Electric steelmaking and continuous casting performances plus product displays

Danieli Automation hosted one of the most attended among the simultaneous technology session of Day 2 offered during the Danieli meeting.

In the assembly and testing area of the company, latest performances and technological achievements on electric steelmaking and continuous casting, along with product display, were presented.

Guests were able to learn about and discuss:

“Circular economy: urban mine beneficiation,” detailed the importance of establishing electric melting as part of a closed-loop that will reduce industrial and consumer waste. To do this, Danieli Centro Recycling proposes a scrap process that defines he best integrated solution from the scrap to the steel product according to customer-specific requirements for scrap types, tap-to-tap time, reduction of buckets, energy consumption and environmental issues. The aim is to improve profit yields through greater flexibility in scrap purchasing, and to reduce furnace transformation costs

“Scrap yard and metal management: automated scrap recognition and handling,” detailed the Q-SYM2 technology developed to optimize scrap logistics toward the concept of a fully automatic meltshop. Automatic scrap classification is registered in Scrap Management Databases, which allows a prompt claim management towards suppliers. Fully automated cranes, real-time inventory of scrap in the yard, and automatic yard management are other technologies for reducing handling costs while improving EAF furnace efficiency.

“Q-MELT automatic furnace:the digital steelmaking concept,” described the state-of-the-art, EAF control system with self-learning capabilities that is able to guide the furnace automatically toward optimal operating conditions. Combined with the Lindarc gas analyzer and Q-REG advanced electrode regulator, the MeltModel automation evaluates all process variables and controls them using a statistical approach, aiming always for the best practices. This results in huge improvements to process efficiency.

The Q-Melt Automatic EAF reduces the process variability, consolidates the best practices, decreases conversion costs and increases market competitiveness.

“Q-MELT performances: the Kroman Çelik experience,” presented some of the proven results of the Q-MELT performance following installation at the EAF meltshop in Turkey. It was installed there in March 2017, and has provided outstanding benefits for the conversion costs since the very start of operation. The installation of the Q-MELT (MeltModel; Lindarc; Q-REG) was complemented by a retrofit of the chemical package with the new M-ONE injectors, and lime injection in the EAF. The consistent results collected three months after the startup (1,602 heats) include “power on” reduced by 2.7 minutes, electrical energy reduced by 20kWh/t, and electrode consumption reduced by 0.3 kg/t.

“Q-ONE: the EAF innovative arc control for 12,000 heats per year,” described the new patented technology for operating conventional AC EAFs without generating the problems caused by reactive power, flicker and harmonics to the network, reducing electrode consumption.

“Agile secondary metallurgy: the digital revolution improving process and logistics,” address two typical problems in secondary metallurgy: 1) unavailability of data (i.e., steel temperature during vacuum treatment); and, 2) the complexity of optimizing plant-layout and the flow of ladles between existing equipment, while aiming to maximize annual productivity.

To these, Danieli proposes, respectively: 1) Q-TEMP VD, a contact-less temperature sensor plus software that make it possible to attain a temperature deviation down to ± 5°C at the end of VD-treatment; and, 2) Q-SIM: a sophisticated, plant productivity validation platform that helps to direct steelmakers and plant-supplier toward maximized overall plant availability.

“FastCast technology: highest productivity, efficiency and sustainability,” presented a multi-part approach to managing demands for increased productivity and flexibility in the operations. Fast Cast Technology increases productivity for long-product casting up to + 50%, reduces both CapEx and OpEx, and provides energy saving of up to 300 kWh/ton. It is based on a new approach in layout and operations, and the presentation presented results of these new solutions compared to the existing state-of-the-art for rebar steels, as well as future targets for casting higher value-added grades.

“Bloom casting technology with no compromise on quality” summarized the quality and operating-cost reduction factors driving new Danieli solutions for producing blooms. A new Jumbo CCM (up to 850 mm round) succeed in shifting part of the production from the ingot route. Top-feeding allowed a 50% reduction in re-stranding and a productivity increase.

Soft reduction for round products developed around the LPC-3Q solidification model, and thanks to the alternating W&S module reduces segregation and avoids excessive internal strain.

Vertical Semi-Continuous Casting Technology has merged the advantages of the continuous casting technology in terms of cost reduction and the flexibility of the ingot production of steel grades and size.

“Flexible slab caster technology: operational agility meets prime-quality slab production” identified ways to help customers produce quality results while respecting their specific requirements. The integrated 3Q-Suite packages makes it possible to adapt slab casting processes quickly according to requested market conditions. Other packages included Q-Width. capable of reducing losses for width changes up to 60%; Q-Cool, to maintain high process control with energy savings up to 20%, and with an equivalent reduction in CO2 emissions. Overall, 3Q-Suite allows the reduction of OpEx and an increase in product quality.

“Automatic yards and cranes: reasons to move to this new technology,” described the potential benefits to be gained by eliminated bottlenecks, hazards, downtime, mismanagement and space occupancy for scrap yards, all of which add to “cost”. State-of-the-art cranes and automated yards adopt advanced logistic algorithms that can sort and manage material delivery in the shortest possible time, with the maximum efficiency and without needing on-board personnel.  Unmanned cranes also supported by logistic intelligence, leading to centralized remote control of the whole yard, a dramatic OpEx reduction, and yield improvement.

Among the wide number of displays of the equipment and component parts capable of proving the expectations here we present:

The Q-MELT Automatic Furnace system that is in successful operation at Kroman Çelik, Turkey. This high-performance system consists of some customized component technologies. On display to the guests were the Q-MELT Automatic EAF process control, the Q-REG Advanced electrode control system, LINDARC Real time laser-based off-gas analyzer, M-ONE Advanced Combined Injectors, Q-EBT–SAND Automatic EBT inspection and sand-filling system, and the THOR 3K EAF Automatic Slag Door.

The Q-MELT EAF achieves and maintains stable and dynamic melting, automatically adjusting the process profiles according to a given target, with immediate advantages to productivity and energy consumption.

New technologies to improve the Automatic Yards & Cranes technologies, including visual recognition software to identify and classify scrap in the yard, reducing manpower and enhancing safety, and increasing the reliability of scrap sorting and makeup. An interactive Crane Simulator for training purposes was display, and technology concepts for remote operator pulpits incorporating on VR technologies.

ISTAND Intelligent Test Stand, a virtual test and training solution that provides hands-on experience to operators to gain skill in the automation processes. iStand replicates a complete control pulpit, where the operator drives the production, and a virtual side, where the process is represented and simulated.

Advanced Instrumentation for minimill operations was demonstrated, including the HiProfile family of laser-based measurement instruments that perform non-contact on-line profile shape inspection and dimension measurement for hot or cold rolled products of various dimensions.

The Power System developed for the steel market included the new, innovative Q-One package for optimizing EAF energy sources, using a high-performance power unit and Q-Drive MV 3L, plus multi-level drives based on IGBT-cascaded H bridges.

The last display showed a selection of innovative Cast Technologies for continuous billet and round casters, including: Eco Power Moulds and Fast Cast Cubes to improve metal flow, Soft reduction modules for more perfectly solidified round blooms, Q-Robot CAST for safer and more efficient casting areas; and the Q-Cast Process control system and technological packages.