STEELMAKING. New standards in productivity, quality and efficiency

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1 STEELMAKING New standards in productivity, quality and efficiency

2 SMS CONCAST A technology powerhouse Expertise and experience, reliability and flexibility these are the hallmarks of SMS Concast. This leading supplier of electric steelmaking and casting technology helps customers worldwide achieve a competitive edge in their markets. SMS Concast offers high-performance plant and machinery for steelmaking, secondary metallurgy and continuous casting. To perform well in areas such as consulting, engineering, commissioning and service, our employees offer a combination of both outstanding expertise and flexibility. That s why SMS Concast solutions deliver such excellent benefits for their customers. SETTING BENCHMARKS WITH EXPERIENCE Since 1954, SMS Concast has supplied more continuous casting installations than anyone else in the industry. Over the years, it has designed a great range of innovative products that improve the steelmaking process. INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS SMS Concast belongs to the SMS group and is part of the SMS Meer business area. Together, SMS Concast and SMS Meer are able to better serve the growing demand for state-of-the-art minimills. The two companies turned the idea of an integrated plant with an electric arc furnace (EAF) and rolling mill into reality. 2

3 MEMBER of the SMS GROUP Strong, successful, together The SMS group is among the leading plant and machinery construction companies for steel, aluminum and non-ferrous metal processing. It comprises two business areas: SMS Siemag and SMS Meer. SMS Siemag SMS Siemag has more than 100 years experience in reduction processes. Additionally, it is a leader in steelmaking and secondary metallurgy technology. SMS Siemag s extensive portfolio also includes continuous casting, CSP technology, hot and cold rolling mills, strip processing plants, and aluminum plants. The high-quality steel products of SMS Siemag start with thin, medium and thick slabs. SMS Siemag s products are used in the steel, aluminum and non-ferrous metal industry worldwide. SMS Meer SMS Meer is a leading supplier of plant and machinery for steelmaking, tubes, long products, forging and heating technology. Its solutions provide customers with tangible benefits in challenging markets: steel for tire cord, tubes for pipelines, heavy structural profiles, wheels for high-speed trains, and aluminum for use in skyscrapers and offshore wind turbines. Within the SMS Meer business area, SMS Concast is the specialist in long product steelmaking. 3

4 Setting benchmarks worldwide The competency center for long product steelmaking SMS Concast is the SMS group s competency center for long product steelmaking and continuous casting. The company has extensive experience in this field and caters for the full range of long product steelmaking systems. OUTSTANDING EAF PERFORMANCE: THE KEY TO SUCCESS Ever since the first EAF was commissioned in 1997, SMS Concast has been setting new benchmarks with EAF installations worldwide. As the first step in the process chain, an EAF s performance is vital to ensuring product quality and cost efficiency across the entire process. SMS Concast s EAFs achieve top results, as the steelmaking specialists pay attention to every last detail: mechanical design, process and safety tools, power input control, emission control and automation are all technologically advanced and tried and tested. WELL-CONNECTED PROCESS CHAIN SMS Concast employees focus on the entire production process, from raw materials to end products such as semi-finished goods or made-tomeasure rolled or forged products. Whatever the business partner has in mind, SMS Concast s long product specialists tailor all components exactly to their individual requirements. LEADER IN MINIMILL TECHNOLOGY Working in close collaboration with SMS Meer and SMS Elotherm, SMS Concast sets extremely high standards when it comes to minimills. There are excellent examples of this across the globe, including the world s most productive minimill in Columbia City, USA. CMT TM (Continuous Mill Technology) takes the basic minimill concept one step further: the SMS Minimill Team has developed a process that coordinates continuous casting and rolling, achieving new levels of efficiency. For example, by linking the rolling mill directly with the steelworks, minimills can operate without CO 2 -intensive heating furnaces between the caster and rolling mill. Instead of oil or gas-fired furnaces, an inductive heating system is used. It does not reheat the billets, but simply evens out their temperature profile. The elimination of the heating process leads to a significant reduction in energy costs and environmental pollution. 4

