STEEL MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Terminologies
II. Introduction
III. Manufacturing Process
i. Flowchart
ii. Brief discussion of the process
iii. Equipment machineries
iv. Testing involve in the process
IV. Bibliography















TERMINOLOGIES
Alloy Is a mixture of two or more elements in solid solution in which the major
component is a metal.

Casting Involves pouring liquid metal into a mould, which contains a hollow
cavity of the desired shape, and then allowing it to cool and solidify.

Coke (fuel) Coke is the carbon product that is formed by the thermal distillation
of coal at high temperatures in the absence of air in coke oven batteries. Coke is
used in the blast furnace to provide a reducing atmosphere and is also a source
of fuel.

Corrosion The gradual destruction of material, usually metals, by chemical
reaction with its environment. In the most common use of the word, this means
electro-chemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen.
Rusting, the formation of iron oxides is a well-known example of electrochemical
corrosion.

Ferrous Metals The term "ferrous" is derived from the Latin word meaning
containing iron". This can include pure iron, such as wrought iron, or an alloy
such as steel. Ferrous metals are often magnetic, but not exclusively.

Furnace a device used for heating. The name derives from Latin fornax, oven.

Gangue Secondary materials consist of impurities of an earthly nature, such as
rock, sand, and clay.

Hematite Also spelled as haematite, is the mineral form of iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3),
one of several iron oxides. Hematite is a mineral, colour black to steel or silver-
gray, brown to reddish brown, or red. It is mined as the main ore of iron.

Ingots are a material, usually metal, that is cast into a shape suitable for further
processing. Non- metallic and semiconductor materials prepared in bulk form
may also be referred to as ingots, particularly when cast by mould based
methods.

Iron A rarely found in metallic state, but occurs in form of various mineral
compounds, known as ores.

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, deep purple, to rusty red.

Magnetite A black magnetic mineral, found in igneous and metamorphic rocks
and as a separate deposit. It is a source of iron.


Materials Science is an interdisciplinary field applying the properties of matter to
various areas of science and engineering. This scientific field investigates the
relationship between the structure of materials at atomic or molecular scales
and their macroscopic properties. It incorporates elements of applied physics
and chemistry.

Metal An element, compound, or alloy that is a good conductor of both
electricity and heat.

Metallurgy A domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical
behaviour of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their
mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in
which science is applied to their practical use. Metallurgy is distinguished from
the craft of metalworking.

Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from
the earth, from an ore body, vein or (coal) seam. This term also includes the
removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious
metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock salt and potash.
Mining is required to obtain any material that cannot be grown through
agricultural processes, or created artificially in a laboratory or factory.

Nitrogen improves strength , hardness, and machine ability; in aluminium-
deoxidized steels, it controls the size of inclusion and improves strength and
toughness; decrease ductility and toughness.

Non-ferrous metal A metal that is not ferrous, that is, any metal, including alloys,
that does not contain iron in appreciable amounts.

Ores A type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including
metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract
the valuable elements.

Oxygen slightly increase strength in rimmed steel; severely reduces toughness.

Phosphorus improves strength, harden ability, corrosion resistance and machine
ability, severely reduced ductility and toughness.

Pig Iron the first product in the process of converting iron ore into useful metal by
using blast furnace. The molten metal from the blast furnace was earlier used to
be poured into small sand moulds, arranged like a litter of small pigs around a
main channel. The solidified metal was called pig and hence such iron was
named pig iron.

Slag is the vitreous mass left as a residue by the smelting of metallic ore.


Smelting A form of extractive metallurgy; its main use is to produce a metal from
its ore. This includes production of silver, iron, copper and other base metals from
their ores. Smelting uses heat and a chemical reducing agent to decompose the
ore, driving off other elements as gasses or slag and leaving just the metal
behind.

Steel An alloy made by combining iron and other elements, the most common
of these being carbon.


Taconite A fine-grained sedimentary rock containing magnetite, haematite, and
silica, mined as a low-grade iron ore.

Tundish a refractory- lined intermediate pouring vessel where impurities in metal
are skimmed off.

