Ironmaking is a mature technology that has reached over the last decades a high degree of excellence. It has proven its ability to adapt to the changing conditions regarding raw materials availability, energy resources and hot metal demand. The large development of coal injection practice has allowed reducing the dependency towards coke, while achieving total reductant rates close to the theoretical limit. New challenges, especially with respect to environment and CO2 emissions, will be strong drivers for technological progress. To meet these requirements, further improvements of performance are needed in the short term. Increased use of scraps will be an efficient solution. In the mid-long term, innovative and breakthrough solutions must be invented. An example is given by the concept of nitrogen-free blast furnace, involving recycling of decarbonated top gas and sequestration of CO2.

The crystallographic texture of a great number of polyethylene films manufactured by the film blowing process has been investigated by X-ray diffraction. Some films present a classical texture (c-axis in the machine direction), which can be interpreted using existing morphological models. Other exhibit an original texture (c-axis in the film thickness) and no satisfactory morphological model has been proposed until now.

The inclusion populations and the relevant inspection methods aredescribed with a particular emphasis on the SEM-FEG/EDS imageanalysis system. Then, the efficiency and the limits of the inspectionmethods are assessed by a new simulation approach.

A thermal fatigue test (INTHERPOL) was developed by EDF in order to study the initiationof cracks. These tests are carried out on tubular specimens under various thermal loadingsand surface finish qualities in order to give an account of these parameters on crackinitiation. The main topic of this study is to test the sensitivity of different fatiguecriteria to surface conditions using a micro/macro modelling approach. Therefore a 304Lpolycrystalline aggregate, used for cyclic plasticity based FE modelling, have beenconsidered as a Representative Volume Element located at the surface and subsurface of thetest tube. This aggregate has been cyclically strained according to the results issuedfrom FE simulation of INTHERPOL thermal fatigue experiment. Different surface parametershave been numerically simulated: effects of local microstructure and of grainsorientation, effects of machining: metallurgical prehardening, residual stress gradient,and surface roughness. Three different fatigue criteria (Manson Coffin, Fatemi Socie anddissipated energy types), previously fitted at a macroscale for thermal fatigue of 304L,have been computed at a meso scale, in order to show the surface “hot spots” features andtest the sensitivity of these three criteria to different surface conditions. Results showthat grain orientation and neighbouring play an important role on the location of hotspots, and also that the positive effect of prestraining and the negative effect ofroughness on fatigue life are not all similarly predicted by these different fatiguecriteria.

Assessing traditional iron and steelmaking processes from anenvironmental point of view and developing breakthrougheco-efficient processes for the future are major challenges forthe steel industry today. In the framework of the challengingEuropean project ULCOS, which stands for Ultra Low CO2Steelmaking, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was chosen toassess breakthrough processes that could be part of thefuture iron and steel making landscape and to comparethem to the reference classical integrated steelmill.
To carry out such a study we propose a new methodologicalconcept which combines LCA thinking with physicochemicalprocess modelling.
Physicochemical models were developed for each processesof the classical integrated steelmaking route in order togenerate the data required to draw the Life Cycle Inventoryof the route. Such a method bypasses the traditionaldata collection and brings accuracy to the inventory byintroducing rigorous mass and energy balances into themethodology.
In addition it was shown that such an approach allowstesting and assessing different operational practices ofthe processes in order to optimise the use of energy andthe CO2 emissions, which showed that it can be used as apowerful tool for eco-conception of processes.

In the present study, the main objective is to improve the mechanical properties of ahigh steel HSLA grade such as X80 for welded pipes. A study was conducted to optimise thethermomechanical treatment and to attain the mechanical properties of the X80 grade ofHSLA steels. From the same chemical composition of the hot rolled X60 grade Nb-Ti-Vmicroalloyed strip steel, we want to enlarge the production to the superior X80 gradetype. Dilatometry tests, hot torsion and hot rolling using a pilot mill allowed thesimulation of operating process sequences. The results of the rolling schedules performedin a pilot mill allowed us to analyse the effect of the deformation parameters(temperature conditions and reduction) on the evolution of the final structure and themechanical properties of the Nb-Ti-V microalloyed steel.

A new technology for separating and recovering iron and zinc from EAF exhaust gases is proposed. The process is composed of a coke bed filter and a new type of zinc condenser. Iron and slag components in the exhaust gas are collected in the coke bed filter. In this paper, the theoretical background and numerical analysis of the characteristics of the coke bed filter are introduced, and the experimental results concerning the collection of iron and slag components in a bench-scale coke bed filter are reported.

Embrittlement of duplex stainless steels after aging below 500 °C is a well documentedphenomenon, usually attributed to the unmixing of the ferritic Fe-Cr solid solution,either by spinodal decomposition or by nucleation and growth of Cr-rich α′ phase,depending on aging temperature. Additional precipitation taking place during aging, likeNiSiMo-rich G phase or Cu-ε, are also known to participate to embrittlement, making thecomposition dependence of embrittlement kinetics even more intricate. In this study, longterm aging treatments, up to 2 years at intermediate temperature (250–400 °C), have beenperformed for various duplex stainless steels grades containing different alloyingcontents in Cr, Mo, Si, Ni and N. Impact toughness has been measured after each agingcondition, and an apparent activation energy could be deduced for the various grades. Thisquantity is a good indicator of embrittlement resistance. Fine microstructuralcharacterizations have been performed in the ferrite: composition before aging wasdetermined by EPMA, and precipitation state before and after aging was observed on TEM.The influence of alloying elements on the embrittlement phenomenon is analyzed on thebasis of these results and of driving force calculations performed onThermo-Calc®.