5 RAW MATERIALS Solutions for all metallic input materials The modern steelmaking industry processes a wide range of raw materials containing iron. SMS Concast provides EAF solutions for all types of metallic input materials. the DRI/HBI together with lime, dolomite lime and carbon, as well as the correct shell design and optimized power-input. A fully integrated automation system controls the operational sequences. SCRAP REMAINS THE MAIN METALLIC CHARGE MATERIAL Whereas in the past, a two-bucket operation was usually required to process scrap, SMS Concast successfully implemented single-bucket operated EAFs. Single-bucket charging minimizes downtime and allows for higher energy input rates thanks to the optimized diameter/height ratio of the shell. DRI AND HBI ARE BECOMING IMPORTANT In the past few years, DRI and HBI have been used as metallic charge material for minimills increasingly often. Depending on the percentage of DRI in the charge, SMS Concast employs either batch charging using the bucket together with scrap, or continuous charging through the furnace roof. Continuous charging DRI requires a dedicated set-up for feeding HOT METAL IS AN ENERGY- EFFICIENT CHARGE MATERIAL Hot metal charging reduces electricity consumption by using the chemical and thermal energy contained in the raw liquid iron. The CONSO oxygen technology system ensures the best possible decarburization rates, with high oxygen utilization. A special liquid iron charging system guarantees operational safety combined with reliable process control throughout the entire charging process. HANDLING OF ALLOYS AND SLAG BUILDERS SMS Concast s state-of-the-art EAF features a fully automated charging system. Additional equipment is ready to be used at the charging location whenever it is needed. Feeding and conveying processes are adapted to the type of aggregate. BENEFITS AT A GLANCE Flexibility for processing a wide range of metallic charge material Single-bucket charging concept for minimal downtime Energy-efficient CONSO oxygen technology Reduced energy consumption through liquid iron charging concept Reproducible high-quality steel thanks to fully automated handling of alloy additions and slag builders 5

6 OPTIMALLY INTEGRATED: TWIN EAFS AT TIANJIN The EAFs at Tianjin Iron & Steel Company in China are the first ever example of two identical, optimally designed production chains. This well-engineered melt shop layout is synonymous with high quality at extremely competitive manufacturing costs. By purchasing all its components from SMS Concast, Tianjin did not only enjoy state-of-the-art plant and machinery, they also experienced trouble-free assembly, commissioning and day-to-day operation. Recognizing the benefits of the concept, Tianjin did not just order a single melt shop the Chinese company decided to set up two plants with the help of SMS Concast. Both EAFs have a tapping weight of 110 tons and are equipped with CONSO burners, with 6 x 6 MW per furnace. They each produce up to 1.15 million tons of high-grade or high-carbon steel per year. Charging with up to 40% hot metal ensures the production process is flexible and easy to manage. Even the results of the first heat exceeded Tianjin s expectations. With the establishment of the two plants, Tianjin and SMS Concast have taken their 20-year partnership to the next level: around one month after commissioning the second melt shop, the two companies signed an agreement for the supply of spare and wear parts a real win-win situation for both partners. 6

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8 ELECTRIC ARC FURNACE Optimum efficiency in both energy and material consumption EAFs by SMS Concast set new standards in productivity, product quality, and also energy and material efficiency. State-of-the-art processes and techniques enable precise steel analysis during the melting process. MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY FOR ALL CHARGING MATERIALS SMS Concast tailors each EAF exactly to its operator s individual needs. The furnaces can be charged with a variety of source materials: scrap metal, sponge iron, HBI, DRI, or up to 50% liquid iron (sometimes even 100%). This ensures maximum flexibility for plant operators. ULTRA-HIGH CHEMICAL POWER (UHCP) SMS Concast s UHCP concept offers a wide range of benefits, including greater efficiency, optimized use of chemical energy and reduced maintenance requirements. Because the EAFs are larger, the concept also increases productivity. The UHCP EAF supplied by SMS Concast to ICDAS in Turkey is a particularly good example: with a productivity of 320 tons per hour, it offers outstanding performance. Special design features ensure a high-power input of 230 MW, enabling ICDAS to produce 2.2 million tons of high-quality steel products each year a truly outstanding result. SMS Concast s EAF design comes with features including full-platform tilting, a split shell, watercooled panels in steel and copper, a three-point roof lifting system, conductive electrode arms and electrode regulation. Melt shop operators therefore benefit from extremely high power-input rates, low operating costs and the most efficient use of energy and raw materials. BENEFITS AT A GLANCE High-quality products guaranteed Energy-efficient with CONSO technology Maximum flexibility for all types of charging materials Reduced manufacturing costs thanks to tailored EAF concepts Complete customization depending on the plant operator s needs 8

