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By Y. A. Chang, J. Woodford, C. R. Kao

Reactive diffusion studies between NbC and Si were carried out at 1300 °C under a vacuum of 10-5 torr and a uniaxial pressure of 1 MPa. The annealing time ranged from 8 to 100 hours. The Si used was single crystal silicon; the NbC was hot-pressed powder compact. A NbSi2+SiC two-phase reaction layer formed with NbSi2 as the matrix and SiC as discontinuous particles. The microstructure of the reaction product is homogeneous, dense, and fine. The NbSi2 grain size and SiC particle size are in the micron range. The growth of the reaction products follows parabolic kinetics. Extrapolation of the data to zero thickness suggests an apparent incubation time of 3.5 hours. However, for short annealing time «60 hours), the thickness data can be approximated by linear kinetics with an initial growth rate of about 2 11m/hr. Based on these experimental observations, a growth mechanism for the reactive diffusion between Si single crystal and NbC powder compact is proposed. We propose that the nucleation sites for the SiC particles are at the voids of the NbC powder compact. This proposed nucleation mechanism offers a potential way of controlling the SiC particle size by changing the void size and void density of the NbC powder compact. This hypothesis, if proven to be true, will allow us to control mechanical properties of the composites by tailoring the SiC particles formed. It is also pointed out that the microstructure requires Si to be the dominant diffusing species and to diffuse through the reaction layer, while Nb and Conly have to undergo local rearrangement.

Jan 1, 1996

By Jianhang Hu, Li Yang, Yonggang Wei, Kongzhai Li

"In this paper, the pyrolysis of biomasses including bamboo, sawdust and walnut shell were performed in a tube furnace under temperatures between 400? and 600? to obtain biomass carbon, gas, and tar. Textural parameters analysis revealed the caloric value of biomass carbons between 32 MJ/kg and 34 MJ/kg. It also indicated that the surface of biomass carbon consists of mesopore and macropore structures. By using GC analysis, it was determined the main ingredients of pyrolysis gas are CO, H2, CO2, CH4, C2H4 and C2H6. Calculation states that the density of pyrolysis gas is roughly between 1.0 kg/m3 and 1.7 kg/m3, while the calorific value of pyrolysis gas is between 12000 kJ/m3 and 16500 kJ/m3, illustrating that pyrolysis gas is a median gas. The calorific value of biomass tar was found to be between 32 MJ/kg and 34 MJ/kg, with more than 80 compounds in the biomass tar identified by GC-MS method.IntroductionBiomass as a renewable source is the world's largest and most sustainable energy resource [1].The conversion of biomass has the potential to be a renewable and carbon neutral method of producing fuels and chemicals [2-4]. Pyrolysis is a thermo-chemical process defined as applying heat to degrade biomass in an inert atmosphere. It transforms unstable biomass and other organic materials into biomass carbon, gas, and tar [5]. Biomass carbon can be stored or transported much easier as compared to parent biomass or be converted to value added products such as activated carbons[6]; gas is a relatively low-energy-density fuel; tar can be considered as a source of useful chemicals[7].The characterization of biomass pyrolysis will lead to its increased understanding and utilization as a source of solid, liquid and gaseous products which can be used as fuels and petrochemical feedstock[8,9].In recent years, many researchers studied the effect of temperature on biomass pyrolysis product distribution characteristics in a variety of pyrolysis reactor[10]. Ramin Azargohar's paper [11] presents the results of characterization for biomass and investigates the effects of pyrolysis temperature on the pyrolysis products obtained by fast pyrolysis of four different types of biomass."

