Overview of Steel Making

-Mr. Amit Sarkar

SMS II
 JSW : Process Flow
Non - coking coal Coking coal Fluxes Plant No of units Total capacity(Mtpa)
Iron ore

Pellet 2 8.4
Lump ore

Beneficiation Coke oven Sinter 4 13.15

Lump ore
Blast furnace 4 10.4
Corex 2 1.6
SMS 3 12
Pelletization HSM 2 7.4
Sintering
CRM 2 3.4
BRM 2 2.2
WRM 1 0.6

HM
PT

Billet Caster Wire Rod / Re Bar Mill

EAF

L
Core Blast furnace H HSM CR
Slab M
x F, Caster
Conve R
rter H
 What is

Steel is an alloy of Iron and Carbon containing less than 2% carbon.

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 Classification of Steels
Ultra Low carbon steel Low Carbon Steel Medium Carbon Steel High carbon Steel

Carbon < 0.01 %C < 0.025 %C 0.25 – 0.7 %C 0.7 - 1.3 %C

Properties High strength High strength High strength Very hard

High Toughness Reasonable Toughness Reasonable Toughness Low Toughness
Good Formability Reasonable Formability Reasonable Formability Low Formability
Good fabrication

Applications Sheets Structural Shafts Springs

Automobiles White goods Gears Dies
Pipe lines Thick Sheets Rails Cutting Tools
Connecting Rods

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 Why Steel Making ?
Iron Making
Steel Making

C 4.5
C 0.03
Si 0.8 Hot Metal
Chemistry
Si 0.3
Final Steel
S 0.045 Chemistry
S 0.005
P 0.14
P 0.005

• Removal of Impurities ( C, Si, S, P)

Mn, Al, Ni. Cr, Nb
• Addition
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V, Ti,
 JSW Steel Products

Flat Products

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 Steelmaking Route

Iron
Making
Pre-
Primary
treatment
Steelmaking Secondary
Steelmaking Continuous
Casting Rolling

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 SMS II Plant
KR-1

WRM/
BRM
LHF-1
HM FROM BF3

HMDS-1 CONVERTER-1

BILLET CASTER
POURING STATION-1
HMDS-2

RH-1 OB
HMDS-3

HSM1 & 2
POURING STATION-2

HMDS-4 SLAB CASTER

CONVERTER-2 LHF-2

LHF-3
HM FROM BF4

HMDS-5 CONVERTER-3

HSM1 & 2
POURING STATION-3 SLAB CASTER
HMDS-6

RH-2 OB

HMDS-7
SLAB CASTER
POURING STATION-4
North Side

LHF-4
CONVERTER-4
Entry

KR-2
POURING STATION-5 & 6 SLAB CASTER
 Steel Making Shop Capacity

Technical
SMS-1 SMS-2 SMS-3
parameters
Annual production
4.3 mtpa 6.5 mtpa 1.2 mtpa
capacity

No of Vessels 3 (BOF) 4 (BOF) 1 (EAF)

Capacity 134T 180T 160T

LHF / RH 3 LHF / 1RH 4 LHF / 2 RH 1 LHF

5 Straight,
Casters 2 Curved , 2 Straight 1 Billet (6 Strand)
1 Billet (8 Straight)
 Pre - Treatment

Primary Secondary Continuous

Steelmaking Steelmaking Casting
Pre- Treatment

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 Development of Pre-Treatment Processes

De-S

Runner De-Si De-S

De-Si and De-P De-S

 Pretreatment of Hot metal
Impurities in Hot metal C Si P S Mn

Pre - Removal of Si, P and S from hot metal by addition of reagents

De-Siliconisation Objectives

➢ To facilitate the removal of impurities which can not be removed

De-Phosphorisation in further processes (Sulfur)

➢ To develop ‘slagless’ or ‘limeless’ steelmaking.

De-Sulphurisation ➢ To increase the hot metal/scrap ratio in BOF charge.

➢ To increase recycling of steelmaking slags (low in phosphorous)

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 Why De-Sulphurisation?