9 PROCESS TOOLS Achieving the highest standards of quality Thanks to cutting-edge extraction and recovery technology, SMS Concast s EAFs meet the most stringent environmental regulations and make a significant contribution to improving resource efficiency in steel production. Plant operators benefit from various tools, including CONSO technology and the fully automatic slag door CONDOOR. INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY, REDUCED PRODUCTION COSTS CONSO oxygen technology is a key feature of a cost-efficient melting process. It combines a gas burner with supersonic oxygen injection in one device. The technology significantly increases productivity while reducing production costs. The injectors are installed in the EAF side wall or in the horizontal EBT panel. The burner capacity reaches up to 8 MW, and the oxygen injection capacity up to 4,500 Nm 3 /h per unit. It is also possible to inject carbon and lime through side wall lances. The burners are individually controlled, fully automatic, and linked with electrode regulation and foaming slag control. THE NEWLY DEVELOPED CONDOOR SYSTEM The CONDOOR system for automated cleaning of the sill-breast area enables closed-door operation. It provides reliable access for automatic sampling and managing the temperature gauge. With this highly dependable and productive tool, SMS Concast guarantees the highest standards of quality, reduced material and energy consumption, as well as greater yield. Last but certainly not least, it also ensures maximum operator safety. The level 2 control system enables companies to optimize processes by defining individual process steps, operating documentation and analysis tools. BENEFITS AT A GLANCE More efficient production Level 2 control systems for documentation and analysis Reduced material and energy consumption Increased metallic yield More efficient use of electricity and chemical energy Greater environmental protection through reduced emissions 9

10 ENVIRONMENTal Protection Because it matters All components supplied by SMS Concast are designed to ensure high levels of productivity and quality with minimal material and energy consumption. For plant operators, this delivers both ecological and economic benefits in other words, they help companies save money and protect the environment at the same time. Primary off-gas systems with high temperature quenching or hairpin cooler Hot cooling system in the primary off-gas system for heat recovery Filter units with pulse-jet bag filters to ensure minimum dust content in clean gas Dust treatment systems SMS Concast is focused on continuous improvement in steelmaking. The company pays great attention to its research and development activities, ensuring in-house knowledge of and expertise in the latest eco-friendly technology. Noise Emission Control (NEC) is another key factor in the set-up of an EAF. Either a dog house or elephant house solution can be implemented for a melt shop EAF. REDUCED EMISSIONS One key environmentally friendly technology is the Dust Emission Control (DEC) system featured in the EAF. SMS Concast offers comprehensive solutions for dust emission control in melt shops: BENEFITS AT A GLANCE Highly efficient emission control Economic benefits through less energy and material consumption Reliable solutions even fit for the strictest environmental regulations Improved working conditions 10

11 AUTOMATION Immediate access to valuable data at any time SMS Concast is a leading provider of innovative, integrated automation and process control solutions for the steelmaking industry. With a proven record of satisfied customers and successful installations all around the world, SMS Concast has gained considerable expertise. The constant focus on understanding and meeting customers needs makes SMS Concast a reliable business partner for any project. FULLY AUTOMATED OPERATION The EAF control system is based on an integrated architecture: the automation system collects all data which are valuable and important for the estimation of material and energy flows in the furnace. The information gathered is processed by a set of control packages. The result: highest process efficiency with optimized steel quality, minimized resource consumptions and maximum productive time. The dynamic melting profile, which is featured in the level 2 control system, recalculates the machine settings based on the current process status, automatically and dynamically. It transmits them to the PLC machine immediately, closing the control loop and ensuring prompt, flexible responses to specific process conditions. DEDICATED EAF TECHNOLOGICAL PACKAGES INCLUDE: Control packages for advanced electrode regulation for AC and DC furnaces Foamy slag detection and control Carbon injection CONSO supersonic oxygen technology Scrap yard inventory management Automatic real-time tracking of the scrap bucket charging process Scrap charging optimization Wireless operator interface for scrap yard cranes Heat and mass balance models Dynamic melting profile Tapping alloy addition model Process analysis and simulation Metallurgical data management 11

12 SMS Concast Toedistrasse Zurich Switzerland Phone: Fax: sales@sms-concast.ch MEETING your EXPECTATIONS B200.04/13 en Printed in Switzerland IMPRINT SMS Concast AG, Jean-Pierre Papadopoulos (Editor), Toedistrasse 9, 8027 Zurich, Switzerland Phone: , Fax: , sales@sms-concast.ch, The information provided in this brochure contains a general description of the performance characteristics of the products concerned. The actual products may not always have these characteristics as described and, in particular, these may change as a result of further developments of the products. The provision of this information is not intended to have and will not have legal effect. An obligation to deliver products having particular characteristics shall only exist if expressly agreed in the terms of the contract.