The CM100 and it's introduction onto the blast furnace cokefeed conveyor allows the operators to correctly calculate thedry weight of coke being used, which provides them with betterthermal control, and improved chemistry control of the molteniron, which also has benefits for other areas of the plant.

The policy adopted by Belgo Monlevade Steel Works, ArcelorMittal in order to reduce the waste amount sent to the industriallandfill is presented. The focus of this policy is to increase theinternal reutilization of the waste generated in the steel makingprocess. The implemented actions and the projected actionsin order to increase the internal reutilization, saving naturalresources and reducing costs are reported.

The clogging of the Submerged Entry Nozzle (SEN) duringbillet continuous casting of mid-carbon steel is studied.Clogging materials and inclusions in steel samples taken atladles, tundish and billets are investigated. The total oxygen onthe whole section of the billet is measured. Steel cleanliness atunsteady casting states, including cast start, ladle change, SENchange, cast end, and the special unsteady pouring periodinduced by SEN clogging, are studied. Fluid flow and inclusionmotion and entrapment to SEN surface are also simulated.

Principle and technological design of electroslag continuouscasting (ESCC), including bifilar mode, T-shaped mould andmetal level detecting system are detailed. Remelting is carriedout for a Cr18Ni9Ti stainless steel with ESCC. The surfacefinish, chemical composition, macro and microstructures, andinclusions of remelted billets are characterized. ESCC reducescost and increases productivity in comparison to the traditionalESR, while achieves comparably excellent products.

Optimization of deoxidizer sequencing, such as Al and Ti, isan important topic which can provide improvement in termsof inclusion composition and process stability. Nevertheless,modeling inclusion nucleation and growth in a ladle is still achallenge, since different complex mechanisms are involved.The paper describes key steps which involve an importantmodeling investigation. The first step deals with deoxidizer meltingin a turbulent steel bath. The second is devoted to nucleationand growth of inclusions: thermodynamics criteria for inclusionprecipitation and turbulent agglomeration of clusters should besimultaneously considered.

A review of the degassing process, including basicprinciples, is done followed by the assessment of castabilityissues. Steelmaking practices that could lead to potentialplugging in the submerged entry nozzles at the casters areoutlined. The steel cleanliness is discussed for a select steelgrade including a brief review of inclusion characterization.

Tensile tests on a ultra high strength steel under in situ X raytomography made it possible to observe and to quantify 3Ddamage of this material. The analysis of the data gives accessto the main features of cavities (density and size) as well as localstrains and triaxiality within the whole tensile specimen. Basedon these results, a new damage model has been put forwardthat is noticeable by integrating cavity nucleation into the classicalRice and Tracey approach. The predictions of the newmodel fit significantly better with the experimental results.