Beyond The Blast Furnace

This unique book presents an in-depth analysis of all the emerging ironmaking processes, supplementing the conventional blast furnace method. Various processes for producing solid and liquid iron are discussed, including important features such as process outline, techno-economics, and process fundamentals. The present global status of each process is examined, projections for the future are made, and processes are compared. Beyond the Blast Furnace is valuable reading for process developers, because it gives them a complete picture of various process options. Conventional iron- and steelmakers as well as researchers and practitioners working in the area of alternative processes of ironmaking will also benefit from this ready reference. The book is an ideal text for undergraduate and postgraduate students in metallurgy.

This book describes the blast furnace process for operators. As a starting point, the blast furnace is seen as a simple iron ore melter, while gradually the physical, chemical and metallurgical background is clarified. Operational observations, challenges and remedies are explained from this perspective. Optimization of the blast furnace process is not only based on “best practice transfer”, but also requires conceptual understanding of what works when. In other words: operational improvement is not only based on know–how, but on know–why as well. With Modern Blast Furnace Ironmaking – An Introduction (Third Edition, 2015) the reader has a compact compendium of the blast furnace process available: by operators and for operators and for those who are preparing to become operators.

The Iron Blast Furnace: Theory and Practice presents theoretical, experimental, and operational evidence about the iron blast furnace as well as a mathematical description of its operation. This book includes a set of equations that accurately describe stoichiometric and enthalpy balances for the process and which are consistent with observed temperatures and compositions in the furnace stack. These equations, which have been devised on the basis of the Rist approach, show the effects of altering any blast-furnace variable on the other operating requirements of the process. This monograph is comprised of 14 chapters and begins with a brief description of the blast-furnace process. The next chapter takes a look inside the furnace, paying particular attention to its behavior in front of the tuyères and the kinetics of the coke gasification reaction. The reader is then introduced to the thermodynamics and stoichiometry of the blast-furnace process; enthalpy balance for the bottom segment of the furnace; the effects of tuyères injectants on blast-furnace operations; and blast-furnace optimization by linear programming. A number of important variables covered by the equations are discussed, including hydrocarbon injection at the tuyères, oxygen enrichment of the blast, moisture, limestone decomposition, coke reactivity, and metalloid reduction. The effects of many of these variables are illustrated numerically in the text while others are demonstrated in sets of problems that follow each chapter. This text will be a valuable resource for metallurgists and materials scientists.

Out of This Furnace is Thomas Bell’s most compelling achievement. Its story of three generations of an immigrant Slovak family -- the Dobrejcaks -- still stands as a fresh and extraordinary accomplishment. The novel begins in the mid-1880s with the naive blundering career of Djuro Kracha. It tracks his arrival from the old country as he walked from New York to White Haven, his later migration to the steel mills of Braddock, Pennsylvania, and his eventual downfall through foolish financial speculations and an extramarital affair. The second generation is represented by Kracha’s daughter, Mary, who married Mike Dobrejcak, a steel worker. Their decent lives, made desperate by the inhuman working conditions of the mills, were held together by the warm bonds of their family life, and Mike’s political idealism set an example for the children. Dobie Dobrejcak, the third generation, came of age in the 1920s determined not to be sacrificed to the mills. His involvement in the successful unionization of the steel industry climaxed a half-century struggle to establish economic justice for the workers. Out of This Furnace is a document of ethnic heritage and of a violent and cruel period in our history, but it is also a superb story. The writing is strong and forthright, and the novel builds constantly to its triumphantly human conclusion.