➢ Why Sulphur is to be removed :

Major source of cracks during rolling leading to bad quality steel and hot shortness.
➢ Why separate HM De-Sulphurization units before steel making ?
It is always better to remove S before metal is being poured into converter to avoid:
1. Higher cost of de-sulphurisation
2. Higher inclusion level
3. Higher nitrogen ppm
4. Higher purging required
5. Higher ladle treatment time Reducing
6. Lesser productivity
7. Less ladle lining life
Conditio
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 De-Sulphurisation Reagents and equipments

Silo
N2
Desulphurisation is done in transfer ladles with
various injected materials such as :
Lime + spar
Lime + Magnesium
Calcium carbide + Magnesium
Calcium carbide + limestone N2

Only calcium carbide

Powdered reagents are injected using top lance

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 Hot Metal De-Sulphurization (Kanbara Reactor)

Japanese Technology

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 Primary Secondary Continuous
Pre- Treatment Steelmaking Steelmaking Casting

Primary
Steel Making

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 Development of Oxygen Steelmaking Process

➢ In SMS-2 primary steel making

is done in LD Converter or BOF
(Basic oxygen furnace).

➢ LD stands for Linz and Donawitz

where the process was born.

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 Present day steelmaking

Basic oxygen furnace Steelmaking

BOF decarburizes the hot metal using pure oxygen gas.
In the top-blown BOF, pure oxygen is injected as a high-
velocity jet against the surface of the hot metal, allowing
penetration of the impinging jet to some depth into the metal
bath.

Electric arc furnace Steelmaking

Sponge iron and EAF combination is cheaper route of steel
making in lower production capacities.
With the strict environmental concerns all over the world,
Electric furnace steel making has become more and more
acceptable.
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 BOF Process and its variations

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 Oxygen Steelmaking Process

➢ In this process gaseous oxygen is blown vertically into the Hot metal inside converter till the required
temp and composition is simultaneously achieved. This is also known as BLOWING.
➢ Steel making in LD Converter or BOF (Basic oxygen furnace) is oxidation process and is also known
as primary steel making.
➢ Its primary aim is to convert HM coming from blast furnace into steel as per Steel Order.
➢ Steel is made in discrete batches called HEATS.
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 Converter Specifications

➢ The “Basic Oxygen Furnace” or “Converter is a vessel which can be tilted 360 degrees and is
lined with refractories such as magnesia carbon bricks.
➢ Being a basic process, basic refractory which is MgO based is used in the converter lining.
➢ There are 8 tuyeres commonly called purging plugs at the bottom of the converter through which
inert gas (argon) is blown.
➢ The BOF capacity is expressed as the weight of crude steel that can be produced per heat.

Technical parameters SMS-1 SMS-2 SMS-3

No of Vessels 3 4 1 (EAF)
Capacity 134T 180T 160T
Annual production
4.3 mtpa 6.5 mtpa 1.2 mtpa
capacity
No of purging plugs 8 8 -
Refractory used MgO-C MgO-C MgO-C
4/15/2016 Tilting angle 0-360 Deg 0-360 Deg 0-15 Deg
 Sequence of Heat Processing

➢ Scrap charging

➢ HM charging

➢ Blowing

➢ Sampling and temperature

➢ Tapping

➢ Splashing

➢ Slag dumping
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 Scrap Charging
Scrap acts as coolant in the converter.

Different types of scrap used in Steel Shop

➢ SMS (slag mixed scrap)
➢ DRI
➢ Pig iron
➢ Process skull
➢ Plant return scrap

➢ Scrap is recycled iron or steel generated within the plant(slab crop, pit scrap, Home scrap etc) or
purchased from out side source
➢ Scrap is charged using scrap boxes.
➢ Scrap to hot metal ratio is maintained between 10 – 20%.

