Lowering of CO2 emission from the integrated steel industry as well as minimizing theneed for landfill are important challenges in the focus for the integrated steel industry. With thisaim collaborative research projects have been conducted and are on-going on the possible useof renewable reducing agents or such with high content of H2 as well as for enabling recyclingof 1in-plant fines so far not possible to use. Due to contents of undesired impurities the blastfurnace (BF) sludge has to be pre-treated in an appropriate way before carbon and iron oxidecan be valorized. In order to understand the impact of alternative reducing agents as injectedthrough the tuyeres or part of top charged agglomerates containing iron oxide, samples oftorrefied biomass, plastic and in-plant fines have been analyzed by means of thermogravimetricanalyzer coupled with a mass spectrometer (TGA-MS).The results proved that effective utilization of carbon bearing BF dust and sludge as analternate reducing agent could be realized and can be implemented into BF after adequateupgrading. Plastic materials and biomass based reductants decomposition is associated with therelease of volatiles. The main contents of these volatiles are CO, H2 and hydrocarbon which areall known for their reduction potential. Moreover, injection of such materials is expected toimprove process efficiency and sustain the gas permeability along the BF cohesive zone. Onthe other hand, top charging of these materials would improve the energy and materialefficiency in the BF due to their higher reactivity compared to conventional carbon.

The kinetics of reduction of the oxide mixtures of Ni-W with different Ni/(Ni-W) molar ratios within the range of 923 K to 1173 K in flowing hydrogen gas was investigated by means of thermogravimetric analysis under isothermal conditions. The products were examined by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and electron dispersion spectroscopy (EDS) analyses. Five different oxide mixtures apart from the pure oxides were studied in the present work. The results indicate that the reduction reaction proceeds through three consecutive steps that are as follows:NiO-WO3→Ni-WO3→Ni-WO2→Ni-WFrom the experimental results, the Arrhenius activation energies of the three steps were evaluated for all of the studied compositions. The activation energy for the first step was calculated to be approximately 18 kJ/mol. For the second and third stages, the activation energy values varied from 62 to 38 kJ/mol for the second stage and 51 to 34 kJ/mol for the third stage depending on the Ni/(Ni + W) molar ratio in the precursors; the activation energy increased with increasing ratios. SEM images showed that the grain size of the final product was dependent on the Ni/(Ni + W) molar ratio; smaller grains were formed at higher nickel contents.

In the present work, Fluidized bed reduction of NiO-WO 3 precursors was investigated isothermally at temperatures 973-1 273 K. The reaction progress was monitored by analysis of H2O evolved during the reaction process using a gas chromatograph instrument. A theoretical model based on intrinsic chemical reaction rate constants and thermodynamic equilibria was developed to estimate the apparent reaction rate constant for the reduction reaction. In developing the model, the particles are considered to be in a completely mixed condition and gas flow is described as plug flow. The proposed model is also suitable for scale-up calculations. The interfacial chemical reaction model was found to fit the experimental results. The apparent activation energy values of the reduction process at different stages were calculated accordingly. The present investigation proved that the fluidized bed technique can be successfully utilized in bulk production of intermetallics containing W and a transition metal (or a composite material) wherein the process conditions would have a strong impact on the particle size of the end product.

Decarbonization of the steel industry is one of the pathways towards a fossil-fuel-free environment. The steel industry is one of the top contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Most of these emissions are directly linked to the use of a fossil-fuel-based reductant. Replacing the fossil-based reductant with green H2 enables the transition towards a fossil-free steel industry. The carbon-free iron produced will cause the refining and steelmaking operations to have a starting point far from today's operations. In addition to carbon being an alloying element in steel production, carbon addition controls the melting characteristics of the reduced iron. In the present study, the effect of carbon content and form (cementite/graphite) in hydrogen-reduced iron ore pellets on their melting characteristics was examined by means of a differential thermal analyser and optical dilatometer. Carburized samples with a carbon content 2 wt%, the molten fraction is higher in the case of carburized samples, which is indicated by the amount of absorbed melting heat.

Kinetic studies of reduction of the mixtures of NiO and WO₃ having different Ni/(Ni+W) molar ratios in flowing hydrogen gas were investigated by means of Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Fluidized Bed (FB) technique as well as Thermal diffusivity measurements under isothermal conditions. In the case of TGA, the reaction progress was monitored by mass loss, while evolved gas analysis by a gas chromatograph was the indicator of the reaction progress in the case of FB. The results indicate that the reduction reaction proceeds through three consecutive steps, viz.

NiO-WO₃ Ni-WO₃ Ni-WO₂ Ni-W

The present results show that the fluidized bed technique can be successfully utilized in bulk production of intermetallics containing W and a transition metal (or a composite material) wherein the process conditions would have a strong impact on the particle size of the end product.

During the investigations, it was found that there was a delay in the reaction during the hydrogen reduction of NiO-WO₃ mixed oxides in a fluidized bed reactor. In order to understand the same, a theoretical model was developed to estimate the apparent reaction rate constant for the reduction reaction from the intrinsic chemical reaction rate constant. Appropriate differential mass balance equations based on intrinsic chemical reaction rate constants and thermodynamic equilibria were developed. The proposed model was successfully applied in predicting the overall reaction kinetics of a fluidized bed reactor. This model is also suitable for scale-up calculations.

SEM images showed that the particle size of the final product was dependent on the Ni/(Ni+W) molar ratio; smaller particles were formed at higher nickel contents. X-ray diffractions of the reduced precursors exhibited slight shift of Ni peaks from the standard one indicating the dissolution of W into Ni.

A new method for studying kinetics of the hydrogen reduction of NiO-WO₃ precursors was developed in which the reaction progress was monitored by following the change of thermal diffusivity of the precursors. Activation energies of reduction as well as sintering were calculated. This method is considered unique as it provides information regarding the physical changes like sintering, change of porosity and agglomeration along with the chemical changes occurring during the gas/solid reaction.

As a continuation of the kinetic studies, Ni-W-C ternary carbides were synthesized by simultaneous reduction–carburization of Ni-W-O system using H₂-CH₄ gas mixtures by TGA. The results showed that the reduction of the oxide mixture was complete before the carburization took place. The nascent particles of the metals formed by reduction could react with the gas mixture with well-defined carbon potential to form a uniform product of Ni-W-C. The above-mentioned experiments were conducted in such a way to ensure that the reaction was controlled by the chemical reaction. The activation energies of the reduction as well as carburization processes at different stages were calculated accordingly.

The present dissertation demonstrates the potential of the investigations of gas/solid reactions towards tailoring the process towards materials with optimized properties as for example introduction of interstitials. The present process design is extremely environment-friendly with reduced number of unit processes and the product being H₂O.