Tuyere Also can be spelled as tuyre, is a tube, nozzle or pipe through which air is
blown into a furnace or hearth.





























INTRODUCTION
The study of metal alloys is an important part of materials science. It signifies the
manufacturing of structural materials such as iron, steels and other alloys formed.
With these varieties of metals formed with alloying, my chosen area for study is
about Steel manufacturing, since it plays an important part in metal industries in
which steel is the initial needed material for production of enhanced alloys.
Steel is categorized as a Ferrous Material and it is basically an alloy of iron and
carbon, where the carbon content depends on the quality of an alloy to be
produced. Higher the carbon content, the higher the harden ability, strength,
hardness, and wear resistance of the steel. But ductility, weld ability and
toughness are lowered. Various quantities of elements added to steel control the
quality of such properties on these steel. Knowing first the principles behind
steelmaking processes are essential for us to have a perceptive of the
characteristics of steel being produced by the methods Ive opt for.
Before proceeding to steelmaking, iron must be first manufactured. Beginning
with raw materials, iron ores, limestone, and coke are the basic materials in iron
making. Ore dressing processes are conducted for the concentration of the iron
ores. These materials are processed in the blast furnace then produce pig iron
and sent to Basic oxygen furnace to proceed in the steelmaking process.
Additional treatments are applied to the steels and continuously cast, solidifying
the steel forming the blooms and billets which is now our primary materials.
However, further examination of defects in the steel is conducted and brought
to testing machines to assure its capacity to stress. Conceded steels are sent
into mills for further processing.
Due to the rapid growth of technology, Industries similar to this of steel
manufacturing will soon become the foundation for a developing country. And
this will cause higher demands for the need of professionals in the related field.
As engineering student, having knowledge about steel manufacturing is a good
start and soon be applied in the future.








RAW MATERIALS
The three primary materials used in iron- steel manufacturing are the iron ores,
limestone and coke. The main common iron ore used is in the form of oxide
known as hematite which its colours varies from blackish brown to brick red and
this is the most important ore found in the United States. Another raw material
which is used as fuel is known as coke. A light absorbent material made from
coal which is placed in the brick linings of the furnace and heated to a high level
of heat required for chemical reactions and then cooled after with water in
quenching towers. Lastly, materials that is used as a flux is known as the
limestone, which removes impurities such as phosphorous, silica, sulphur,
manganese and silicon. Limestone reacts chemically and combines with the
impurities forming a slag.

