Jan 1, 2014

By B. Erik Ydstie, Tor Lindstad, Vianey Garcia-Osorio

"As a result of the high temperatures present in a Carbothermic Aluminum Process the content of aluminum and aluminum sub-oxide in the gases leaving this process is high. These gases as well as energy must be recovered. In a Vapor Recovery Unit were the aluminum compounds react in a series of Heterogeneous Non-catalytic Reactions forming solid, liquid and gas products. The different product phases depend on the temperature present in the system. In this work we present dynamic model of the Vapor Recovery Unit of a conceptual Carbothermic Aluminum Process. Because of the complexity of the system several models are developed and coupled to capture the essential physics of the multiphase reaction problem. A Shrinking Core Model describes the reaction mechanisms. Then material and energy balances are coupled with the thermodynamics properties from the FACT database of thermodynamic properties, resulting in a system of nonlinear Partial Differential Equations. In the paper we describe the model development and governing equations for the reaction mechanisms and fluid flow. Finally we review the numerical schemes created for the solution of the model system. The model can be used for control and design purposes.IntroductionThe Carbothennic Processes for producing Aluminum can be divided into two groups (Motzfeldt et al. (1989)) In the first approach pure alumina is produced and reduced to pure aluminum. In the second approach an alloy (e.g. aluminum and silicon) is made and then aluminum is produced from the alloy. The history of both processes has been described by Ginsberg et al. (1965). At least three aluminum producers began largescale testing of this process in the 60's Alcan, Pechey-Ugine and Reynolds. Alcoa did some smaller scale experiments.Alcoa was one of the first companies to produce aluminum by Carbothennic Reduction (Foster et al. (1956)) and US Patent 2,829,961 April 8, 1958. In this process a carbon containing molten aluminum phase was a floated on top of an oxy-carbide melt. During the cooling the dissolved carbon deposited as aluminum carbide. The carbide was then separated from the molten aluminum by a fluxing agent. This process was successful but economic unfeasible."

Jan 1, 2001

By M. Moinpour, E. Liao, C. Y. Aw, D. J. Brown, P. W. Cheung

"Currently, silicon-based insulated-gate field-effect devices are being widely developed as the basic structural elements in a new generation of chemical microsensors. In this paper, we discuss some of the process considerations related to the fabrication of the Chemically Sensitive Field-Effect Transistor (CHEMFET). This ion-sensitive CHEMFET (or ISFET as it is often called) can be used for pH measurements (i.e., as a pH sensor) when the gate insulator of the electrolyte/insulator interface is made of Si3N4 obtained by the LPCVD method. Effects of processing parameters such as the Si3N4 deposition rate, gas composition, total flow rate, annealing treatment, etc. on Si/Si02, Si/Si3N4 and Si/Si02/Si3N4 structures are discussed in relation to the CHEMFET fabrication. Their effects on the electrical characteristics and chemical response of the sensor are also examined. Capacitance-Voltage (C-V) measurements and ESCA analysis have been used to interpret the results. The Si3N4/Si02 double dialectric layer provides improved ion blocking for the gate insulator in electrolyte solutions with enhanced pH sensitivity over time. The stability and performance of the fabricated CHEMFET sensors were tested by measuring the pH sensitivity in various storage conditions. The SEM analysis was used to evaluate the hydration effect at the ISFET's gate insulator with respect to different storage conditions.IntroductionThere has been a continuous interest in the development and fabrication of various chemical microsensors for chemical and biomedical applications over the last fifteen years. The application of semiconductor (particularly silicon) technology to the area of sensor fabrication has led to an emergence of a new generation of miniaturized, microelectronic, solid-state chemical sensors. There are numerous clinical situations where continuous monitoring of body electrolytes concentrations such as Na+, K+, Ca+2 , etc. and blood gases (pH, Po2 , and PC02) would be essential for the effective diagnosis and management of patients under critical conditions. Solid- state microsensors can be used for direct and continuous in vivo measurement of the above parameters in most instances."

Jan 1, 1988

By Björn Saxen

Outotec atmospheric Direct Leaching has so far been implemented for zinc production capacities of around 100,000 t/a. Lately, there has been growing interest for small scale direct leaching plants, producing circa 30,000 t/a of Zn. Such small leaching plants can provide extra front-end capacity in existing roaster-based plants and enable treatment of feed materials not suitable for roasting. In small scale plants the proven OKTOP® 9000 Direct Leaching reactors are not readily applicable, due the large size. For smaller installations a modular approach is proposed providing multiple advantages, such as reducing the construction time and amount of the site work required causing less disturbance to regular plant operation with reduced cost. In this paper, we present advantages that can be achieved by using modular OKTOP®C reactors and discuss also process design when connecting a small scale direct leaching process to an existing zinc plant. Also benefits of direct leaching expansion are presented.