In the present work, Fluidized bed reduction of NiO-WO(3) precursors was investigated isothermally at temperatures 973-1 273 K. The reaction progress was monitored by analysis of H(2)O evolved during the reaction process using a gas chromatograph instrument. A theoretical model based on intrinsic chemical reaction rate constants and thermodynamic equilibria was developed to estimate the apparent reaction rate constant for the reduction reaction. In developing the model, the particles are considered to be in a completely mixed condition and gas flow is described as plug flow. The proposed model is also suitable for scale-up calculations. The interfacial chemical reaction model was found to fit the experimental results. The apparent activation energy values of the reduction process at different stages were calculated accordingly. The present investigation proved that the fluidized bed technique can be successfully utilized in bulk production of intermetallics containing W and a transition metal (or a composite material) wherein the process conditions would have a strong impact on the particle size of the end product.

Ni-W-C ternary carbides were synthesized by simultaneous reduction–carburization of NiO-WO₃ oxide precursors using H₂-CH₄ gas mixtures in the temperature range of 973 to 1273 K. The kinetics of the gas–solid reaction were followed closely by monitoring the mass changes using the thermogravimetric method (TGA). As a thin bed of the precursors were used, each particle was in direct contact with the gas mixture. The results showed that the hydrogen reduction of the oxide mixture was complete before the carburization took place. The nascent particles of the metals formed by reduction could react with the gas mixture with well-defined carbon potential to form a uniform product of Ni-W-C. Consequently, the reaction rate could be conceived as being controlled by the chemical reaction. From the reaction rate, Arrhenius activation energies for reduction and carburization were evaluated. Characterization of the carbides produced was carried out using X-ray diffraction and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) combined with electron dispersion spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) analyses. The grain sizes also were determined. The process parameters, such as the temperature of the reduction–carburization reaction and the composition of the gas mixture, had a strong impact on the carbide composition as well as on the grain size. The results are discussed in light of the reduction kinetics of the oxides and the thermodynamic constraints.

Ternary Ni-W-C cemented carbides were synthesized directly from mixture powder of NiO-WO3 by simultaneous reduction-carburization in mixed H2-CH4 gas environment in a thin bed reactor in the temperature range 973-1273K. The kinetics of the reaction was closely followed by monitoring the mass change using thermogravimetric method (TGA). The nascent particles of the metals formed by reduction could react with the gas mixture with well-defined carbon potential to form a uniform product of Ni-W-C. The gas mixture ratio was adjusted in such a way that the Ni-W-C formed was close to the two phase tie line. In view of the fact that each particle was in direct contact with the gas mixture, the reaction rate could be conceived as being controlled by the combined reduction-carburization reaction. From the reaction rate, the Arrhenius activation energies were evaluated. Characterization of the carbides produced was carried out by using X-ray diffraction, SEM-EDS as well as high resolution electron microscope (HREM). The grain sizes were also determined. Correlations were found between the carbide composition as well as grain size and the process parameters such as temperature of the reduction-carburization reaction as well as the composition of the gas mixture. The results are discussed in the light of the kinetics of the reduction of oxides and the thermodynamic constraints.

Near-net shape forming of metallic components from metallic powders produced in situ from reduction of corresponding pure metal oxides has not been explored to a large extent. Such a process can be probably termed in short as the "Reduction-Sintering" process. This methodology can be especially effective in producing components containing refractory metals. Additionally, in situ production of metallic powder from complex oxides containing more than one metallic element may result in in situ alloying during reduction, possibly at lower temperatures. With this motivation, in situ reduction of complex oxides mixtures containing more than one metallic element has been investigated intensively over a period of years in the department of materials science, KTH, Sweden. This review highlights the most important features of that investigation. The investigation includes not only synthesis of intermetallics and refractory metals using the gas solid reaction route but also study the reaction kinetics and mechanism. Environmentally friendly gases like H-2, CH4 and N-2 were used for simultaneous reduction, carburization and nitridation, respectively. Different techniques have been utilized. A thermogravimetric analyzer was used to accurately control the process conditions and obtain reaction kinetics. The fluidized bed technique has been utilized to study the possibility of bulk production of intermetallics compared to milligrams in TGA. Carburization and nitridation of nascent formed intermetallics were successfully carried out. A novel method based on material thermal property was explored to track the reaction progress and estimate the reaction kinetics. This method implies the dynamic measure of thermal diffusivity using laser flash method. These efforts end up with a successful preparation of nanograined intermetallics like Fe-Mo and Ni-W. In addition, it ends up with simultaneous reduction and synthesis of Ni-WN and Ni-WC from their oxide mixtures in single step.

Near-net shape forming of metallic components from metallic powders produced in situ from reduction of corresponding pure metal oxides has not been explored to a large extent. Such a process can be probably termed in short as the “Reduction-Sintering” process. This methodology can be especially effective in producing components containing refractory metals. Additionally, in situ production of metallic powder from complex oxides containing more than one metallic element may result in in situ alloying during reduction, possibly at lower temperatures. With this motivation, in situ reduction of complex oxides mixtures containing more than one metallic element has been investigated intensively over a period of years in the department of materials science, KTH, Sweden. This review highlights the most important features of that investigation. The investigation includes not only synthesis of intermetallics and refractory metals using the gas solid reaction route but also study the reaction kinetics and mechanism. Environmentally friendly gases like H2, CH4 and N2 were used for simultaneous reduction, carburization and nitridation, respectively. Different techniques have been utilized. A thermogravimetric analyzer was used to accurately control the process conditions and obtain reaction kinetics. The fluidized bed technique has been utilized to study the possibility of bulk production of intermetallics compared to milligrams in TGA. Carburization and nitridation of nascent formed intermetallics were successfully carried out. A novel method based on material thermal property was explored to track the reaction progress and estimate the reaction kinetics. This method implies the dynamic measure of thermal diffusivity using laser flash method. These efforts end up with a successful preparation of nanograined intermetallics like Fe-Mo and Ni-W. In addition, it ends up with simultaneous reduction and synthesis of Ni-WN and Ni-WC from their oxide mixtures in single step.

