Materials Engineering &

Technology
DA-1

RAMESH KAVITHA SANJIT (18BME0677)

 Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant, Bhadravathi.

HISTORY
The vision and foresight of late Sir M Visvesvaraya, the then Dewan of Mysore, resulted in the
setting up of “Mysore Wood Distillation and Iron Works” in 1918. It became a limited Company in
1962. As a tribute to its illustrious founder, the company was renamed “Visvesvaraya Iron & Steel
Limited” (VISL) on February16, 1976. An Engineer-Statesman par excellence, he perceived
Bhadravathi as an ideal location for the plant amidst the forests of Shimoga.

Starting as a Wood Distillation Plant in 1918, the Mysore Iron Works commenced Pig Iron Production
in a charcoal Blast Furnace in 1923 to produce 60 tones of Pig Iron per day. A Pipe Plant was installed
in 1927 to make profitable use of the Pig Iron thus produced. Mild steel production was started in
1936 and in the same year the name of the company was changed to Mysore Iron & Steel Works.
Production of Ferro-Alloys began in 1942 with the addition of two small furnaces and the production
capacity was augmented subsequently in 1962. Mild steel production capacity was also expanded in
1965 with the addition of two LD converters, one Electric Arc Furnace and a Blooming and Heavy
Section Mill.

The plant was expanded further and diversified into the field of Alloy and Special Steels production
in 1965 with the addition of Electric Arc Furnace, Combined Bar and Rod Mill and Central Heat
Treatment Shop. Subsequently a modern Forge Plant was established in 1977 to produce high Alloy
Steels like High Speed Steel, Tool Steels, Die Block Steel and Value Steel etc. Visvesvaraya Iron and
steel Ltd., is a loading producer of alloy and special steel and ferro alloys in India started in 1918.

VISP has carved a niche for itself in the field of Alloy and Special Steels in the country. It takes care
of requirement of strategic sectors like Defence, Nuclear Power Corporation, Railways etc. VISP is
producing Alloy and Special Steels since 1966 and has kept pace with the developments by quickly
adopting newer technologies to meet the requirements of the day and has always remained in the
forefront as quality steel producer in the country.

As a long term strategy VISP installed one 530 Cu. M Blast Furnace in 1995 to produce hot metal of
right quality so as to take the full advantages of BF- BOF-LRF-VD route in the production of Alloy and
Special Steels. To sustain as a leading premier Alloy and Special Steel producer short and long term
modernization proposals are in various stages of consideration.

VISP has carved a niche for itself in the field of Alloy and Special Steels in the country. It takes care of
requirement of strategic sectors like Defence, Nuclear Power Corporation, Railways etc. VISP is
producing Alloy and Special Steels since 1966 and has kept pace with the developments by quickly
adopting newer technologies to meet the requirements of the day and has always remained in the
forefront as quality steel producer in the country.

The plant was expanded further and diversified into the field of Alloy and Special Steels production
in 1965 with the addition of Electric Arc Furnace, Combined Bar and Rod Mill and Central Heat
Treatment Shop. Subsequently a modern Forge Plant was established in 1977 to produce high Alloy
Steels like High Speed Steel, Tool Steels, Die Block Steel and Value Steel etc. With this, the
production capacity of Alloy and Special Steels went up to 77,000 tones per year.
 Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant, Bhadravathi.

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant is located at Bhadravathi, 260 kilometers north- west by
the river Bhadra on three sides. The Plant covers an area of about 3.8 square kilometres.
The Steel Town covers an area of 4.5 square kilometers.
For the first two years (1923–24), the iron ore required by the company was supplied from
the limonite deposits at Chattanahalli near Kumsi. From 1924 onwards, mining operations
were started at Kemmanagundi and these yielded good quality of iron ore (58-60% iron
content). Limestone were mined from Bhadigunda mines, near Bhadravathi. Quartz was
mined from Bilikalbetta mines, fire clay was mined at Shankaragudda hills and black clay
was mined from Umblebylu fields near Bhadravathi.