The first industrial twin roll caster for carbon steel strips is under construction on the Nucor site at Crawfordsville. This installation based on the CASTRIP technology developed by BHP and IHI is expected to produce 500 000 tons per year of hot rolled strip with a thickness below 2 mm. In this paper the characteristics of the CASTRIP technology are presented, with reference to the economical aspects and further details on the main breakthroughs that had to be accomplished to improve the efficiency. The twin roll caster technology offers many advantages in terms of production costs, environment and production flexibility over more conventional production routes for carbon strips with a thickness below 2 mm. It is expected that the implementation of the new technology will foster the user demand for ultra thin gauge hot rolled strips.

This study aims at presenting a way to obtain nanostructured materials. Austeniticstainless steel (316L) nanopowders and ferritic/martensitic alloy steels (Fe14Cr) aresintered with the Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) technique. This technique leads to a fullydense/nano-sized microstructure material after a short treatment. The optimal sinteringtemperature was found to be 850°C for both materials. The relationship between the Vickers Hardnessand scale of the microstructure is in good agreement with the Hall-Petch Law.

VOEST-ALPINE Industrieanlagenbau (VAI) has developed highly efficient systems for the removal of dioxins from the offgas of conventional electric arc furnaces, as well as of shaft furnaces. These systems have been successfully implemented at industrial scale. This paper describes the components and working principle of these systems and gives information on the achievable emission levels.

Nakayama Steel Works LTD. has succeeded in attainingthe cooling rate (105 -106 K/s) necessary for amorphouslayering technique by using the innovative idea ofimmediately cooling the spraying flame. Amorphous alloy(Fe70Cr10P13C7) formed by the new technique displays acorrosion resistance more than 500 times higher than the oneof SUS316L in aqua-regia immersion test, while the similarlyformed amorphous magnetic alloy film (Fe81B13Si4C2)indicates high magnetism of 15.4 kGauss in magnetic fluxdensity.

A finite volume computer model of the continuous castingprocess for steel flat products has been developed. In this firststage, the model concentrates on the hydrodynamic aspectsof the process and in particular the dynamic behavior ofthe metal/slag interface. The model was validated againstexperimental measurements obtained in a water model apparatus.

A very great number of arrowheads and arrows of catapult was excavated from "Le Puy d'Issolud" , probable site of the fight of Uxellodunum, given by Caesar, in 51 B.C. Till now, only a typological study was devoted to them. Here are gathered the first data about microstructure and local analysis (OM, SEM, EDXS, XR, microhardness HV) of weapons selected for their archaeological value. In the same time were made: examination of metal (Fe-C alloys, between pure enough iron and quasi-eutectoid steel), of corrosion layers and of the two types of residual slags, produced during direct reduction or forging. This contributes to reach a better approach of treatments and forging practice, during the Roman period.

Raman microspectrometry is particularly suitable for the study of artefacts surface. This article outlines the advantages of this vibrational technique. Its capability for identification is illustrated by applications on wall paintings and dyed textiles, and their historical implications are mentioned.

An important metallurgical difficulty in arc welding of high-strength aluminum alloys isformation of solidification cracking. In this work, an attempt is made to reduce thesolidification cracking in welding of aluminum alloys through vibratory treatment. Thematerial used for the investigation is AA2014 aluminum alloy, which is highly prone tosolidification cracking. Vibratory treatment was carried out in the frequency range of 100Hz to 3700 Hz. Weldments made with and without vibratory treatment were compared usingweld cracking tests and other characterization tests such as microstructural analysis. Thetest results show that by applying vibratory treatment, solidification cracking can belargely controlled in arc welding.

Two complementary techniques are mainly used for the detectionand characterisation of the inclusions populations present in thesteel bars in a large range of sizes: from 1 μm to 1 mm: the automaticscanning electron microscope associated with image analysisand the 80 MHz ultrasonic inspection. The emphasis has been puton the composition of the inclusions whose size is above the criticalsize (10 - 20 μm) for long life fatigue. The mechanism of formation ofthese harmful inclusions is determined through the process with thehelp of thermodynamics models. This approach makes it possible toimprove the process: avoiding slag entrapment upon casting of bearingsteels, adjusting closely the Ca addition to calcium treatedsteels.


For the promotion of zero emission society, the recycling of dust and sludge produced in the steel making process, leading to the recovery of valuable metals like Iron, Zinc, Nickel and Chromium, has highly attracted public attention. The Plant and Machinery Division of Nippon Steel Corporation has introduced the basic technologies of the rotary hearth furnace, DryIronTM Process, from Maumee Research & Engineering Inc. in the United States, and developed the process in order to recycle such dust and sludge effectively. In addition, the DryIronTM Process can also produce direct reduced iron from virgin iron ore and non-coking coal. In this paper, the features of the DryIronTM Process and the machine outline in Hikari Works of Nippon Steel Corporation are described.

Strip width necking may be quite significant on cold rolling mills. Tocompensate for this unpredicted phenomenon, hot strips are oftenordered with an over-width with resulting substantial over costs, fortrimming in particular. Based upon numerical simulation supportedby rolling trials, the main factors that effect strip width variation havebeen quantified: edge drop, transverse stress relaxation, thermalcontraction. Potential width actuators to be implemented on industrialcold rolling lines have been identified.

Un modèle thermique a été développé afin d’identifier les sources de chaleur accompagnantles déformations micro-plastiques intervenant au cours d’un essai de fatigue cyclique.Dans la première minute de chaque palier, un modèle de barre infinie permet de différer laprise en compte des pertes conductives par les mors. Les sources sont identifiées au fildes paliers de chargement croissant, tout en évitant d’entrer dans le domaine deplasticité macroscopique.