The iron- and steelmaking is the largest energy consuming in the industrial sectors. The high energy consumption is associated with emission of CO ₂and other pollutants. The most common ironmaking process used in the world is the blast furnace which contributes around 70 % of the world’s steel production. Recently, blast furnace has undergone tremendous modifications and improvements to reduce the energy consumption and CO ₂emissions. The modifications are being focused on two main approaches: (1) development of top charging materials and (2) injections of auxiliary fuels through blast furnace tuyeres. The present chapter will discuss the recent modifications and development in the top charging burden and how it could participate in minimizing the energy consumption and CO ₂emissions for more efficient and sustainable iron and steel industry. The injection of auxiliaryfuels will be discussed in details in another chapter. The enhancement of burden material quality and its charging mode into the blast furnace has resulted in a smooth and efficient operation. Recently, the usage of nut coke in the modern blast furnace is accompanied by higher production and lower reducing agent rates. An efficient recycling of in-plant fines by its conversion into briquettes with proper mechanical strength is applied in some blast furnaces to exploit the iron- and carbon-rich residues. Nowadays, novel composite agglomerates consist of iron ores and alternative carbonaceous materials represent a new trend for low-carbon blast furnace with lower dependence on the conventional burden materials. The recent investigations demonstrated that the novel composites are able to reduce the thermal reserve zone temperature in the blast furnace and consequently enhance the carbon utilization through its higher reactivity compared to fossil fuels. The top charging of bioreducers and hydrogen-rich materials into the blast furnace is one of interesting innovations to mitigate the CO ₂emissions. Although some of previous approaches are recently applied in the modern blast furnace, others are still under intensive discussions to enhance its implementations.

Isothermal reduction of haematite carbon mixtures was investigated at temperatures 750–1100°C under inert atmosphere. Mass loss curves proved the stepwise reduction of haematite to metallic iron. The non-linear feature of haematite to magnetite reduction kinetics was observed and an activation energy of 209 kJ mol−1 was calculated. Irrespective of carbon-bearing material type, reduction rate of magnetite was linear. Activation energy values were calculated to be 293–418 kJ mol−1. Significant increase in the reduction kinetics in the last step (Wustite reduction) was observed and explained by the catalytic effect of freshly formed metallic iron. During the initial stages of wustite reduction, the activation energy values were calculated to be in the range of 251–335 kJ mol−1 for all carbon-bearing materials.

In the present work, the thermal diffusivity measurements of uniaxially cold pressed NiWO4 has been carried out. The measurements were performed isothermally at temperatures between 973 and 1273 K under H 2 gas using the laser flash technique. The experimental thermal diffusivity values were found to increase with the reduction progress as well as with increasing temperature. The calculated activation energy was found to be higher than that for chemically controlled reaction. The difference has been attributed to factors like agglomeration of the product as well as sintering of the precursor along with the chemical reaction. In order to sort out the sintering effect on the thermal diffusivity values, complementary experiments have been done on pressed NiWO 4 and Ni-W, produced by the reduction of NiWO 4 at 1123K, under Argon gas. The porosity change and its effect on thermal diffusivity values have been studied.

Numerous amounts of metallurgical dusts and sludge containing iron as well as some other valuable elements such as Zn, Pb and C are annually produced in the steelmaking industry. These alternative iron ore resources (fines) with unsatisfying physical and metallurgical properties are difficult to recycle. However, agglomerating these fines to be further used as a feed stock for existing iron and steelmaking processes is practiced successfully at several plants but for limited extent.

In the present study, briquettes of integrated steelmaking industry waste materials (namely, BF-dust and sludge, BOF-dust and sludge) were used as feed stock to produce direct reduced iron (DRI). Physical and metallurgical properties of produced briquettes were investigated by means of TGA/DTA/QMS in combination with XRD. Swelling, softening and melting behavior were also studied using heating microscope.

The depletion of coke reserves and the raised environmental concerns motivated researchers to work on alternative iron-making processes. Large amount of metallurgical dusts and sludge containing iron and C are produced in the steelmaking industry. These alternative iron ore resources (fines) with poor hydrophilicity are difficult to recycle. The idea of briquetting such wastes containing iron to be used as a feed stock for steelmaking industry is practiced successfully at several plants.In the present study, agglomerates of integrated steelmaking industry waste materials were used as feed stock to produce direct reduced iron (DRI). The reduction behavior of blends of different waste materials (namely, BF dust and sludge, BOF dust and sludge) were investigated thoroughly utilizing TGA/DTA/QMS in combination with XRD.

Large amount of dust and sludge recovered during cleaning of iron and steel making process gases are annually put on landfill or intermediate storage. These by-products have high contents of iron (Fe) and carbon (C) that potentially could be utilized in the steel industry. However, due to the presence of impuritycompounds as well as the unsuitable physical properties, these by-products cannot be recycled directly. The main objective of the present study is to investigate the possibilities to recover the valuable components Fe and C in these by-products and thereby decrease the need of landfills at the steel plants as well as reduce the consumption of virgin materials, including fossil coal, and reduce CO2 emissions. A recycling route has been investigated by means of laboratory trials and FactSage thermodynamic modeling. Four different blends of BF and BOF dusts and sludges are prepared in predetermined ratios. Reduction behavior of each blend is studied using TG/DTA/QMS and in-situ high temperature X-ray diffraction. High temperature physical properties like softening, swelling and melting are also investigated by means of heatingmicroscope. The obtained results indicate the feasibility of both minimizing the impurity elements as well as recovering of valuable components.

Thermal diffusivity measurements of uniaxially cold pressed NiO and NiWO4 were carried out in a dynamic mode in order to monitor the kinetics of hydrogen reduction of the above-mentioned materials using a laser flash unit. The calculated activation energy was found to be higher than that for chemically-controlled reaction obtained earlier by thermogravimetry. The difference has been attributed to physical changes occurring along with the chemical reaction. The activation energy of sintering of the products was evaluated to be 33 and 36 kJ mol-1 for NiO and NiWO4, respectively. Thermal conductivities were calculated taking into consideration the change in heat capacity considering the compositional and the structural changes with the progress of the reaction. The potentiality of the laser-flash method as a complementary technique to thermogravimetry in understanding the mechanism of gas-solid reactions is discussed.

Ni-W-C ternary carbides were synthesized by simultaneous reduction–carburization of NiO-WO3 oxide precursors using H2-CH4 gas mixtures in the temperature range of 973 to 1273 K. The kinetics of the gas–solid reaction were followed closely by monitoring the mass changes using the thermogravimetric method (TGA). As a thin bed of the precursors were used, each particle was in direct contact with the gas mixture. The results showed that the hydrogen reduction of the oxide mixture was complete before the carburization took place. The nascent particles of the metals formed by reduction could react with the gas mixture with well-defined carbon potential to form a uniform product of Ni-W-C. Consequently, the reaction rate could be conceived as being controlled by the chemical reaction. From the reaction rate, Arrhenius activation energies for reduction and carburization were evaluated. Characterization of the carbides produced was carried out using X-ray diffraction and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) combined with electron dispersion spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) analyses. The grain sizes also were determined. The process parameters, such as the temperature of the reduction–carburization reaction and the composition of the gas mixture, had a strong impact on the carbide composition as well as on the grain size. The results are discussed in light of the reduction kinetics of the oxides and the thermodynamic constraints.

