Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Application of Plasma Technology in Iron and Steelmaking

  • Extractive & Process Metallurgy
  • Published:
JOM Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The potential for the application of plasma technology in metal oxide reduction and in iron and steelmaking is outlined and discussed. Recent evolution and developments in the plasma-based reactors employed in the production of iron, steel, and ferroalloys have been reviewed; the current status is outlined in terms of process control, flexibility in the raw materials consumed, product quality, and energy conservation. The advantages and limitations of thermal plasma-based reactors have been critically outlined and their potential to seriously challenge the blast furnace/basic oxygen furnace steelmaking route is considered.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. R. S. Barnes, “The Role of Nuclear Steelmaking,” Ironmaking and Steelmaking, 2(4) (1975), pp. 271–278.

    Google Scholar 

  2. I. G. Sayce, “Plasma Processes in Extractive Metallurgy,” Advances in Extractive Metallurgy and Refining, London, Inst. Min. Met., October 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  3. S. M. L. Hamblyn, “Plasma Technology and its Application to Extractive Metallurgy,” Mat. Sci. Eng., 9(3), July 1977.

  4. R. G. Gold, W. R. Sandall, P. G. Cheplick and D. R. MacRae, “Plasma Reduction of Iron Oxide with Hydrogen and Natural Gas at 100 kW and 1MW,” Iron and Steelmaking, January 1977.

  5. M. G. Fey and W. H. Reed, “Arc Heater Pyrolysis of Hydrocarbons,” Presented at 1980 Al Chem. Eng. Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (June 1980).

  6. F. D. Richardson and J. H. E. Jeffes, J.I.S.I., 160 (261) (1948).

  7. E. Pfender, “Electric Arcs and Arc Gas Heaters,” Gaseous Electronics, vol. 1, edited by M. N. Hirsh and H. J. Oskam, Academic Press, New York, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  8. G. J. Vogt, “Novel RF-Plasma System for the Synthesis of Ultrafine, Ultrapure, Sic and Si3N4” paper presented in the Mat. Res. Soc, 1983 Annual Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts.

  9. B. Gross, B. Gryca and K. Miklossy, “The Centrifugal Plasma Jet Furnace,” Materials Res. Std., 5 (1965), p. 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  10. D. Whyman, “A Rotating Wall DC-Arc Plasma Furnace,” Mat. Res. Std., 5 (1965), p. 173.

    Google Scholar 

  11. L. H. A. King, British Patent No. 1,043,384 (1966).

  12. J. K. Tylko, British Patent No. 1390351/3 (1971).

  13. W. S. Brzozowski and Z. Celinski, “Plasma Generators,” Bull. Acad. Poln. Sci. Ser. Sci. Techn., 5 (1962), p. 7.

    Google Scholar 

  14. A. T. Erokhin, “Plasma Processes in Metallurgy and Technology of Inorganic Materials” 70th Anniversary Academician Rykalin, Nauka, Moscow, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  15. D. A. Maniero, Westinghouse Engineer, 26, 1966, p. 66.

    Google Scholar 

  16. L. W. Scammon, U.S. Patent No. 3,661,764 (1972).

  17. D. R. MacRay, et al., U.S. Patent to Bethlehem Steel Corporation, No. 4,002,466 (1977).

  18. C. A. Pickles, A. McLean, C. B. Alcock and R. S. Segworth, “Investigation of a New Technique for the Treatment of Steel Plant Waste Oxides in an Extended Arc Flash Reactor,” in Advances in Ext. Met., Inst. Min. Met., London, (1977), p. 69.

    Google Scholar 

  19. J. J. Moore, K. J. Reid and J. M. Silvertson, “Production of Metastable Metallic Particles Directly From the Mineral Concentrate by In-Flight Plasma Reduction” paper presented in the Mat. Res. Soc. 1983 Annual Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts.

  20. P. A. Lovett, “Plasma Technology at SKF Steel Engineering AB,” The Metallurgist and Materials Technologist, October 1983, p. 513–515.

  21. P. A. Lovett, “Plasma Technology at SKF Steel Engineering AB,” The Metallurgist and Materials Technologist, October 1983, p. 513–515.

  22. N. DPonghis, A. Vidal and A. Poos, “Operation of a Blast Furnace with Superhot Reducing Gas,” Ironmaking Pro. 38, Detroit, 1979.

  23. “AMA Plasma Zirconia Grades,” Associated Minerals Consolidated Ltd., Company Brochure.

  24. C. Sheer, and S. Korman, U.S. Patent No. 2616843 (1952).

  25. C. Sheer, and S. Korman, U.S. Patent No. 2617761 (1952).

  26. C. Sheer, and S. Korman, U.S. Patent No. 3099614 (1963).

  27. C. Sheer, and S. Korman and T. J. Dougherty, “Arc Gasification of Coal,” 4th Intl. Symp. on Plasma Chemistry, Zurich, August 1979.

  28. S. Korman, T. J. Doughtery and C. Sheer, “Arc Desulfurization of Coal,” 4th Intl. Symp. on Plasma Chemistry, Zurich, August 1979.

  29. K. J. Reid, “Direct Steelmaking Based on Solid-Plasma Interactions,” Proc. 53rd Annual Meeting, Minn. Section, AIME and 41st Annual Mining Symp., 1980.