RAW MATERIALS
1. IRON ORE(58-60% iron):
Iron ores are rocks and minerals from which metallic iron can be economically extracted.
The ores are usually rich in iron oxides and vary in colour from dark grey, bright yellow, or
deep purple to rusty red. The iron is usually found in the form of magnetite (Fe3O4, 72.4%
Fe), hematite (Fe2O3, 69.9% Fe), goethite(FeO(OH), 62.9% Fe), limonite (FeO(OH)·n(H2O),
55% Fe) or siderite (FeCO3, 48.2% Fe).
Ores containing very high quantities of hematite or magnetite (greater than about 60% iron)
are known as "natural ore" or "direct shipping ore", meaning they can be fed directly into
iron-making blast furnaces. Iron ore is the raw material used to make pig iron, which is one
of the main raw materials to make steel—98% of the mined iron ore is used to make steel.

Magnetite
Magnetite is magnetic, and hence easily separated from the gangue minerals and capable of
producing a high-grade concentrate with very low levels of impurities.
The grain size of the magnetite and its degree of commingling with the
silica groundmass determine the grind size to which the rock must be comminuted to
enable efficient magnetic separation to provide a high purity magnetite concentrate. This d
etermines the energy inputs required to run a milling operation.
Mining of banded iron formations involves coarse crushing and screening, followed by rough
crushing and fine grinding to comminute the ore to the point where the crystallized
magnetite and quartz are fine enough that the quartz is left behind when the resultant
powder is passed under a magnetic separator.
 Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant, Bhadravathi.

Hematite
Due to the high density of hematite relative to associated silicate gangue, hematite
beneficiation usually involves a combination of beneficiation techniques.
One method relies on passing the finely crushed ore over a slurry containing magnetite or
other agent such as ferrosilicon which increases its density. When the density of the slurry is
properly calibrated, the hematite will sink and the silicate mineral fragments will float and
can be removed.

2. LIMESTONE:
Limestone, which is used as a flux in the steel
making process and dolomite which is used as
a refractory material.
Limestone is a carbonate sedimentary
rock that is often composed of the skeletal
fragments of marine organisms such
as coral, foraminifera, and molluscs. Its major
materials are
the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are
different crystal forms of calcium
carbonate (CaCO3). A closely related rock
is dolomite, which contains a high percentage of
the mineral dolomite, CaMg(CO3)2. In
old USGS publications, dolomite was referred to
as magnesian limestone, a term now reserved for
magnesium-deficient dolomites or magnesium-
rich limestones.
 Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant, Bhadravathi.

About 10% of sedimentary rocks are limestones. The solubility of limestone in water
and weak acid solutions leads to karst landscapes, in which water erodes the
limestone over thousands to millions of years. Most cave systems are through
limestone bedrock.
3. QUARTZ:
Quartz is used in the manufacture of ferrosilicon and pig iron.
Quartz is a mineral composed of silicon and oxygen atoms in a continuous
framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared
between two tetrahedra, giving an overall chemical formula of SiO2. Quartz is the
second most abundant mineral in Earth's continental crust, behind feldspar.
Quartz exists in two forms, the normal α-quartz and the high-temperature β-quartz,
both of which are chiral. The transformation from α-quartz to β-quartz takes place
abruptly at 573 °C (846 K). Since the transformation is accompanied by a significant
change in volume, it can easily induce fracturing of ceramics or rocks passing through
this temperature threshold.

CRYSTAL STRUCTURE:
Quartz belongs to the trigonal crystal system. The ideal crystal shape is a six-
sided prism terminating with six-sided pyramids at each end. In nature quartz crystals are
often twinned (with twin right-handed and left-handed quartz crystals), distorted, or so
intergrown with adjacent crystals of quartz or other minerals as to only show part of this
shape, or to lack obvious crystal faces altogether and appear massive. Well-formed crystals
typically form in a 'bed' that has unconstrained growth into a void; usually the crystals are
attached at the other end to a matrix and only one termination pyramid is present.
However, doubly terminated crystals do occur where they develop freely without
attachment, for instance within gypsum. A quartz geode is such a situation where the void is
approximately spherical in shape, lined with a bed of crystals pointing inward.
α-quartz crystallizes in the trigonal crystal system, space group P3121 or P3221 depending
on the chirality. β-quartz belongs to the hexagonal system, space group P6222 and P6422,
respectively.[11] These space groups are truly chiral (they each belong to the 11
enantiomorphous pairs). Both α-quartz and β-quartz are examples of chiral crystal
structures composed of achiral building blocks (SiO4 tetrahedra in the present case). The
transformation between α- and β-quartz only involves a comparatively minor rotation of the
tetrahedra with respect to one another, without change in the way they are linked.