Olivine is used extensively in iron-pellet production as an additive in LKAB blast furnace pellets, in order to improve the high temperature properties of the finished product during reduction. As the contribution of olivine into the process depends on the available surface area, the present study was designed to find out the effect of olivine and its fineness on the oxidation-sintering and subsequent dissociation of olivine in iron ore agglomerates. Agglomerates were exposed to different experimental conditions to study the effect of olivine on the behavior of magnetite and hematite at high temperatures. Olivine particles were found to react significantly only above 1 000°C. Porosity of the final product was found to depend largely on olivine fineness. The finer the olivine the lower the porosity of the final product. It is found also that irrespective of the starting iron oxide the ratio between hematite and spinel phase was the same after heating in air. Olivine fineness affects significantly the rate of hematite dissociation, the finer the olivine the higher the dissociation rate. Upon cooling the weight lost due to the dissociation was again regained

Increasing the share of hydrogen in reduction of iron oxide in the blast furnace iron making will directly reduce the share of blast furnace greenhouse gas emissions. In the present study, injection of H₂-rich biomass and plastic materials was studied in terms of its devolatilization, gasification and combustion characteristics. The released gases were identified using mass spectroscopy attached to a thermogravimetric analyzer and the corresponding kinetics parameters were estimated.

The devolatilization was found to occur through two or more steps. The first step is always associated with the release of CO₂, CO, H₂, H₂O and hydrocarbons while only CO and H₂ were detected during the later steps. Combustion and gasification starting temperatures of char of H₂-rich carbonaceous materials were lower than that of pulverized coal char by ≥ 100 °C. The estimated activation energies suggested that, under the present conditions, devolatilization, gasification and combustion were chemically controlled. Carbon reactivity of the char of the studied H₂-rich carbonaceous materials were higher than that of pulverized coal. Moreover, increased H₂–H₂O content in the blast furnace gas, due to injected H₂-rich carbonaceous materials, was found to improve the iron ore pellets reduction kinetics.

The iron and steel industry is one of the most important sectors worldwide, and it has a great impact on the global economy; however, this sector is still highly dependent on fossil carbon. To decrease this dependency, approaches to partially replace the injected pulverized coal with secondary, highly reactive, renewable (biomass) and H₂‐rich materials have been studied. The injection of such materials is expected to significantly decrease the emitted CO₂ from blast furnaces. However, due to the different ash composition of these alternative materials (especially alkali and alkaline earth metals) compared to that of ordinary injected coal, these materials are expected to alter the raceway slag properties and affect the coke reactivity. In the present article, the effect of the ash from different hydrogen‐rich carbonaceous materials on the raceway slag physicochemical properties as well as coke reactivity is reported. The melting characteristics of the ash briquettes in contact with the coke and wettability of the melted ash on the coke surface are determined visually using an optical heating microscope. The effect of the ash on the coke reactivity is studied by means of thermogravimetry under a continuous flow of CO₂.

Coke constitutes the major portion of iron-making cost and its production causes severe environmental concerns. In addition, lower energy consumption, lower CO2 emission and waste recycling are driving the Iron and steel making industry to develop “coke free, zero waste or green processes”. In the present article, an overview of possible ways to recognize a reasonable improvement in iron and steel making industry is summarized. The present discussion is focusing on the following approaches: 1. Replacing expensive coke with relatively less expensive alternate fuels having carbon as well as significant amount of hydrogen such as coal, waste plastic and biomass materials.2. Producing agglomerates from cheaper raw materials (secondary resources) as well as improving their performance in BF.3.Making the process towards higher carbon utilization by shifting the wustite equilibrium towards lower CO/CO2 ratio by using high reactive coke or catalytic activated one.4.Recycling the unused CO in the top gas by removing CO2 from the gas stream.Much attention has been paid to carbon composite agglomerates (CCA) as a promising raw material for future iron making. Production, mechanical and chemical suitability, reduction behavior, etc. are being elaborated. In addition, other possible ways to utilize CCA in alternate iron-making process has been explored.

Reduction and simultaneous reduction-carburization of oxide mixtures to get intermetallics and composite materials may open up shorter process routes towards the end-user needs. The use of natural gas or hydrogen would be environment-friendly. With these aims, the corresponding kinetics were studied by thermogravimetry, gas chromatography as well as laser-flash method. It was found that, under identical conditions, the Arrhenius activation energy for the reduction is proportional to the thermodynamic stability of the compound reduced. Intermetallics could be synthesized successfully and the product was found to have nanograins. Also, Metallic coating on copper surfaces was successfully developed.

Stainless steel 316L has been an extensively investigated metallic material for laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) in the past few decades due to its high corrosion resistance. However, there are challenges related to producing LPBF parts with minimal defects, attaining mechanical properties comparable with traditional process and dependency on time consuming post process treatments. The selection of L-PBF process parameters is crucial to overcome these challenges. This paper reviews the research carried out on L-PBF process parameter optimization for fabrication of 316L steel components for maximizing part densifications and attaining desired microstructure morphologies in parts. A brief work on numerical simulation approach for process parameter optimization for high densifications is also included in this paper.

To control steel quality during continuous casting and subsequent heat treatment, an understanding of the evolution laws of mechanical properties during the austenite transition and the underlying mechanisms is of importance. Herein, the peak separation method is used to investigate the expansion behaviors in low-carbon steel. And the elastic properties of the matrix phase are calculated using the exact muffin-tin orbitals (EMTO) method. A continuous evolution model of high-temperature properties in the phase-transition region is established for ab initio data and experimental results. The evolution laws of the tetragonal shear elastic constant C′ and Young's modulus E agree well with that of the high-temperature strength. The critical temperature for ductility to brittleness is 850 °C. The matrix phase exhibits significantly brittleness character and increases slightly with decreasing temperature in single-phase paramagnetic (PM) γ-Fe region. The straightening zone temperature should be controlled above 950 °C to avoid cracks. In the austenite transition region, the drop rate of the magnetic moment reaches 18.90%. The findings suggest that the evolution law of mechanical properties of steels can be predicted from the elastic properties, especially during the austenite transition process, providing a basis for the prediction of material properties using ab initio methods. 