Beyond Decommissioning: The Reuse and Redevelopment of Nuclear Installations presents the most up-to-date research and guidance on the reuse and redevelopment of nuclear plants and sites. Consultant Michele Laraia extensively builds upon experience from the redevelopment of non-nuclear industrial sites, a technical field that has considerably predated nuclear applications, to help the reader gain a very thorough and practical understanding of the redevelopment opportunities for decommissioned nuclear sites. Laraia emphasizes the socioeconomic and financial benefits from very early planning for site reuse, including how to manage the decommissioning transition, anticipate financial issues, and effectively utilize available resources. With an increasing number of decommissioning projects being conducted worldwide, it is critical that knowledge gained by experts with hands-on experience is passed on to the younger generation of nuclear professionals. Besides, this book describes the experiences of non-nuclear organizations that have reutilized the human, financial, and physical site assets, with adaptations, for a new productive mission, making it a key reference for all parties associated with nuclear operation and decommissioning. Those responsible for nuclear operation and decommissioning are encouraged to incorporate site reuse within an integrated, beginning-to-end view of their projects. The book also appeals to nuclear regulators as it highlights more opportunities to complete nuclear decommissioning safely, speedily, and in the best interests of all concerned parties. Includes lessons learned from worldwide case studies of reuse and repurposing of nuclear plants from both the nuclear and non-nuclear industries Provides practical guidance on a broad-spectrum of factors and opportunities for nuclear decommissioning Identifies the roles and responsibilities of parties involved, including nuclear operators, regulators and authorities, land planners and environmentalists

Blast Furnace Ironmaking: Analysis, Control, and Optimization uses a fundamental first principles approach to prepare a blast furnace mass and energy balance in ExcelTM. Robust descriptions of the main equipment and systems, process technologies, and best practices used in a modern blast furnace plant are detailed. Optimization tools are provided to help the reader find the best blast furnace fuel mix and related costs, maximize output, or evaluate other operational strategies using the ExcelTM model that the reader will develop. The first principles blast furnace ExcelTM model allows for more comprehensive process assessments than the 'rules of thumb' currently used by the industry. This book is suitable for undergraduate and postgraduate science and engineering students in the fields of chemical, mechanical, metallurgical and materials engineering. Additionally, steel company engineers, process technologists, and management will find this book useful with its fundamental approach, best practices description, and perspective on the future. Provides sample problems, answers and assignments for each chapter Explores how to optimize the blast furnace operation while maintaining required temperatures and gas flowrates Describes all major blast furnace equipment and best practices Features blast furnace operating data from five continents

This book, in its second edition, continues to offer a comprehensive treatise on smelting reduction of iron oxide—an emerging alternative method of producing hot metal without using coke. This technique is being increasingly used for hot metal production, which has till date, been dominated by the traditional blast furnace method. Shortage of coking coal, high cost of coke and the recent enforcement of stricter environmental regulations have resulted in the advent of smelting reduction as a supplementary method of hot metal production. The book covers the details of this rapidly emerging method that holds particular relevance for countries like India, endowed with relatively large reserves of high grade iron ore but unfortunately, not matched by the availability of coking coal. The book offers an in-depth analysis of the theoretical as well as the practical aspects of smelting reduction. It begins by acquainting the readers with the current worldwide status of ironmaking, followed by the classification of the various smelting reduction processes. It then focuses on explaining the fundamentals of smelting reduction before proceeding with a critical appraisal of the various smelting reduction processes that are currently available. The future of this methodology in India and in the rest of the world is discussed in the concluding chapter. The book contains numerous illustrations to provide a clear understanding of the different processes, equipment and quality parameters relevant to smelting reduction-based ironmaking. The book is intended mainly for undergraduate and postgraduate engineering (particularly metallurgical engineering) students seeking an insight into this emerging ironmaking technology. It would also be of immense interest to researchers and technologists engaged in the subject of smelting reduction of iron oxide. A variety of chapter-end references would enable teachers and students to get acquainted with the extensive knowledge already available in this field. HIGHLIGHTS OF SECOND EDITION • Two new sections on HIsarna process and Circosmelt process have been incorporated. • New figures and tables have been used in some sections to illustrate the concepts with better clarity and give the up-to-date information. • Some references have also been added, making the text suitable for further study.