VDEh Steel Institute (Düsseldorf, Germany):

Fandrich R., Dr. Eng.
Lüngen H. B., Dr. Eng.
Sprecher M.

Е-mail (common): redaktion@stahleisen.de

Economically efficient and competitive iron- and steelmaking in Germany and Europe is connected with operation of up-to-date, efficient and high-productive equipment and processes. It is especially true for the technological route "coke battery – blast furnace – basic oxygen converter". To meet the demand in high-quality coke of blast furnace production in Duisburg-Huckingen, the new coke battery has been put into practice at thic site and cokemaking productivity has increased by 2 times. In the field of blast furnace practice, the following technical innovations should be mentioned: increase of blast furnace campaign period and modernization of blast furnace equipment (i.e. putting into practice the pulverized coal injection unit and top furnace gas turbo expanders). As for continuous casting, large investments have been made in construction of new conticasters during recent years in order to increase their competitiveness. So, Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH has put into industrial operation the first pilot continuous casting unit worldwide that is based on Belt Casting Technology (BCT) that provides strip casting with dimensions close to final ones (i.e. HSD steels). At present time technological gases of integrated metallurgical works are using rationally and regularly, however, the potential of their recycling still exists. It should be mentioned that often rise of this potential is impossible due to economical reasons.