It‘s important to understand the evolution of high-temperature properties of slabs from the microscopic structure and the macroscopic structure, which is of great significance to the performance and quality control of slabs. The variation of the high-temperature strength of the L245MB slab with the temperature was measured by the hot tensile test technique with the Gleeble system. For the Fe matrix phase, which was under different crystal structures and magnetic states, the EMTO first-principles method was used to calculate the bulk modulus B, the single-crystal elastic constants c’ and c44, the polymorphic Young's modulus E, and the evolution of the system magnetic moment μ with temperature. The results showed that the cooling rate had little effect on the high-temperature strength evolution of the slab. The high-temperature strength took a transition near Ae3 and TC temperature, with a "platform" presented, where the average evolution rate of tensile strength was 0.008 Mpa/℃ and the yield strength was 0.076 Mpa/℃. The thermoplasticity of the slab had a different degree of decline in the temperature range of TC~Ae3, and the reduction of the area was the smallest at about 800℃, which was 59.02%~62.79%. The temperature range of ductility trough increased with the cooling rate increasing, and the surface temperature of the straightening zone should be controlled above 850 ℃ to avoid the crack generation. The elastic properties of the Fe matrix phase changed with the change of the magnetic state and the crystal structure. The transformation of the magnetic state had a greater influence on c’, c44, E, and the transformation of the crystal structure had a greater influence on B. During the transformation of FM to PM, c’ and E decreased by 64.09% and 10.33%, c44 increased by 57.82%, and B decreased by 34.38% with the change of bcc to fcc structure. The relationship between the evolution of single crystal elastic constant c’, polycrystalline Young's modulus E and the high-temperature strength of the slab were analyzed. It provides an idea for analyzing the macroscopic performance of the slab from the microstructural parameters of the crystal structure, which is a basis for the research and application of the first principles method in the high-temperature mechanical properties of steel materials. 

Elucidating the evolution law of the elastic properties of the matrix phase is of great significance for the control of steel properties and quality during continuous casting and subsequent heat treatment. In this paper, thermal expansion experiments and ab initio calculations are used to study the elastic properties of the interstitial free (IF) steel matrix phase in different magnetic states and crystal structures. The results show that the bulk modulus B and the tetragonal shear elastic constant C' for the entire temperature range decrease with increasing temperature, but C-44 is the opposite. While from paramagnetic (PM) to ferromagnetic (FM) state, C'(C-44) have changed similar to 188% (similar to 27%), B increases by similar to 55% during the crystal structure change (fcc -> bcc). With the FM to PM state, the Zener anisotropy parameter increases sharply, and Young's modulus decreases significantly in the [001] direction; the maximum difference is similar to 76 GPa. The evolution rate of average Young's modulus in single bcc-phase FM (fcc-phase PM) range reaches similar to 5.5(similar to 5.6) x 10(-2) GPa K-1. The research provides an effective method for ab initio calculation of the elastic properties of interstitial free and ultra-low carbon steels at high temperature, also furnishing a basis for the application of ab initio calculations to the high temperature performance of steel materials.

The research conducted by the defunct Nigerian Mining Corporation revealed that minable quantities of gold deposit are present over an expanse of Ilesha-Ife area. This optimism prompted several researchers to study the response of Ilesha gold ore to amalgamation and cyanidation. Unfortunately, these methods (amalgamation and cyanidation) are environmentally hazardous and the reagents are rather expensive when available. This is the thrust for this research which is aimed at studying the amenability of Ilesha placer gold ore to froth flotation which is environmentally friendly using locally-sourced reagents. The mineralogical study of the deposit was carried out and the result showed that the Ilesha placer deposit is non-refractory with fine-grained gold particles. Potassium salts of groundnut and palm kernel oils (as collectors) and their fatty acids (as frothers) were prepared and used to float gold concentrate from Ilesha placer gold ore. The following flotation parameters: pulp density, impeller speed, pulp pH, collector concentration and particle size analysis were optimised. The results obtained shows that optimum recovery of 91.8 per cent and 89.56 per cent of gold concentrates were obtained at pulp pH of 9, pulp density of 100 g/cm3, impeller velocity of 1350 rpm and mineral particle size range of -75 μm when potassium salts of groundnut and palmkernel oils were used respectively as collectors. Thus Ilesha placer gold ore is amenable to froth flotation using locally-sourced frothers and collectors.

Ceramic Foam Filters (CFFs) are widely used to filter solid particles and inclusions from molten metal in metal production, particularly in the aluminum industry. In general, the molten metal is poured on the top of a ceramic foam filter until it reaches a certain height, also known as metal head or gravity head. This is done to build the required pressure to prime the filter media and to initiate filtration. To predict the required metal head, it is necessary to obtain the Darcy and non-Darcy permeability coefficients of the filter. The coefficients vary upon filter type. Here, it is common to classify CFFs based on grades or pore per inches (PPI). These CFFs range from10 to100 PPI and their properties vary in everything from cell and window size to strut size. The 80-100 PPI CFFs are generally not practical for use by industry, since the priming of the filters by a gravitational force requires an excessive metal head. However, recently a new method has been developed to prime such filters by using electromagnetic Lorentz forces. This allows the filters to be primed at a low metal head.

To continue the research work, it was deemed necessary to measure the pressure gradients of single and stack of commercial alumina ceramic foam filters and to obtain the permeability characteristics. Therefore, efforts have been made to validate the previously obtained results, to improve the permeametry experimental setup, and to obtain Darcy and non-Darcy permeability coefficients of single 30, 50, and 80 PPI filters and stacks of filters. Furthermore, the experimentally obtained pressure gradients were analyzed and compered to the mathematically and analytically estimated pressure gradients.

The studies showed that, in permeametry experiments, the sample sealing procedure plays an important role for an accurate estimation of the permeability constants. An inadequate sealing or an un-sealed sample results in an underestimation of the pressure drop, which causes a considerable error in the obtained Darcy and non-Darcy permeability coefficients. Meanwhile, the results from the single filter experiments showed that the permeability values of the similar PPI filters are not identical. However, the stacks of three identical filters gave substantially the same measured pressure drop values and roughly the same Darcy and non-Darcy coefficients as for the single filters.

The permeability coefficients of the filters are believed to be best defined and calculated by using the Forchheimer equation. The well-known and widely used Ergun and Dietrich equations cannot correctly predict the pressure drop unless a correction factor is introduced. The accuracy of the mathematically estimated pressure drop, using COMSOL Multiphysics® 5.1, found to be dependent on the drag term used in the Brinkman-Forchheimer equation.  Unacceptable error, as high as 84 to 89 percent for the 30, 50 and 80 PPI single filters, compared to the experimentally obtained pressure gradient values were observed when the literature defined Brinkman-Forchheimer drag term was used. However, when the same second order drag term (containing the non-Darcy coefficient) as defined in the Forchheimer equation was used, the predicted pressure gradient profiles satisfactorily agreed with the experiment data with as little as 0.3 to 5.5 percent deviations for the 30, 50 and 80 PPI single filters.

Aluminum and steel have been the most produced metal and alloy, respectively, for many years. Their extensive use in various industries, their fundamental role in our everyday life, and their excellent recycling characteristics are the major driving forces for development of their production towards more sustainable processes. A successful integration and application of molten metal filtration from unwanted inclusions in production processes could result in reducing scrap, rework and would provide a cleaner molten metal which could lead to production of metallic materials with enhanced mechanical properties.  Filtration of aluminum melts by ceramic foam filters is an established process in aluminum industry. Ceramic filters are also used in steel foundries to remove inclusions from the melt prior to casting to the mold. However, the use of ceramic filters is either limited to specific types of alloys or casts or to specific filters with large pores and openings. As a result, utilization of ceramic filters in the steel industry has limitations in capturing inclusions, where specifically small size inclusions may not be captured.  