By Carlos M. Fontes Vieira, Ruben J. Sanchez Rodriguez, Carlos E. Gomes Ribeiro

"The worldwide demand for ornamental stones in building construction is motivating the use of their wastes, generated during fabrication, to produce compound stones. This work has as its objective to investigate the production of an ornamental compound marble (OCM) under vacuum and compression processing of a polyester matrix composite with addition of marble waste as load and as filler. Square OCM composite plates were subjected to compression and flexural mechanical tests. Samples were analyzed to obtain the density and water absorption. The OCM composites presented properties within the expected range of an artificial stone.IntroductionMarble is a limestone, composed mainly of calcite, more or less crystallized by metamorphism that ranges from granular to compact in texture. It has a density 2.7 g/cm3 and its porosity is approximately 0.4%. The UNI 8458 standard defined marble as: ""every crystalline rock constituted mainly by minerals with a Mohs hardness equal to 3-4"". In marble production around70 - 75% of whole extract material is lost in byproducts generation [1,2].In function of large volume of residues generated, the ornamental stones industry has attracted ever more the attention of environmentalists [3].Actually the marble can be pulverized to obtain calcium carbonate for industrial applications. It is also possible to obtain a thinner powder to produce concretes [l]. Some authors study the use of stone residues in concrete mortars and ceramic bricks, getting better properties to these materials [3,4].The marble residues can be also used in engineered stones, or ''agglomerated"" stones, production. The most common engineered stones in the market consist, like a polymer concretes, in polymer matrix composites incorporating petreous components. In the formulation of the engineered stones, the particulate or granular petreous components are the result of fragmentation or trituration processes to which natural stones were submitted to [ 5]."

Jan 1, 2014

By R. B. Nourse

The depressed market for Ferrochrome worldwide has forced most producers in this industry to scale down production. Inevitably, many furnaces have been mothballed for prolonged periods, awaiting an upturn in the Ferrochrome market. In contrast, the Platinum industry is experiencing relative stability combined with good prices and they have been looking for cash cows to take advantage of these market conditions. It is, therefore, rather convenient that Platinum and Ferrochrome producers are virtually neighbours in the Bushveld complex of South Afiica, since there is an abundance of spare furnace capacity around (albeit for Ferrochrome). Against this backdrop, Pyromet Technologies (Pty) Ltd, who are currently designing a slag cleaning furnace for Anglo Platinum, was requested to perform pilot scale testwork on a 200kW furnace, in order to establish the suitability to process platinum concentrate and converter slag in a furnace designed for Ferrochrome. This paper provides an overview of the configuration, test conditions, operation and results achieved during the testwork. It also discusses the critical issues, such as refractory consumption, copper cooling and electrical parameters that need to be addressed when converting a Ferrochrome Smelter into a Sulphide Smelter.

Jan 1, 2002

By Carlos Antonio da Silva

Steel refining reactors based on chemical heating are being used as an alternative to ladle furnaces. They show a high degree of flexibility in respect to heating rate in addition to carrying out refining reactions such as de-S, inclusion removal, alloying etc. IR-UT and CAS-DB are examples of such reactors. Their performance is dependent upon geometrical characteristics as well as operational conditions which determine the flow field inside the vessel. A physical model of the IR-UT process of the Companhia Siderurgica de Tubarao, steel plant located in Serra, Espirito Santo, Brazil, was developed to assess the features of the flow field and its influence on the metallurgical behavior. Results of the physical model were used to optimize the process parameters in the industrial unit.

Jan 1, 2003

By Carlos Antonio da Silva

Steel refining reactors based on chemical heating are being used as an alternative to ladle furnaces, They show a high degree of flexibility in respect to heating rate in addition to carrying out refining reactions such as de-S, inclusion removal, alloying etc. IR-UT and CAS-OB are examples of such reactors. Their performance is dependent upon geometrical characteristics as well as operational conditions which determine the flow field inside the vessel. A physical model of the IR-UT process of the Companhia Siderúrgica de Tubarão, steel plant located in Serra, Espirito Santo, Brazil, was developed to assess the features of the flow field and its influence on the metallurgical behavior. Results of the physical model were used to optimize the process parameters in the industrial unit.