Crystal structure of α-quartz β-quartz

(red balls are oxygen, grey are silicon)
 Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant, Bhadravathi.

4. FIRE CLAY:
Fire clay is used in the manufacture of
refractories.
High-grade fire clays can withstand
temperatures of 1,775 °C (3,227 °F), but to be
referred to as a "fire clay" the material must
withstand a minimum temperature of
1,515 °C (2,759 °F).

Fire clays range from flint clays to plastic fire

clays, but there are semi-flint and semi-
plastic fire clays as well.

Fire clays consist of natural argillaceous materials, mostly Kaolinite group clays, along
with fine-grained micas and quartz, and may also contain organic matter
and sulphur compounds.

Fire clay is resistant to high temperatures, having fusion points higher than 1,600 °C
(2,910 °F); therefore it is suitable for lining furnaces, as fire brick, and for
manufacture of utensils used in the metalworking industries,
as crucibles, saggars, retorts and glassware. Because of its stability during firing in
the kiln, it can be used to make complex items of pottery such as pipes and sanitary
ware.
The chemical composition typical for fire clays are 23-34% Al2O3, 50-60% SiO2 and 6-
27% loss on ignition together with various amounts
of Fe2O3, CaO, MgO, K2O, Na2O and TiO2. Chemical analyses from two 19th-century
sources, shown in table below, are somewhat lower in alumina although a more
contemporary source quotes analyses that are closer.
 Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant, Bhadravathi.

PRODUCTION
 Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant, Bhadravathi.

BLAST FURNACE
Blast Furnace at Bhadravathi is the first furnace in India, designed and commissioned by
Indians. Blast is the hot air and Furnace is the equipment, which basically provides heat.
The raw Materials are Iron ore, Coke, Lime stone, Dolomite, Donite are charged to the
Furnace in various proportion and hot air is fed from bottom. Here Coke is the fuel and act
as a reduction agent. When the hot air is fed, carbon gets reduced with oxygen to produce
carbon Monoxide and carbon dioxide.
And when this carbon Monoxide and carbon dioxide reacts with the Iron Ore i.e., Hematite
at the temperature of 915o c, the Hot metal is produced and the byproduct formed is slag,
which is used in production of cement cost of producing 1 tonne of hot Metal amounts to
Rs.11000–Rs.12000.
For producing 1 tonne of hot metal, the mix of raw Materials is as follows, Iron Ore-1400 Kg,
Coke-700 Kg, Lime stone, Dolomite, Domite -400 Kg.
A 530 cm3 blast furnace “Cauvery” built in-house with indigenous technology by SAIL is
producing hot metal to the rated capacity of about 600 Tonnes/Day. There are 2 pig casting
machines for the production pig iron.

STEEL MAKING SHOP

VISL steel making shop has two basic oxygen furnaces (BOF’s) of 17 tonnes capacity each,
120 T electric arc furnace, 3 No’s. 22 tonne ladle refining furnaces, vacuum
degassing/vacuum oxygen decarburizing unit, 2 strand continuous casting machine are
available to produce highly sophisticated clean steel. The steel is tested for quality at our
modern chemical laboratory equipped with computerized spectrometer.
The hot metal is taken out of the blast furnace then it is stored in Mixer, which is having the
capacity of 450 tonnes to reduce the silica content, and maintain homogeneity. Then this
Metal is charged to the converter, which is having the capacity of 20 tonnes. Here the air is
blown to the converter and Burnt lime and Dolomite is added to reduce the carbon,
phosphorus content etc.After this, the Metal is charged to Ladle refining Furnace. Here
various alloys are mixed to the hot metal according to the requirements of customers.
Then sample is sent to spectral lab for testing and again the adjustments are made if
required. After making the adjustments of various Alloys, the next process is vacuum
Degassing (VD). Here the steam is given to remove hydrogen from the metal.
Now, the temperature will get reduced after VD process, so to reheat the metal i.e., above
1600o C, the metal is again transferred to LRF’s. Next the metal is passed through either
cooling zone to make CCM Brooms, or it is tapped to the moulds of Ingots.
 Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant, Bhadravathi.

OXYGEN PLANT
It is nothing but separation of oxygen from the atmosphere by removing other impurities.
The oxygen boiling point is 186OC and the nitrogen boiling point is also same, the
atmospheric air is cooled then nitrogen oxygen get separated, Nitrogen is lower in weight so
it collects in the top and O2 settles at the top. Uses of oxygen and nitrogen
1. Oxygen is supplied to various departments particularly in SMS for cooling purpose.
2. Nitrogen is used as a fuel.
3. Liquid Nitrogen is used in medical field.
4. Oxygen is used to increase the life of the converter.

