Arcelor decided to implement the automation of the machines of coke ovens in order to facilitate the working conditions and to reduce the exposure of the operators to the emissions of smokes, to improve the reliability of the installations and to improve the productivity of the ovens. The work has been achieved over a period of five years and included the upgrading of the machines to grant them reliability that allows their automation, the automation of the machines (coke car, coke guides, charging car and pushing car) and the supervision in a control room of four machines and the data transmission. This project required the development of tools for positioning the machines and for the identification of the ovens. At the same time, particular attention was paid to improving safety of the accesses. As from January 2005, the automation of the machines has been achieved for both coke plants. Further improvements are already considered, concerning in particular the coke wharf and the monitoring of the coke line by infrared camera.

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.

Low slag volumes favour high productivities. In the case of Sidmar, the burden consists of more than 90 % sinter. The iron content of the sinter has been optimized. Slag volume is thus reduced and productivity between 65-70 tHM/m2.24h is achieved. At high pulverized coal injection rates, the residence time of the coke increases substantially and a higher degree of degradation is to be expected. Therefore, a careful monitoring of the coke and sinter quality is of prime importance. This paper describes the coke and sinter quality used in the Sidmar blast furnaces to control permeability of the furnace with long term PCI rates of 180 kg/tHM and coke rates around 300 kg/tHM. A global quality index has been defined which is well correlated with the blast furnace productivity. Sidmar believes that the quality requirements of the burden can directly be linked with the requested productivity and that good operational practices are necessary for optimization of that productivity.