Jan 1, 2003

By M. Pakala, Z. Fan, Ray Y. Lin

Deposition of hard chromium coatings using electrodeposition is accompanied by emission of hexavalent chromium mists which is a carcinogenic. Hence alternative chromium deposition technologies are being investigated. Sputter deposition is a strong candidate to economically deposit hard chromium coatings in an environmentally friendly way. Chromium coatings of 2-3 µ m thickness were deposited on plain carbon steel coupons using RF magnetron sputter deposition. Depositions were carried out with 0 to 22 vol% nitrogen in the plasma. Structure of the coatings was studied using x-ray diffraction analysis With increasing nitrogen contents, formation of the two nitride phases was observed. The pure chromium phase was detected in coatings with up to 7% nitrogen in the sputtering gas. The solid solution of nitrogen in the pure Cr phase coating was identified by shifts of Cr x-ray diffraction peaks to higher d-spacing. The microhardness of the coatings deposited at a substrate temperature of 200°C showed an increase in hardness with increasing nitrogen content from 600 kgf/mm2 (5.9 GPa) at 0% nitrogen to I250 kgf/mm2 (I2.25 GPa) at 9.5 % nitrogen and a subsequent decrease in hardness to I 100 kgf/mm2 (11 GPa) beyond 9.5 % nitrogen in the sputtering gas. This corresponds to the formation of the hard Cr2N phase, at 9.5 % nitrogen, and CrN phase, at I5.7 % nitrogen. The reported bulk hardness values of Cr2N and CrN are I600 kgf/mm2 (I5.7 GPa) and I 100 kgf/mm2 (11 GPa) respectively. For pure Cr phase coatings, there is a slight increase in hardness for coatings deposited at 7. I % nitrogen from that without nitrogen in the sputtering gas. This could possibly result from the solid solution strengthening of the Cr lattice by nitrogen. For films deposited at 200°C, phases of the deposited films seem to be the overwhelming factor in controlling the microhardness.

Jan 1, 1998

By Vojteh Leskov?ek

The tribological load is the load on forging tools resulting from the relative motions between the plastically deformed workpiece and the die. In comparison to many other forming processes hot die forging has an especially disadvantageous tribological system. The advantages of the application of hard coatings, which are well known for cutting tools, are to a much lesser extent explored for casting, extrusion, molding and forging tools. Increasing the lifetime of these tools is an important task in surface engineering because of the complex loading conditions and often complicated tool geometry. The plasma-assisted chemical-vapor-deposition (PACVD) technique is well suited to depositing hard coatings onto large dies and molds. The aim of this study is to present and discus results obtained on a duplex PACVD hard coating in an industrial application like the hot forging of automotive parts. A new generation of vacuum-melted and remelted (VMR) hot-work tool steels has been developed; these can reach a hardness of 58 HRc, and have a fracture toughness at this hardness equivalent to that of standard hot-work tool steels at 45 HRc. This offers one of two advantages: the steels can be used at the higher hardness to provide resistance to wear or deformation, or, when used at a hardness of 47?49 HRc for hot forging, to provide temper resistance, nitriding behavior and adhesive wear resistance. The results presented here are from a preliminary investigation. The experimental results indicate that the introduction of a proper duplex PACVD hard coating will lead to an improved wear resistance and a longer lifetime for the hot-forging dies. Furthermore, by using a hard, low-friction coating excellent anti-sticking properties can be obtained. At this stage of the investigation it is also necessary to carry out pilot trials to determine the wear resistance and the tool life in practice.

Jan 1, 2006

By Christopher B. Vierrether

Reflected light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electron microprobe analysis have been used to determine the mineralogy, phase percentages, grain sizes, textures, and partitioning of cobalt and nickel in two cobalt-nickel rich mattes. These mattes were prepared by submerged bath smelting from a flotation cobalt-nickel concentrate containing 4.8% cobalt and 5.1% nickel. The concentrate was derived from lead-zinc-copper ores of the Viburnum Trend, southeast Missouri. Eleven discrete phases have been distinguished in the matte samples, three of which contain significant cobalt and nickel. The phases are cobaltpentlandite ((Co,Ni,Fe)9S8), cobalt-bearing marmatite ((Co,Fe,Zn)S), shandite (Ni3Pb2S2), bornite (Cu5FeS4), galena (PbS), magnetite (Fe3O4), pyrrhotite ((Co,Ni,Cu,Fe)1_xS), chalcocite (Cu2S), CuPbS phase, metallic copper, and metallic silver. Cobaltpentlandite and cobalt-bearing marmatite- occur in coarse grains (50 µm) that would separate readily during grinding, but shandite contains small (5 - 10um), abundant inclusions of pyrrhotite and bornite.. Some mineralogical variations between the two matte samples were due to differing degrees of oxidation during smelting,

Jan 1, 1988

By Chris P. Pistorius

Over the past few decades the carbon intensity of ironmaking and steelmaking has been reduced considerably through improved efficiency in blast furnace ironmaking, partial replacement of coke with less carbon-intensive fuels, and increased use of scrap and direct-reduced iron in steelmaking. To evaluate possible further reductions in carbon intensity accurate process information is needed. A preliminary test of the fidelity of publicly reported data as a source of process information is reported here. The sources are industry roundups of electric furnace furnace steelmaking and blast furnace ironmaking (published by the Association for Iron and Steelmaking Technology), and data recorded by the Environmental Protection Agency under the US Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. From a comparison for an integrated steelmaking plant and an electric furnace furnace plant, it appears that the values from the two data sources are consistent. The comparison does rely on process details such as the quantitative relationship between injected oxygen and carbon emissions in electric furnace steelmaking.