ROLLING MILLS
This section may be called as semi finished product-producing section. Here various shapes
are given to ingot/continuous casting blooms. In this mills heated ingots are pressed
between heavy rollers to produce rolls of thin sheets as per the customer requirements.

PRIMARY MILL
VISL is equipped with a blooming and heavy section mill to roll sizes 60 to 140mm rounds
and round corner squares. There are two pusher furnaces and two cell soaking pits, one
single stand 3 high 720 dia, 3 stand 3 high 600 dia finishing mills and 500 T’s shear.
The primary mill production capacity is 6000 to 8000 tonnes per month. In primary mill the
production chart are maintained shift wise, showing budgeted production and actual
production per day, month and year.

BAR MILL
The mill is equipped to produce alloy steels sizes between 20 to 56 mm rounds, 40 to 56mm
rounds cornered squares and spring steel flats. The mill has two walking hearth furnaces
with automatic weighing and feeding of billets to furnaces. The mill has one single stand,
three high 520mm roughing mill, one four stand, 3/2 high 440/420 mm finishing mill with
water descaleing units.
Bar mill rolls products into the following types:
A. Rounds B. Flats C. Squares
 Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant, Bhadravathi.

HEAT TREATMENT SHOP

VISL is equipped with necessary heat treatment facilities to supply alloy and special steels in
normalized, annealed, spheroidized annealed and hardened and tempered conditions.
The details of Heat Treatment Furnaces are:
1. Annealing furnace – Oil /gas fired -11 No.s
2. Hardened furnace – Oil fires -2 No.s
3. Tempering furnace – gas fired – 1 No.s
4. Tempering Furnace -- Electric – 1No.s
Annealing, normalizing, spheroidized annealing, hardening and tempering process area
adopted to achieve desired micro structure, hardness and metallurgical properties for heat
treated steels.
The finishing process includes straightening, shot blasting bar feeling, and testing like magna
flux, ultrasonic. The final finished products are 100% spark tested to ensure that the
material is free from mix-up; a mobile spectrometer is available for product testing.

FINISHING SHOP
Surface inspection of rolled, forged products is done in finishing shops. Surface conditioning
is done manually and by grinding machine to remove surface defects. In addition, ultrasonic
test is also being carried out, to detect any defects below the surface.

FORGE PLANT
The forge plant is equipped with 1600T modern Hydraulics press with 12T rail bound
manipulator, one horizontal long forging machine. It is highly sophisticated plant and the
pride of the Company. Value added items viz. die blocks, high speed steels, tool steels,
stainless steel in range of 60mm to 600mm are main products.
In this shop, steel materials are forged. Forging means giving shape to material according to
customers demand. Steel ingots are heated and hammered or pressed to the desired shape
on a forging press or hammer. This process changes the structure of steel ingots. It will
improve strength to the steel. Here most of the work is done on the automatic machines;
the process followed is heating the ingots in a large furnace and then hammering or
pressing them to desired shape.
 Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant, Bhadravathi.

STRUCTURAL SHOP
In this section almost all the type of equipments used in the VISP are manufactured and
repaired. Some of the equipments manufactured in structural shop are:
1. converter
2. Laddle
3. BF viberator screen
4. VD covers
5. Lifting table
6. Drilling Machine
7. Gates

GENERAL FOUNDRY
In this section ingot moulds, slag pots, trumpets and teaming plates are manufactured,
sanding moulds method is used for manufacturing ingot mould and slag pots.
Permanent casting mould method used for manufacturing trumpets Green sand moulds:
Sea sand + molasses + Bentonite powder
Ingot Moulds:
Dry sand + red earth + Molasses + Sea sand + River sand

QUALITY
Quality assurance for metallurgical tests:
1. INCLUSION RATING 11. TEXTILE
2. GRAIN SIZE 12. IMPACT
3. DECARBURIZING 13. BEND
4. MICRO STRUCTURE
5. MACRO STREAK FLAW/ STEPDOWN
6. BLUE FRACTURE
7. JOMINEY END QUENCH/ HARDENABILITY
8. HARDENED FRATURE
9. HEAT TREATMENT RESPONSE
10. HARDNESS