 This research work aims at contributing to the global effort in developing the molten metal production processes to become more sustainable and to increase the quality of the final product. To be specific, it is aimed at shedding more light into filtration applications and the use of ceramic filters for removal of solid non-metallic inclusions from molten aluminum and steel. Thus, permeability characteristics of single 30, 50, and 80 Pore Per Inch (PPI) alumina Ceramic Foam Filter (CFF) grades as well as stacks of three 30, three 50, and three 80 PPI alumina CFF grades were both experimentally and numerically obtained and studied. This provides the information needed to estimate the pressure required to prime and/or push the molten aluminum through the filters. The pressure could either be built up by gravitational or other forces. It has been shown recently that it is possible to prime such filters with electromagnetic forces and filter solid inclusions from molten aluminum. Lastly, physical refining of molten steel from solid alumina inclusions through monolithic extruded square-celled alumina ceramic filter was investigated and studied with a developed mathematical Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model as well as the particle trajectories of inclusions in the size range of 1 to 100 [µm]. 

 The experimentally obtained permeability characteristics as well as the obtained pressure gradient profiles of the single 30, 50, and 80 PPI CFFs were compared to previous research findings from the literature. Overall, a good agreement between the current and previous findings was found. It was also shown that fluid bypassing should be avoided during permeability experiments, otherwise deviations as high as 60% may occur. It was also revealed that similar permeability characteristics for the stacked filters, compared to single filters, could be achieved. However, an about three times higher pressure gradient or pressure needs to be applied when using a stack of three identical PPI filters compared to using single filters. The numerical simulations also validated the experimental findings of the permeability experiments.

 The CFD simulations and particle trajectories of the solid alumina inclusions in molten steel through the monolithic alumina filter revealed that it was possible to capture all particles larger than 50 [µm]. However, it was not possible to capture all particles smaller than 50 [µm] due to the applied simulation approach as well as current simulation limitations in the software. 

This paper presents experimental results of pressure drop measurements on 30, 50, and 80 pores per inch (PPI) commercial alumina ceramic foam filters (CFF) and compares the obtained pressure drop profiles to numerically modeled values. In addition, it is aimed at investigating the adequacy of the mathematical correlations used in the analytical and the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. It is shown that the widely used correlations for predicting pressure drop in porous media continuously under-predict the experimentally obtained pressure drop profiles. For analytical predictions, the negative deviations from the experimentally obtained pressure drop using the unmodified Ergun and Dietrich equations could be as high as 95 and 74 pct, respectively. For the CFD predictions, the deviation to experimental results is in the range of 84.3 to 88.5 pct depending on filter PPI. Better results can be achieved by applying the Forchheimer second-order drag term instead of the Brinkman-Forchheimer drag term. Thus, the final deviation of the CFD model estimates lie in the range of 0.3 to 5.5 pct compared to the measured values.

Ceramic foam filters (CFFs) are used to remove solid particles and inclusions from molten metal. In general, molten metal which is poured on the top of a CFF needs to reach a certain height to build the required pressure (metal head) to prime the filter. To estimate the required metal head, it is necessary to obtain permeability coefficients using permeametry experiments. It has been mentioned in the literature that to avoid fluid bypassing, during permeametry, samples need to be sealed. However, the effect of fluid bypassing on the experimentally obtained pressure gradients seems not to be explored. Therefore, in this research, the focus was on studying the effect of fluid bypassing on the experimentally obtained pressure gradients as well as the empirically obtained Darcy and non-Darcy permeability coefficients. Specifically, the aim of the research was to investigate the effect of fluid bypassing on the liquid permeability of 30, 50, and 80 pores per inch (PPI) commercial alumina CFFs. In addition, the experimental data were compared to the numerically modeled findings. Both studies showed that no sealing results in extremely poor estimates of the pressure gradients and Darcy and non-Darcy permeability coefficients for all studied filters. The average deviations between the pressure gradients of the sealed and unsealed 30, 50, and 80 PPI samples were calculated to be 57.2, 56.8, and 61.3 pct. The deviations between the Darcy coefficients of the sealed and unsealed 30, 50, and 80 PPI samples found to be 9, 20, and 31 pct. The deviations between the non-Darcy coefficients of the sealed and unsealed 30, 50, and 80 PPI samples were calculated to be 59, 58, and 63 pct.

In this paper, a previous experimental investigation on physical refining of steel melts by filtration was numerically studied. To be specific, the filtration of non-metallic alumina inclusions, in the size range of 1-100 & mu;m, was stimulated from steel melt using a square-celled monolithic alumina filter. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies, including simulations of both fluid flow and particle tracing using the one-way coupling method, were conducted. The CFD predicted results for particles in the size range of & LE;5 & mu;m were compared to the published experimental data. The modeled filtration setup could capture 100% of the particles larger than 50 & mu;m. The percentage of the filtered particles decreased from 98% to 0% in the particle size range from 50 & mu;m to 1 & mu;m.

In this paper, a previous experimental investigation on physical refining of steel melts by filtration was numerically studied. To be specific, filtration of non-metallic alumina inclusions, in the size range of 1 to 100 [μm], from steel melt by using a square-celled monolithic alumina filter was simulated. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies, including simulations of both fluid flow and particle tracing using one-way coupling method, were conducted. The CFD predicted results for particles in the size range  5 [μm] were compared to the published experimental data. The modelled filtration setup could capture 100 % of the particles larger than 50 [μm]. The percentage of the filtered particles decreases from 98% to 0% in the particle size range of 50 [μm] to 1[μm].

Ceramic foam filters (CFFs) are used to remove inclusions and/or solid particles from molten metal. In general, the molten metal poured on the top of a CFF should reach a certain height to form the pressure (metal head) required to prime the filter. For estimating the required metal head and obtaining the permeability coefficients of the CFFs, permeability experiments are essential. Recently, electromagnetic priming and filtration of molten aluminum with low and high grades of CFF, i.e., 30, 50 and 80 pore per inch (PPI) CFFs, have been introduced. Since then, there has been interest in exploring the possibility of obtaining further inclusion entrapment and aluminum refinement by using electromagnetic force to prime and filter with stacked CFFs. The successful execution of such trials requires a profound understanding concerning the permeability parameters of the stacked filters. Such data were deemed not to exist prior to this study. As a result, this study presents experimental findings of permeability measurements for stacks of three 30, three 50 and three 80 PPI commercial alumina CFFs from different industrial batches and compares the findings to numerically modelled data as well as previous research works. Both experimental and numerical findings showed a good agreement with previous results. The deviation between the experimentally and numerically obtained data lies in the range of 0.4 to 6.3%.