By Katsumi Ogi, Hiroto Uchida, Masamitsu Sato, Atsushi Itsuki

"(BTMSE)Ag(hfac) (BTMSE = trans-bis(trimethylsilyl)ethene) was chosen as a suitable precursor for the XeCl laser (308nm) MOCVD of Ag. Iso-propanol solution of (BTMSE)Ag(hfac) was used as a liquid source for the liquid delivery method, high deposition rate 9nm/min at substrate temperatures of 100°C and 120°C were obtained at the vaporizer temperature of 90°C. This deposition rate is three times faster than by conventional bubbling method and life of the source and reproducibility of the deposition were also improved. Electric resistivities of the laser deposited film shows significantly low resistivity of 10-6Q-cm compared to 1 o-3Q-cm of thermal MOCVD film. These results indicates that the laser MOCVD is one of the effective method for the preparation of the high quality silver film.IntroductionSilver films are a potentially important metallization material in electronic and photonic devises due to their lowest resistivity (1.6µ0-cm) among the metals, high optical reflectance and chemical stability. The MOCVD technique has advantages to sputtering or evaporation in the point of conformal growth and better coverage on sharp steps and narrow gaps[l-2]. For MOCVD application, silver precursors must have sufficient vapor pressure without decomposition at their evaporation temperature. To achieve stable precursor gas supply, liquid delivery of precursor material is promising[3-4] especially for materials that have not enough heat stability and high vapor pressure like silver complexes[S-10]. Several new silver complexes for MOCVD and UV irradiation effect to their MOCVD silver film quality were reported by same authors[5]. In this paper new solvent system for liquid delivery system of silver MOCVD were investigated to suite XeCl(308nm) laser MOCVD application."

Jan 1, 1998

By A. V. Reddy, C. Beckermann

"The DC continuous casting of a grain refined AI-4.5%Cu round ingot with realistic boundary conditions is numerically simulated. Of particular interest are the effects of the transport of free solid in the form of equiaxed grains on the macro segregation patterns and the final grain size distribution. The study uses a previously developed two-phase model that incorporates descriptions of heat transfer, solute redistribution, melt convection, and solid transport on the system scale with microscopic models of solutal undercooling, microsegregation and grain impingement. The numerical results indicate that grain transport inhibits the formation of inverse segregation in the ingot shell and promotes negative centerline segregation. This is explained by the reduction in the solid coherency next to the mold and the advection of solute-lean grains towards the centerline. Comparisons with the experiments of Finn et al. [5] illustrate the need for considerable improvements in the model. IntroductionMacrosegregation continues to be one of the concerns in DC continuous casting of aluminum ingots. The variation in composition over the ingot cross section results in the need to adjust alloy composition in order to meet mechanical property specifications in finished products. The extent of macrosegregation is greatly affected by the casting conditions, such as casting speed, superheat, cooling rate, mold size, alloy composition, and grain refining practices. Thus, it is of great interest to develop a comprehensive mathematical model to simulate the casting process, enabling the selection of conditions that minimize macrosegregation while maintaining a high productivity."

Jan 1, 1994

By R. Hurman Eric

The flow of molten slag and matte and the estimation of the mass of settled matte in electric furnaces is discussed and the action of the electric furnace as a settler is considered. Particle size of the concentrate and its grade are major contributors to settler dimensions. Discussion on the production capacity of the electric furnace with reference to operating current, power input, furnace dimensions such as width and length and electrode diameter are given. These discussions are based on considerations derived mainly from experimentally determined properties of the slag such as its resistivity, viscosity and liquidus temperature. Extension of the design and operating considerations to circular furnace symmetry is also discussed.

