Chernye Metally

The section "Development of metallurgy in Russia and CIS" is opened by publication by the specialists from Novolipetsk Metallurgical Works V. Pimenov, A. Lukin, M. Orekhov, A. Sigorskikh and M. Shkatov. They presented several types of high-strength steel that are produced at the works serially or are in adoption stage of new production processes: low-alloyed cold-rolled steels with various characteristics up to steel with no less than 400 MPa yield point; high-strength (HC420LA) and high punch (HС220Y and HС260Y) IF-steels with ultra low carbon and nitrogen concentration and titanium, manganese, phosphorus, silicon and boron additives; steel with BH-effect.

The authors from Magnitogorsk State Technical University (V. Salganik, A. Pesin, D. Chikishev, D. Pustovoitov and M. Artamonova) presented the results of numerical analysis of characteristics of the rolling of the slab with surface longitudinal and transverse axial cracks. Different kinds of surface cracks in continuously cast slabs are analyzed and typical kind of longitudinal axial crack is presented. Finite element models of slabs with longitudinal and transversal axial cracks are observed.

In the section "Iron and Steel Making", two methods for coal flow measurement (load cells and algorithm ΔW) are described in this article for a pulverized coal injection (PCI) process into the blast furnace No. 3 and pulverized coal injection plant at Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) in Brazil. It is demonstrated, both mathematically and by comparison of these two methods, that the measurement for pulverized coal based on the original design is affected in about 2.5 % due the replacement of coal by nitrogen during the injection phase.

This section also includes the system for through-process prediction of temperature evolution within the complete steelmaking route that has been developed by B. Kleimt, M. Weinberg, J. Bongers, M. Schöring. On its basis the adjustment of the BOF tapping temperature respectively the electrical energy input in the ladle furnace is optimized, so that further temperature control actions during ladle treatment like cooling scrap addition or intensive stirring can be minimized.

The trends in continuous casting of steel are observed in the following section by A. Flick and Ch. Stoiber. Today continuous casters consist of modularized technological/mechatronic packages to allow fast design and short project execution time as well as rapid production ramp-up after the first heat has been cast. From the metallurgical point of view state-of-the-art continuous casters have features to enable strand treatment through special cooling and soft reduction technologies. Sophisticated process models allow on-line process simulation and close loop control to further optimize product quality and productivity goals. Robotic units perform tasks in hazardous areas and improve operational reliability without human intervention.

J. Hofer, G. Finstermann, A. Stabauer, the specialists from Siemens VAI Technologies, presented in the section "Power Engineering and Ecology" the paper devoted to potential for energy saving and environmental protection in a pickling line and tandem cold mill. At first there are observed Siemens VAI solutions for energy saving and environment technologies in the whole technological cycle, and then green potential of pickling lines and tandem cold mills is analyzed. Solutions to meet the goal of making these processes even more energy-, material-, and emission-saving, and thus more environmentally friendly are presented here.

The review "Steel industry today: indefinite demand-supply situation" by H. J. Kerkhoff and analysis of development prospects in Indian iron and steel industry (by M. Mehta) are displayed in the section "Economics and Finances". W. Auer examined successes and problems of Siemens VAI and concluded that demand for steel will grow and change production worldwide.

More details about the issue you can find below or book printed or electronic version of the journal.