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 Hot metal charging

Technical parameters

Crane capacity 300T

HML capacity 190T

➢ Hot metal coming from Blast furnace/Corex is treated in HMDS and made available in dispatch bay to
meet the hot metal requirement for BOF process without any delay.
➢ Hot metal in hot metal ladles is lifted and charged in converter with the help of charging crane.
➢ Hot metal chemistry, temperature and weight is recorded before Charging.
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 BLOWING

➢ Blowing is a process in which the hot metal charged in

converter is refined by rapid oxidation reactions on
contact with the injected oxygen.
➢ Chemical reaction in the converter is highly
exothermic in nature. Fluxes and coolant addition are
done during blowing. Iron ore and scrap acts as
coolant and lime acts as the flux. The amount of flux
added depends on the silicon content of the hot metal
to finally maintain the slag basic.
➢ In SMS combined blowing is used for refining hot
metal.
➢ Combined blowing is the process in which oxygen is
blown from the top with the help of a lance and inert
gas(Ar) from the bottom through tuyeres. Aim of
4/15/2016 combined blowing is to increase the slag-metal
 Technical parameters related to blowing
Technical parameters
Oxygen consumption per tonne of steel 52 Nm3
Lime consumption per tonne of steel 55kgs
Dolomite consumption per tonne of steel 30kgs
Iron ore consumption per tonne of steel 25kgs
Blowing time 14-16min
Total charge maintained (scrap+HM) 203T
% of scrap use 10-20%
Purity of oxygen 99.99%
Basicity maintained 3-3.5
Aimed temperature 1620-1660°C
Fluxes Lime, C.Dolo
Coolants Iron ore, scrap, R.Dolo, DRI,MSBQ
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 Reactions

➢ C + ½ O2 → CO
➢ Si + O2 → SiO2
➢ 2P + (5/2)O 2 → P2O5
➢ Mn + ½O 2 → MnO
➢ Fe + ½O 2 → FeO
➢ 2Fe + (3/2)O 2 → Fe2O3

➢ The hot metal charge is refined by rapid

oxidation reactions on contact with the
injected oxygen.

➢ These oxides combine with the other oxides

charged (lime, dolomite) to form a liquid slag
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 Sampling and Temperature

➢ Slag on the top of the converter can be removed by tilting the converter.

➢ Temperature can be measured by dipping the thermocouple. Sample is also

taken at the same time which is analyzed by Automated Container Laboratory
placed near converters.

➢ Now a days temperature and Sample measurement is done through Automated

Sublance System

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 Tapping

➢ After the primary steel making process steel is ready to

be tapped from the converter into a pre-heated ladle.
The vigorous mixing produced during tapping provides
an ideal opportunity for bulk alloy addition. Alloys are
added via a chute either from an automated bunker
system, or as manual additions. These additions may
aim for slightly below the final target composition.

➢ During tapping the primary consideration is to get as

much of the steel out of the converter as possible,
whilst at the same limiting the amount of slag carried
over to the steel ladle.

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 Slag Splashing
➢ Slag splashing is a process of coating of left over slag on the refractory lining of the vessel
➢ It cools, solidifies, and creates a solid layer of slag that serves as a consumable refractory
layer.
➢ After tapping, vessel is brought back to vertical position with the slag remaining in the vessel.
Calcine dolomite is added and splashing is done with the help of the nitrogen blow through
the lance. The remaining slag is dumped into the slag pot

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 Slag dumping
➢ During refining of 180 tonnes of hot
metal approx. 25-28 tonne of slag is
produced.
➢ After splashing of slag in the converter
remaining slag is collected in vessels
called slag pot which is placed below the
converter over the SPTC (slag pot
transfer car) than it is transferred to the
slag yard.
➢ Slag present in the slag yard was
considered a waste in the past. But
nowadays slag can be recycled.
➢ Slag is used for making:
➢ Cement
➢ Production of scrap (SMS)

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 Maintenance practice

➢ Mouth-jam
➢ Dozing
➢ Mechanical and electrical maintenance
➢ Refractory inspection and maintenance
➢ Laser Profile Measurement System
➢ Gunning
➢ Hot patch

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 Primary Secondary Continuous
Pre- Treatment Steelmaking Steelmaking Casting

Secondary
Steel Making
Secondary Metallurgy or Ladle Metallurgy

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 Secondary Steelmaking
While in the ladle, the steel may be subjected to a number of different treatments, such as composition
adjustments, stirring, degassing and reheating.

