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.

In 2003, the blast furnaces in Sollac Lorraine faced the challenge of ensuring self sufficiency in coke while maintaining a constant production level. This challenge has been taken up successfully by reducing the coke ratio and by increasing PCI. This was achieved by changing the tuyeres conditions, by optimizing burden quality and burden charging and improving the wall heat control.

CRM developed a probe determining the raw material trajectories in bell-less top charging, by measuring the force generated by the material stream on a beam, in function of its position in the furnace. A prototype probe was tested on an industrial blast furnace during its first charging after a relining. These trials allowed the determination of both coke and sinter trajectories for the various chute angles. These results were validated by measurements carried out simultaneously by Irsid with painted bars.

In order to improve the blast furnaces stability and productivity, industrial trials with the aim of reducing the circulating alkali load in the furnace and tests on a laboratory scale have been performed. The mechanical behaviour (fines generation) during reduction in presence of alkalis of various iron materials loaded in the blast furnace (sinter, pellets, iron ores) has been characterized with a set of Boris trials.