Several studies had been performed on accumulative roll bonding (ARB) for AA1050; however, most of them were conducted at room temperature. Here, the ARB process was performed on AA1050 plates through nine cycles at elevated temperature. An innovation introduced a new parameter (UTS×El.ε) to compare the strength-elongation balance between the present study and previous works. Also, as another parameter, the toughness was compared. Comparing these parameters with previous works showed that the considered samples in the present study performed 14 to 63% better than the other samples, so they were more industrially favorable in terms of mechanical behavior and performance. ARB process at elevated temperature may slightly lead to grain growth compared to room/cryogenic temperature, but creates a better elongation, which ultimately leads to a better balance of the strength-elongation parameter. The results showed that the effect of inter-cycle heating was found significant on microstructural evolution and mechanical behavior. Upon five cycles of the process, the grain size was decreased from 35 to 1.8 μm. The yield strength and ultimate strength increased up to 305% and 94%, respectively. Microhardness test showed that warm ARB reduces inhomogeneity factor in the thickness after 3 cycles. Fractography by SEM showed that the sample failed through shear ductile rupture and that the dimples became smaller, more elongated, and shallower onto the failure surface as the number of ARB cycles increased. In short, the warm process is preferred to the cold process to achieve better mechanical performance and toughness.

High-entropy alloys (HEA) with superior biocompatibility, high pitting resistance, minimal debris accumulation, and reduced release of metallic ions into surrounding tissues are potential replacements for traditional metallic bio-implants. A novel equiatomic HEA based on biocompatible metals, CrMoNbTiZr, was consolidated by spark plasma sintering (SPS). The relative sintered density of the alloy was about 97% of the theoretical density, indicating the suitability of the SPS technique to produce relatively dense material. The microstructure of the sintered HEA consisted of a BCC matrix and Laves phase, corresponding to the prediction of the thermodynamic CALPHAD simulation. The HEA exhibited a global Vickers microhardness of 531.5 ± 99.7 HV, while the individual BCC and Laves phases had hardness values of 364.6 ± 99.4 and 641.8 ± 63.0 HV, respectively. Its ultimate compressive and compressive yield strengths were 1235.7 ± 42.8 MPa and 1110.8 ± 78.6 MPa, respectively. The elasticity modulus of 34.9 ± 2.9 GPa of the HEA alloy was well within the range of cortical bone and significantly lower than the values reported for commonly used biomaterials made from Ti-based and Cr–Co-based alloys. In addition, the alloy exhibited good resistance to bio-corrosion in PBS and Hanks solutions. The CrMoNbTiZr HEA exhibited an average COF of 0.43 ± 0.06, characterized mainly by abrasive and adhesive wear mechanisms. The CrMoNbTiZr alloy’s mechanical, bio-corrosion, and wear resistance properties developed in this study showed a good propensity for application as a biomaterial.

High-entropy/multicomponent alloy (HEA/MCA) has received significant research attention in the last decade. There is a dearth of data-driven works dedicated to assessing and visualizing the HEA/MCA literature from a global perspective. To this end, we present the first bibliometric literature analysis of more than 3500 HEA/MCA articles, published between 2004 and 2021, in the Scopus database. We identify the most prolific authors, their collaborators, institutions, and most prominent research outlet. Co-occurrence networks of keywords are mapped and analyzed. A steep rise in research outputs is observed from 2013, when the number of annual publications doubled the previous years. The top five preferred research outlets include Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Materials Science and Engineering A, Scripta Materialia, Intermetallics, and Acta Materialia. Most of these publications emanate from researchers and institutions within China, USA, and Germany, although international scientific collaboration among them is lacking. Research gaps and future research directions are proposed, based on co-occurrence frequencies of author keywords. Finally, a brief systematic review of emerging applications, covering hydrogen storage, additive manufacturing, catalysis, and superconductivity, is undertaken. This work provides an important comprehensive reference guide for researchers to deepen their knowledge of the field and pursue new research directions.

We investigated the effect of sintering temperature and graphene content on the microstructure, densification, hardness, and wear properties of spark-plasma sintered (SPS) graphene-coated 316L stainless-steel powders. Four sintering temperatures (850, 900, 950, and 1000 °C) and graphene content of 0.01, 0.1, and 0.5 wt.% were investigated. Results showed that sintered density increased with the sintering temperature. Microstructural examination corroborated this result as distinct unsintered powder particles, sinter necks and large interparticle pores observed at 850 °C were annihilated at 1000 °C. The 316L stainless steel sintered specimen had a density of 7.27 g/cm3, which decreased slightly with increasing graphene content to 7.17 g/cm3 for the sample with 0.5 wt.% graphene coating. The sintering temperature and graphene content appeared not to have significant effect on the microhardness. For instance, microhardness for the reference 316L sintered specimen was 189 HV, compared to ~ 171 HV for all the graphene-coated 316L sintered specimens. X-ray diffraction analysis did not detect the formation of carbides in the sintered samples, which suggested that the sintering process minimized its formation. Raman spectroscopy indicated that sintering at 850 °C preserved the structure of graphene during the spark plasma sintering process. 

This thesis work is part of the BTH research lab, focusing on developing the early product development, by analyzing how to integrate the manufacturing process with the early design process. A known problem in the manufacturing industry is the knowledge gap between the designers and the manufacturing process. Where in the early stages of the product development a knowledge regarding the manufacture process is needed. This is in many cases ignored by the designers because it is commonly thought that the responsibility of selecting the manufacturing processes for a product falls upon the manufacturers, despite the fact that the manufacturing processes in reality is highly dependent upon the design choses such as materials, size, shape, finishing and tolerances of the product. To mitigate this problem a variations of product ‘team’ approaches have been used where the idea is to involve a multitude of people with the necessary experience to produce a ‘production friendly product’. Those approaches have a few drawbacks mainly the problem of finding people with the relevant experiences or that the expertise only covers the manufacturing processes already used in the organization, losing the opportunity to benefit from any alternative manufacturing process.

This thesis focuses on how the welding manufacturing technic, analysis can be integrated into the design process with the help of a digital model?

To improve the communications between the manufacturers and designers, two excel files were developed. The first excel file aimed at the manufacturers where they can present the specific machines used in the workshop. Focusing on specific machine and workshops instead of on the general welding method will give the designers a better understanding of the feasibility of producing their design in a specific workshop instead of focusing on a specific manufacturing method.

The second excel file is aimed at calculating and comparing the weld methods where the cost and requirements are derived for general welding methods and compared with the machine specifications gathered from the manufacturers using the first excel file. To assess the excel files, a parametrized CAD model of the rear engine turbine structure was developed, and three different cases were used to evaluate the developed excel files.

The values used are presented in Appendix A: Table 11–15, and were gathered from public sources. Values were also approximated using regression analysis.