FLOWCHART
Raw materials

Blast Furnace: Produces molten pig iron

Pig iron casting


Basic Oxygen Furnace: Produces molten metal

Steel refining facility







Billets and Blooms
Continuous casting


BRIEF DISCUSSION OF THE PROCESS
Iron ores are extracted in ground by drilling machines before it can be used in
the process. Iron containing oxides known as hematite is the most commonly
used iron ore. After it is mined, the iron ores are crushed into fine particles and
concentrated even more by means of removing the impurities which contains
usually of phosphorus , silica , sulphur , manganese and silicon. Coke is then
used as the fuel to melt the iron. When the iron ores melted, the limestone
combines with the impurities forming a slag then floats at the top of the molten
metal and removed separately afterwards.
After such processing, the concentrated ores are then brought to the blast
furnace. This furnace is a tower like lined with refractory materials which are
heat- resistant bricks. During operation, the top of the blast furnace is sealed with
double bells and hoppers for fuel, ore, and flux to supply continuously. A very hot
air usually at 1100F or higher is blasted at the bottom of the furnace and in
through nozzles called tuyeres. Iron ore, coke and limestone are transmitted to
the top of the furnace and dropped in layers. The coke burns due to the intense
heat around the tuyeres and then forms a carbon monoxide gas. The carbon
monoxide reacts with the iron ore, coke, and limestone, reducing it, forming the
iron ore to metallic iron. Slag containing the unions of limestone flux with sulphur,
alumina, silica, and other impurities floats on top of the melted iron. The iron and
slag are drawn off separately fro the bottom of the surface. There are two tap
holes, top holes where the molten slag are carried off to ladles for disposals and
the bottom holes where melted iron flows to the metal mold and will be cast to
form pig irons.
After casting of the pigs, hot metals are poured into large refractory- lined ladle
and are sent directly to the basic oxygen furnace for the steelmaking. The vessel
is filled or charged with the pig iron and scrap. Additions of burnt lime or
dolomite are fed into the vessel to form slag which absorbs the impurities during
the blowing process. He oxygen is vigorously blown by the lance which refines
the molten metals by an oxidation process in which iron oxide is first produced.
Then, the oxide reacts with the carbon that dissolved in the molten metal
producing carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide causing the temperature to
rise up to 1700C. Virtually at end of the process, the temperature is measured
and samples of steel are taken for further examination. The vessel is then tilted by
tapping the furnace to pour the steel into giant ladles and the vessel is tilted
again to the opposite direction where slag are poured off separately and
cooled.
Steels are further refined in the ladle furnace by the vacuum processing which
removes the gaseous impurities and this process will produced high quality steels.
After undergoing to the ladle treatments, ladles are transported to the top of the
casting machines. Molten metal is cleaned and equalized in temperature by
blowing nitrogen gas to it for about five to ten minutes. Molten metal is now
poured into a refractory- lined pouring vessels which is the tundish and flows
through another shroud pipe onto the mould. Depth of the mould depends on
the casting speed and section size. Primary cooling of the mould is provided by
water sprays along the travel path of the solidifying metals. Lubricants are added
to the metals in the mould to reduce friction and prevent the metals from
sticking to the moulds. In the strand, metals within this wall are still molten. A
water-cooled roller supports the wall from the ferrostatic pressure of the still
solidifying metal. Secondary cooling process is done to increase the rate of
solidification. Solidify metals finally exited the spray chambers. Blooms and billets
are now formed.

















EQUIPMENT MACHINERIES
Preference of machines required for the steel manufacture must be first ensure
the highest precision, reliability and productivity of the equipments to be
operated. Here are some of the machineries will be used in the production and
their functions.

BLAST FURNACE STOVE
Fig.1: A blast furnace shell constructed
by BSIET in Beijing, China Source: Beijing
Shougang International Engineering
Technology Co.,Ltd.
A brick-lined regenerator
enclosed in a circular steel shell
with a flat bottom and a dome-
shaped top. Their purpose is to
preheat the blast to a blast
furnace.



LADLES TRANSFER CAR
Fig.2: A ladle car carrying molten iron
Source: India e-Classifieds
A welded steel ladle mounted on a
railway car for transporting molten
pig iron to the mixer in a steel-
smelting plant or to a casting
machine. The interior is lined with
refractory brick. Locomotive
traction is used to move the car;
five or six cars are coupled
together.






BUSTLE PIPE
Fig.3: A bustle pipe placed in
the construction of the blast
furnace. Source: Chi na Steel
Machi nery Corporati on.
the outside pipe that
supplies the blast to the
tuyeres in a blast furnace








COKE OVEN
Fig.3 Source: CONSOL Energy Inc.
An oven for the conversion of coal into coke by
heating the coal in the absence of air to distil the
volatile ingredients.








BIBLIOGRAPHY

Degarmo, E. Paul; Black, J T.; Kohser, Ronald A. (2003). Materials and Processes in
Manufacturing (9th ed.). Wiley.

Materials Science and Engineering: An Introduction William D. Callister, Jr.
Department of Metallurgical Engineering The University of Utah.

Mathews, F.L. & Rawlings, R.D. (1999). Composite Materials: Engineering and
Science. Boca Raton: CRC Press.

Singh, D. K..Fundamentals of Manufacturing Engineering. First Ed. Taylor & Francis
Group. Ane Books India. New York, USA. 2008

Budinski, Kenneth & Michael. Engineering Materials: Properties and Selection, 9
th

Ed. Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 1996

Clark, D. S., Engineering Materials and Processes. 3
rd
Ed. International Textbook
Co., Scraton, Pennsylvania. 1967

Kalpakjian, Serope. Manufacturing Engineering. 3
rd
Ed. Addison-WesleyPublishing
Co., 1995