The control for the battery heating in consideration of different operation temperatures has been extended by a full automatic generation of the pushing schedules by following all actual operating conditions. The performance of the oven machines comes ever closer to man less operation.
An improved gas-treatment module allows for economic optimization of the process with regard to the market situation for the different by-products and consumables.

Results of industrial converter operation have been analyzed with several approaches, based on statistics or on the kinetics of the various reactions. Cogent results have also been obtained through the follow up of gas emissions. The kinetics models that have been developed constitute a significant contribution to the implementation of new strategies for converter operation.

To maximize furnace campaigns and to minimize production downtimes through short lining times, the entire integral blast furnace area, including the auxiliary units, has to be theoretically partitioned. The evolution of measures for extending furnace life is in conjunction with the investigation and understanding of the in some respects very complicated wear mechanisms and their causes. Of most importance are the constructional, material and process engineering measures to reduce wear and the measuring instrumentation for early detection and progress monitoring of wear.

The application of mathematical process models for BOF converters is state-of-the-art for nearly all plants around the world. Such an automation system may end up in a black box that is not maintainable any more and cannot be adapted to new requirements. Some principle experiences and examples from EKO Stahl are presented to avoid such developments.

A new technique is presented to recycle ladle slag within the electric arc furnace through the injection system. The dilution of the chemical species contained in the slag and their combination with the species featuring the EAF slag afford a double advantage: the final slag is structured by chemical species that do not lead to the formation of powders and better stabilize the foaming slag. The industrial results are analyzed on the basis of the chemical species identification supported by thermodynamic modelling.

Previous experience achieved with two of the leading systems, namely the VAIron closed-loop expert system of Siemens VAI Metals Technologies and the VAIF blast furnace expert system are described for several installations. The advantages of both systems have since been combined into an advanced, state-of-the-art system referred to as VAIron–The Next Generation. This paper outlines the structure and highlights of this new expert system.

Two complementary techniques are mainly used for the detection and characterisation of the inclusions populations present in the steel bars in a large range of sizes: from 1 μm to 1 mm: the automatic scanning electron microscope associated with image analysis and the 80 MHz ultrasonic inspection. The emphasis has been put on the composition of the inclusions whose size is above the critical size (10 - 20 μm) for long life fatigue. The mechanism of formation of these harmful inclusions is determined through the process with the help of thermodynamics models. This approach makes it possible to improve the process: avoiding slag entrapment upon casting of bearing steels, adjusting closely the Ca addition to calcium treated steels.


The Business Intelligence (BI) aims at providing the operational, tactic and strategic levels with information in order to support managers and specialists through the practice of analysis and decision making. The results of the project pertaining to the steel making plant are reported.

The studies developed at CST sinter plant in order to point out any factor that may have an effect on plume visibility are reported. Specific software and indexes have been developed. The approach included a retrospective analysis followed by further industrial tests at the sinter plant with different material input (fuels and raw materials). The results are discussed with reference to potential effects on the plume visibility. Further steps are considered to progress the stack plume project.

To meet the demand for Interstitial Free and Bake Hardening steel grades for the automotive industry, CST has developed a production process for steels with ultra low carbon (<20 ppm), and low nitrogen (<30 ppm) levels, along with a narrow range of carbon content. The new process also ensures a high degree of cleanliness of the CC slabs.

The direct relationship between the total oxygen content of the steel or the slag composition and the rate of surface defects on the final products has been clearly established by many previous studies. The paper describes the appropriate process parameters to prevent the re-oxidation of the molten steel and clogging of the submerged entry nozzles, two essential factors to meet the product cleanness requirements: quantification of re-oxidation, control of re-oxidation by slags, air or refractories, control of Ar injection, mechanisms and ways to reduce CC nozzle clogging.

Energy efficiency in BOF process is related to hot metal and scrap ratio and thus to production capacity potential and specific CO2 emissions. A thermal balance in the fume system, using a selected metrology, can be calculated dynamically and provides a valuable tool for investigating the process parameters that are relevant for optimizing and controlling energy efficiency. The method and first results are presented.

Substituting used tyres for anthracite in the EAF in France and in Belgium is reported. First trials have been carried out in Lorraine in 1997 in the frame of a partnership between Usinor (now Arcelor Mittal), Michelin and Ademe. The substitution process has been eventually implemented by LME in cooperation with Aliapur over the years 2002-2003. Industeel Belgium got started on substitution in 2004. To day, both steel plants have achieved stable operation, with a regular load of 8 to 12 kg used tyres per ton of steel, thus allowing significant and sustainable savings on anthracite.

Coke production capacity within AM FCWE is not self sufficient for the total HM production. PCI was started up in 2004 at Bremen BF2 and Eisenhüttenstadt BF5, with a ramp up to 180 kg/thm in one year. A working group defined the BF operating conditions leading to stable and efficient operation at high PCI. At Florange BF3 PCI trials at 220 kg/thm were successful. At Dunkerque BF4 and Gent BFA and B, the PCI rate exceeds regularly 210 kg/thm.

A calcium treatment is performed to improve the machinability of Al killed medium carbon steel grades. Modelling oxides with the software CEQCSI makes it possible to adapt the calcium level according to the contents in Al, S and O. The stability domain of the targeted oxides is quite narrow and highly dependent on both temperature and composition; thus the industrial practice turns out to be difficult. This is confirmed by the analyses of inclusions in some Ca-treated heats of ArcelorMittal Gandrange. However, their machinability properties were found to be 20 to 30% higher than those of the standard grade.

The development of a pickling process, more effective and appropriate for the new steel grades, requires a deep and thorough knowledge of its interaction with the steel surface. The Surface ICP-OES technique developed for some years at ARCELOR RESEARCH SA, has permitted to obtain the electrochemical and chemical characterization of pickling, in real time, up to now on laboratory samples. The principle and the developments of this technique and its transfer to pickling are presented. The results obtained in some cases highlight the potential and the interest of this approach for an improved control of the pickling process.

The use of chemical energy in the EAF has increased significantly in recent years, both for enhancing productivity and reducing electricity consumption. However, these tools are operated following pre-set patterns, without any feedback information from the process. This leads both to non-optimized operations and to occasional blowback problems, resulting in damages to burners, lances, watercooled panels and refractory lining.
CRM has developed an on-line “distance-to-scrap” measurement technique that can be fitted inside annular burners. This measurement allows monitoring the melting of scrap in front of each burner, and thus detecting blow-back occurrences before any damage is created. This sensor was successfully tested in the Esch-Belval steel plant of ArcelorMittal Profil Luxembourg. Industrial implementation is under way.


Key past pilot plant developments in steelmaking and continuous casting are reviewed. The enhanced facility at Teesside Technology Centre is outlined. This comprises an EAF which can tap up to 6.9 t, a combined LAF/tank degasser, vertical with bending caster and ingot casting facilities. The equipment and early commissioning during 2006 are described.