MM3020: Iron making and steelmaking (2012-13-II)

Instructor In charge: Dr. Ajay Kumar Shukla Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering IIT Madras, India

Learning Objectives
To apply the principles of physical chemistry and transport phenomena (heat, mass and momentum) to the process steps in Iron and Steelmaking as practiced in integrated steel plants. Be able to understand basic layout of blast furnace, steelmaking shop and continuous casting process. To develop computational and mathematical abilities to be applied for process design and control. It may be C++, MATLAB, Excel-Solver, FlowBal, FactSage or any other language of interest. Be able to model, optimize and control various reactors involved in steel plant supply chain. Be able to function in an integrated steel plant/corporate center and R&D ventures

Text books: Ironmaking and Steelmaking: Theory vs. Practice: Ahindra Ghosh and Amit Chatterjee Principles of Blast Furnace Ironmaking: A.K. Biswas Fundamentals of Steelmaking Metallurgy: Brahma Deo, Rob Boom Fundamentals of Steelmaking: E.T. Turkdogan Physical Chemistry of melts in Metallurgy: F.D. Richardson Marks distribution (All exam problems will be computational in nature) Quiz 1: 10% Quiz 2: 10% Assignments: 20% Term project: 10% Final Exam: 50% Assignments One every week. Students may use computer coding/techniques to solve them. It is advised to solve the assignment problems by their own if want to perform well in exams. Attendance There is no weightage for the attendance. Since the course involves a lot of computational work and fundamental understanding about various principles which would be difficult to understand for those who miss the classes. It would be in the interest of the all the students to attend all the classes if they want to score enough to pass the course.

What is steel ?
Steel is a metallic material. Metals are classified in two categories: Ferrous vs Non-Ferrous Steel is Fe+C+. It is subsequently catagorized as plain carbon steel and alloy steel Plain carbon steel: Low carbon (C< 0.3%, Medium carbon (0.3-0.6%), High Carbon(0.6-1.0%) Plain carbon steel contains C, Si, Mn, S, P, N, O ,H as dissolved elements. Alloy steels contains other elements in addition to them depending upon requirements like Ni, Cr, Nb, Co, Ti ,B, Mo,W etc. Steel exhibits a wide range of mechanical properties depending upon its composition and heating-cooling cycles (Heat-treatment) Knowledge of Fe-C phase diagram, CCT, TTT is required to predict the desired processing in order to obtain desired microstructure for specific mechanical properties

Fe-C, TTT an CCT diagram Courtesy: msm.co.uk

Applications of steel
Steel is the most widely used material in the world in Automative, Construction, Engineering, Packaging and Offshore application Usage comparison (yearly) Steel: 1400 MT, Aluminum : 40 MT, Copper: 16 MT, Zinc: 10.6 MT, Lead 7 MT, Nickel: 1.7 MT, Magnesium: 0.8 MT, Titanium: 0.15 MT Low carbon steel application: Flat rolled products like Automobiles, Seamless tubes Medium carbon steel application: Shafts, coupling, crank shafts High carbon steels: springs, high tension wires Suggested readings: www.steeluniversity.org, www.worldsteel.org

Worldwide steel production and India's position

In 2011 total steel production of entire world was 1490 MT. India produced 72 MT (5% contribution). Per capita steel consumption is the index of prosperity of any country. World per capita steel consumption is 215 kg. India has approx. 50 kg per capita consumption. India has projected to produce 140 MT by end of 2016-17. China with same population as India is producing 683 MT (highest in world). India has to go up to 1000 MT with current population in order to be ranked in developed nations. Therefore Steel industry is a booming industry for next 30-40 years in India. More information on world statistics of steel production please go through : www.worldsteel.org and website of planning commission india

Iron and Steelmaking process routes

What is needed to know:

Layout of the entire plant and design aspects of the processes Physicochemical aspects of the process: Type of reactions Thermodynamics and equilibrium systems of importance Kinetics, heat and mass transfer Phase diagrams (esp. for slag systems) Raw materials properties Process control models: Static vs Dynamic vs Data driven Optimization of a process or entire steel plant supply chain (with objective of minimum cost/maximum profit) Automation control hierarchy of large scale steel plant

Blast furnace ironmaking

Carbothermic reduction of iron ore (Hametite) in blast furnace is a well known process. Overall process is written as:
Ironore oxide mineral + gangue + Reducer (C) + flux + hot blast oxygen enriched air = Pig iron (liquid) + Slag (liquid) + waste gas (CO,CO2,N2) Iron ore contains Fe2O3, along with gangue materials such as SiO2, Al2O3. Charge materials are: Iron ore + limestone (flux) + Coke Output is pig iron (1300 C), 4.5% C, 0.4-0.6% Si, 0.1-0.2% P, 0.040-0.050% S, 0.1-0.5% Mn Slag: CaO/SiO2 = 1.1; CaO = 30-40%; Al2O3 = 10-23%; FeO <1%; MgO <8% Waste Gas: CO = 20-25%, CO2 = 20-25%, rest N2

Blast furnace layout with auxillary equipments

Reaction zones in a blast furnace

a) Gas temperature along stack b) Reduction zones along stack c) Carbon reduction degree (O/Fe) with stack height

Chemical reactions in a blast furnace

Zone 1 (<950 C),upper zone of stack, reduction of Fe2O3,Fe3O3 takes place: 3Fe2O3(s) + CO 2Fe3O4(s) + CO2 Fe3O4(s)+CO 3FeO(s) + CO2 Zone 2 (950-1000 C), chemical reserve zone, FeO is in equilibrium with gaseous phase: FeO(s) + CO = Fe(s) + CO2 Zone 3: (950<T<1050 C), the reduction of FeO by rising CO gas takes place: FeO(s)+COFe + CO2 Zone 4: (>1000-1050C), direct reduction of FeO to carbon takes place. Reaction in raceway zone: C+ O2 CO2 followed by CO2 + C 2CO (Boudward reaction) Overall C + O2 = 2CO Boudward reaction is thermodynamically feasible at T >1050 (below zone 4). It supports the conversion of CO2 to CO in raceway and bosh region where T>1050 C.