The REMinE project is organized in five work packages that comprise: detailedcharacterization and risk assessment of the mine wastes selected (WP2), identification of new processing methods for mine waste (WP3), characterization and risk assessment of the remaining residuals (WP4), outlining business opportunities and environmental impact in a conceptual model for sustainable mining (WP5). The project comprises case studies of historical mine wastes from three different European countries, namely Portugal, Romania and Sweden. The interdisciplinary research collaboration in this project is innovative in the sense that separation of minerals and extraction of metals not only are basedon technical and economic gain but also considers the environmental perspective.

The geometrical aspects of laser hybrid welds (before, during and after the process) differ from autonomous laser welding and from arc welding. When studying the fatigue behaviour of laser hybrid welded fillet joints we identified that the micro-topography (i.e. the surface ripples) can be more important than the macrogeometry of the weld surface or lack of fusion (LOF), which frequently was detected. The plastic replica method was applied to measure the toe radii at the weld edges while the micro-topography was identified by interferometric profilometry. From metallurgical analysis of the joint interface, the tendency to LOF can be explained. Stress analysis was carried out by Finite element analysis (FEA) for the complex joint geometry and a bending load situation, showing maximum stress on the weld toes, even when including LOF. It was shown that the position and value of the maximum stress depends on a non-trivial combination of the weld geometry, including possible LOF, and the surface micro-topography. Thus it can be explained that at compressive stress conditions LOF does not contribute significantly to the fatigue strength of laser hybrid welds while the surface topography does. Recommendations for defining and in turn avoiding critical geometrical aspects during the welding process are discussed.

Grinding is a process of reducing the particle size distribution of an extracted ore commonly performed in tumbling mills. The process is complex with many factors affecting the result, predominately the ores physical and chemical properties. The ore feed to a concentrator varies and optimisation is important, since grinding has high energy consumption and therefore is an expensive process. In an attempt to increase the knowledge of pebble mill grinding, experiments were performed with a pilot-scale mill at the LKAB R&D facilities at Malmberget. The purposes of the experiments were to investigate how the mill reacts to changes in the system and to find out how the grinding ability is affected by the changes. The first set of experiments concentrated on different operational settings, varying the filling degree, the volume-% solids and the percentage of critical speed of the mill. In the second set of experiments, different pebbles mixtures with varying magnetite content and different size fractions were tested. An interesting response variable (result) is the product size for the different operational conditions, since higher amount of fine material < 45 μm can be seen as a probable increase of production rate. The environment inside a mill is too harsh for direct measurements and there is a lack of knowledge of the events occurring inside the mill. Information on the events in the charge can be achieved by the use of different sensors. In the experiments, a Continuous Charge Measurement (CCM) system by Metso Minerals has been used to learn more about the charge dynamics. This system consists of a strain gauge detector embedded in one rubber lifter and measures the deflection as the lifter passes through the charge in the mill. The information received from the deflection curve is used in the evaluation of the experiments. The data from the experiments have been analysed with the aid of a statistical program. The analyses show that there will be an increased production of fines at low critical speed especially when the mill has high filling degree. This setting will also increase the power consumption but it improves the grindability of the ore even more. A higher degree of filling also give a smaller toe angle and a higher shoulder angle as expected. In addition, there is an advantage to keep the magnetite pebbles fraction as high as possible. This will increase the power consumption and maximum deflection of lifters, but at the same time increase the amount < 45 μm, the grindability and the pebbles consumption. A pebble size fraction of 10-35 mm will improve the grindability and amount < 45 μm. To further increase the understanding of charge dynamics, simulations are used to possibly illustrate the events inside the mill. However, for simulations to be reliable it demands that they are verified against process data. Previously, a series of experiments with a steel media charge were performed with the CCM system installed and this provides an opportunity to validate simulation results. The measured lifter deflection signal is used to compare with signals from two- and three-dimensional DEM simulations of the pilot-scale mill. The resulting deflection signals from simulation show that the three-dimensional case displays a better profile and the difference of toe and shoulder angles are less than in the twodimensional case. This means that the simulations are more reliable when they are run in three dimensions and they may be used to increase the understanding of the mill and its charge.

Grinding is the process of reducing a particle size distribution of an extracted ore and is commonly performed in a tumbling mill. It is a complex procedure and there is a lack of knowledge of what really happens inside the mill. A number of pilot-scale experiments were done at LKAB's pilot plant at Malmberget, Sweden [1]. In this particular pilot mill, a continuous charge measurement system is installed in one of the lifters and it gives a deflection signal produced by the mill charge. From this signal it is possible to detect features correlated to the settings of the mill. Large, real experiments are very difficult to control and are of course, very costly and time consuming. A 10 cm slice of the mill was simulated with discrete element method (DEM) for different mill operating conditions. From the simulations a deflection signal was extracted and validated against real data. There is a difference in the signal, mainly due to the lack of slurry in the simulations, but the behaviour when the mills operating conditions changes seems to be the same in both the simulated and the measured signals. To analyse the data from the simulation a statistical analysis on a full factorial design was done. Two levels of degree of filling of the mill, two different rotational speeds, two levels of friction and different types of particles were selected as factors. The response data are two angles: toe and shoulder angle. The toe angle is when the lifter hits the charge and the shoulder angle is when the lifter leaves the charge. The analysis show that the toe angle increases when the degree of filling is low and the rotational speed is high. It is also clear that the particle shape influences the charge behaviour. The simulated changes correspond to changes detected in pilot mill runs. This is important since it validates the DEM model. In essence, mill simulations are easily done and the changes of factor levels cause the simulated mill to react in similar manner as in real cases. One advantage is that in simulations one factor can be isolated and changed while the others are kept at constant values, which in turn creates the possibility to investigate one factor at a time. In real experiments, the factors are more dependent on each other and there is a very high disturbance from noise.

Autogenous grinding is a process of reducing the particle size distribution of an extracted ore by using the ore itself as the grinding media. It is a process that is difficult to control and there is a lack of knowledge of the events occurring inside the mill. To find out more about how the mill behaves under different processing conditions, a full factorial test was performed with iron ore in a pilot-scale pebble mill at the LKAB R&D facility in Malmberget. To complement this work, a strain gauge detector was embedded in one of the mill’s rubber lifters, the Metso Minerals continuous charge measurement (CCM) system, and was used to get more information about the charge dynamics. The data from the experiments has been analyzed. For production purposes, an increase in the number of particles smaller than 45 μm can be regarded as a probable increase in the production rate. The analysis shows that there will be an increase in fines at 65% of critical speed, especially when the mill is 45% full. This setting will also increase the power consumption, but improves the grindability of the ore even more. The deflection of the lifters is smaller for lower critical speeds. A higher degree of filling also gives a smaller toe angle and a higher shoulder angle as expected.