Jan 1, 1995

By Peter Bates

"HIsmelt has faced and overcome many challenges in the understanding and development of injection technologies that satisfy process and engineering requirements for further scale up to a commercial plant.An overview of the design basis of bottom and top injection systems with plant results are described in this paper.IntroductionAn appropriate way to introduce this paper is to initially reflect on the genesis of the HIsmelt Process.It is appropriate that Professor Womer is the one we are honouring as it can be claimed that by the involvement of CRA in the WORCRA process that the concepts for irijection systems in iron and steel pyrometallurgical processes achieved significant attention by the company. The development of water cooled injection lances and their application injecting solids and gases with success was certainly a pre-cursor to the development of other injection systems commonly used today in arc furnaces and for top injection at HIsmelt.HistOrically it was the work of Savard and Lee in Canada with shrouded tuyeres and the subsequent commercialisation of this technology at the Maxhiitte Steelworks spawning the suite of bottom oxygen blown process as known as QBOP; OBM and the subsequent combined blowing process such as KOBM that first commercially succeeded in injecting solids under a molten metal bath. The next progressive step from the injection of calcined lime in the technology development was the injection of coal for coal gasification as developed by Klöckner technologies being called KG, KSG and KMS and also the injection of coal for increased scrap melting.A paradigm shift in thought process to leap from steelmaking and coal gasification to direct smelting by injecting coal and iron ore into a molten metal bath in the correct stoichiometric ratio to maintain the bath at a constant temperature and carbon level was the true genesis .of HIsmelt.A good overview of the state of the art of tuyere type injection technology is given in Ref. 1."

Jan 1, 1996

By Merete Tangstad, Fei Li

This paper studies the quartz and carbon black pellets at elevated temperature with varying temperature and gas atmosphere. High-purity quartz and commercial ultra-pure carbon black was mixed (carbon content wt.15%), and then pelletized into particles of 1-3mm in diameter. The stoichiometric analysis of the pellet during heating is studied in thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) furnace at different temperature in CO and Ar atmosphere. The microstructure, phase changes and element content of sample before/after heating is characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, X-ray fluorescence and LECO analyzer. The reaction process can be divided into two stages. Higher temperature and argon atmosphere are the positive parameters for SiC formation.

Jan 1, 2016

By James Vaughan

Australia is a major miner of ore that requires hydrometallurgical processing. According to the 2016 US Geological Survey Minerals Commodities Summaries, the country is 1st for aluminium (bauxite) and lithium, 2nd for gold, zinc and cobalt, 4th for nickel and silver, and 6th for copper mining, not to mention its wealth in coal and iron ore. In this paper, examples of recent Australian hydrometallurgical activities are summarised. Then, selected research projects from the University of Queensland hydrometallurgy research group are profiled. The projects profiled are related to fundamental aspects of processing bauxite with organics and reactive silica as well as the development of a synergistic hydro- and pyrometallurgical process for copper. The process context and motivation for the research is introduced, key results are highlighted with the associated relevant references.

By J. Borlée, J. P. Birat

"ULCOS is a large European program launched by a consortium of 48 partners led by arcelor and a core group of steel producers, which was started in 2004 with the support of the European Commission (RFCS and 6FP programs) to search for breakthrough process routes that could, in the future, when fully developed, demonstrate the potential of large cuts in CO2 emissions for the production of steel from iron ore.The timescale for commercial implementation is the post-Kyoto period, i.e. 15 to 20 years from today.The present paper presents the progress made in the first 2 years of this 5 year program.Several concepts are being investigated in parallel: re-engineering of the blast furnace to incorporate CCS in the core of the process, smelting reduction with CCS capabilities, massive use of natural with more CO2-lean technologies than today, hydrogen steelmaking and electrolysis of iron ore. Biomass also offers very attractive perspectives, while raising major challenges.None of these new steelmaking routes are ""no regret"", which means that the European Steel Industry has already incorporated extensive energy saving steps in its present process technology and is working as close to thermodynamics limits as is cinematically and economically feasible, and that decreasing GHG emissions further means introducing breakthrough technologies that add significant costs to the operation of the Steel Mills.They will also require much research and development before they can be proven and implemented commercially.IntroductionThe ULCOS program (Ultra Low CO2 Steelmaking) is a large research program of the European Steel Industry and its industrial and research partners launched in September 2004 to investigate steelmaking technologies that have the potential of reducing the CO2 emission of the Industry by a large amount, typically in the order of 50%. It is supported in the European Community by the 6th Framework and the RFCS programs through 3 complementary European projects [1,2].The present paper summarizes the work carried out in the phase 1 of ULCOS and in framing the program of phase 2."

Jan 1, 2008