the blast furnace route for the production of hot metal. Changes in the raw material sector in respect of decrease in quality, strictly enforced environmental laws and positive operation results of COREX® reference plants make it worth to carefully re-evaluate the COREX® technology in comparison with the traditional blast furnace technology. Integrated Plant concepts based on COREX® offer solutions for future challenges of the iron- and steelmaking industry, which include: economical hot metal production; efficient and highly economic export gas utilization (power generation, DRI production, syngas production for chemical products); lower raw material cost, higher raw material availability; environmental friendly high grade steel production. The economic evaluation of different COREX® gas based plant concepts in comparison with the traditional blast furnace route shows that the COREX® technology is highly competitive in the challenging iron and steel producing environment.

Aug 17, 2017