Collectively this stage in the overall steelmaking process is called Secondary Steelmaking.

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 Ladle Stirring

Bottom plugs Top Lance

Steel Ladles

➢ Refractory Lined

➢ Alumina refractory

➢ Average life 120 – 150 heats

➢ Preheating of Ladles using burners

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 Ladle Heating Furnace

➢ Functions:
➢ Temperature raising
➢ Alloy adjustment
➢ Desulphurization
➢ Calcium Treatment

➢ Heating rate :1-4 o C/min

➢ SMS I : 4 No.
➢ SMS II : 4 No.
➢ SMS III : 1 No.

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 Objectives of Secondary Steelmaking

➢ De-oxidation -Removal of Oxygen

➢ Desulphurization -To sulfur concentrations as low as 0.002%

➢ Alloying -Addition of alloying elements

➢ Micro cleanliness -Removal of nonmetallic inclusions

➢ Inclusion morphology -Changing the composition of remaining impurities to improve the

microstructure of the steel

➢ Superheat Control - + / -5 degree C

 Gases in steel

➢ Even at the end of refining when most of the impurities like C, Si, S, P etc are removed,
gases like Oxygen, Nitrogen, Hydrogen still remain in solution.
➢ Presence of gases are detrimental to mechanical properties.
➢ Gases are picked up during blowing, tapping and additions.

Oxygen - Forms oxides inclusions, lowers recovery of alloying elements

Hydrogen - Creates blowholes and pin holes, hydrogen embrittlement

Nitrogen - Makes steel strain brittle

Oxygen : 20 – 30 ppm
Optimum values : Hydrogen : 2 - 4 ppm
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Nitrogen : 30 - 40 ppm
 Degassing

Functions:
➢ To remove Hydrogen and nitrogen for improved
mechanical properties.
➢ Removal of Oxygen for cleanliness.
➢ To produce steel of very low carbon.
➢ To bring desulphurization by reagents.
➢ Greater recovery for costly alloying elements

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 Degassing Processes

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 RH Degasser

Developed by Rheinstahl Heinrich Shutte

at Germany in 1957

➢ The recirculation (RH) degasser is used for the removal of

carbon and other impurity elements.

➢ It comprises a pair of 'snorkels' which are lowered into the

liquid steel.

➢ Argon is injected through tuyeres in one of the snorkels,

forcing the steel up into the unit and out again through the other
snorkel.

➢ In some units, oxygen is injected through a lance in order to

assist decarburization.
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 Primary Secondary Continuous
Pre- Treatment Steelmaking Steelmaking Casting

Continuous
Casting
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 Continuous Casting

➢ Continuous casting is teeming of liquid metal in short mould with false bottom, through which partially
solidified ingot is continuously drawn at the same rate at which metal is being poured.

Continuous
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 Continuous Casting

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 Slab Caster

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 Bloom/Billet Caster

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 Casting Machine

Tundish
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 Solidification

➢ Primary cooling
➢ Heat extraction in mold
➢ Indirect contact

➢ Secondary cooling
➢ Heat extraction below mold
➢ Direct contact

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Slab Handling and Inspection
➢ Slab handling
➢ Cutting and sampling
➢ Defect identification
➢ Scarfing to remove surface and subsurface defec
➢ Abnormal slab holding

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 Dispatch to HSM

Hot Charging table Slab transfer car

➢ Slab temperature > 900deg C
➢ Slabs are charged directly from Caster runout area to reheating furnace as ENERGY SAVING
MEASURE
4/15/2016 ➢ Increased throughput of mill
 Review of Composition adjustments in SMS

Blast Furnace Pre-Treatment Converter Caster

C 4.5 4.5 0.045 0.045
Si 0.5 0.5 0.001 0.20
S 0.050 0.010 0.010 0.005
P 0.15 0.15 0.010 0.010
Mn 0.15 0.15 0.080 0.50
Al 0.025
**
4/15/2016 Ni, Cr, Nb, V, T
52