  30. J. K. Tylko, U.K. Patent No. 7913337 (1979).

  31. K. J. Reid, J. J. Moore and J. K. Tylko, “Reduction of Taconite in the Sustained Shockwave Plasma,” 5th Intl. Symp. on Plasma Chemistry, Edinburg, August 1981.

  32. K. J. Reid, J. J. Moore and J. K. Tylko, “The Application of the Sustained Shockwave Plasma (SSP) Reactor in Process Metallurgy,” 2nd World Congress of Chem. Eng., Montreal, October 1981.

  33. J. J. Moore, K. J. Reid, and J. K. Tylko, “Reduction of Lean Chromite Ore Using a New Type of Plasma Reactor,” paper presented at AIME Conference, Chicago, 1981.

  34. W. H. Gauvin, G. R. Kubanek and G. A. Irons, “The Plasma Production of Ferromolybdenum: Process Development and Economics,” J. Metals, 33(1) (1981), pp. 42–46

    Google Scholar 

  35. T. Mehmetoglu, W. H. Gauvin and F. Kitzinger, “Characteristics of Plasma Transferred Arcs,” 4th Intl. Symp. on Plasma Chemistry, Zurich, August 1979.

  36. N. A. Barcza, T. R. Curr, W. D. Winship and C. P. Heanley, “The Production of Ferrochromium in a Transferred-Arc Plasma Furnace,” 39th Elec. Fur. Conf., Houston, December 1981.

  37. B. Y. Paton, V. I. Lakomsky, G. F. Torkhov and V. A. Slyshankova, “Metallurgical Features of Plasma-Arc Remelting of High-Alloyed Steels in Water-Cooled Copper Crystallizer,” in Plasma Processes in Metallurgy, Joint Pub. Res. Center, Arlington, Virginia, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  38. C. Asada, T. Adachi, “Plasma Induction Heating” Proc. 3rd Intl. Symp. on Electroslag Melting Processes, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1971).

  39. T. Konoshito, “Plasma Electron Beam and its Application to Vacuum Metallurgy,” Shinku, 17 (12) (1975).

  40. J. D. Chase, and J. F. Shriven, “Process for the Beneficiation of Titaniferous Ores Utilizing a Hot Wall Continuous Plasma Reactor,” U.S. Patent No. 3856918 (1974).

  41. R. G. Gold, W. R. Sandall, P. G. Cheplick and D. R. MacRae, “Plasma Reduction of Iron Oxide with Hydrogen and Natural Gas at 100 kW and 1 MW,” Iron and Steelmaking, January 1977.

  42. D. R. MacRae, et al., “Ferrovanadium Production by Plasma Carbothermic Reduction of Vanadium Oxide,” 34th Electric Furnace Conf., December 1976.

  43. F. Kassabji, “Technical and Economic Studies for Metal Production by Plasma Steelmaking Application,” 4th Intl. Symp. on Plasma Chemistry, Zurich, August 1979.

  44. B. Pateyron, J. Aubreton, F. Kassabji and P. Fauchais, “New Design of Reduction Plasma Furnaces Including the Electrical Transfer to the Bath and the Falling Film,” 5th Intl. Symp. on Plasma Chemistry, Edinburgh, August 1981.

  45. C. A. Pickles, “A Review of Plasma Smelting,” Symposium on The Industrial Opportunities for Plasma Technology, Toronto, October 1982.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mineral Resources Research Center, University of Minnesota, 56 East River Road, 55455, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

    Kamleshwar Upadhya, John J. Moore (Associate Professor, Metallurgical Engineering) & Kenneth J. Reid (Director)

Authors
  1. Kamleshwar Upadhya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. John J. Moore
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kenneth J. Reid
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Dr. Upadhya received his BSc in metallurgical engineering from B.H.U., India and a PhD in metallurgy from the University of Strathclyde, U.K. He is the author of several publications in the areas of slag-metal reactions, corrosion of metals, and plasma processing of minerals. He was the recipient of the John Chipman Award in 1981. His current research interests include thermodynamics and kinetics of metallurgical extraction processes, hot corrosion of metals and alloys, and plasma processing of minerals. Dr. Upadhya is a member of The Metallurgical Society of AIME.

Dr. Reid received his BSc in chemical engineering from the University of Birmingham, England (1957) and PhD from Cambridge University (1960). Before his appointment to his current position as director of the Mineral Resources Research Center and professor of mineral engineering at University of Minnesota, he worked for CSIRO in Australia where he conducted basic research on simulation and control of grinding classification and flotation systems; served as associate professor at McGill University, Montreal; and created and headed IPAC Services, a department which provides technical services in process analysis and control for two principal mining companies in Zambia.

Dr. Moore received his BSc in metallurgy from the University of Surrey, England and PhD in industrial metallurgy from the University of Birmingham, England. He has worked as a steelworks metallurgist and an industrial engineering-production control manager. At the University of Minnesota, he is responsible for the Process Technology Division of the Mineral Resources Research Center. He is a member of The Metallurgical Society of AIME.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Upadhya, K., Moore, J.J. & Reid, K.J. Application of Plasma Technology in Iron and Steelmaking. JOM 36, 46–56 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03339937

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03339937

Keywords

Search

Navigation