In metals industry Mass Flow Analysis (MFA) has a long tradition.Combined with scenario calculation this method can for examplebe used to estimate the future development of scrap availabilityand metal composition. Despite the unknown inaccuracy ofsuch calculations what regional distribution of material, lifetimeor growth rates concerns highly valuable information can begenerated to support the industrial business strategy.
When particular products or metal applications in functionalunits become the scope of such calculations besides massflow often energy consumption and emissions appear on theagenda. And, unfortunately, metals are recycled (of courseonly from a methodological and not from a resource point ofview). At that point MFA crosses the border from being a staticsnapshot of an existing system towards a time depending lifecycle approach. Besides volume, quality, and location time isintroduced as a fourth dimension and the dilemma starts. Inthe past one approach was to develop depreciation modelsto allocate the expenditures of mining and primary metalproduction of Copper and Aluminium according to the recycledcontent. But latter is even more disputable since metal recyclingcannot be treated as an alternative production route achievingthe original properties and chemical composition. And, as aresult of its electrochemical behavior, each metal cycle lookscompletely different compared to any other. Consequentlythe general acceptance of the existing allocation methods forrecycling in life cycle models is still low.
In case of Aluminium the historic primary metal productioncumulates to an amount of almost 900 million tons worldwide.With the aid of recycling 75% of this material could be conservedin the current inventory in use. As this stock significantly contributesto todays and future's raw material supply the following questionarises: Can metallic materials have a defined history andtherewith an ecological hereditary debt, which will be reducedby further recycling cycles? If the answer would be yes, ona highly aggregated level, another more practical questionwould be whether such a credit should be based on the historicexpenditures of primary production or better considering thefuture recycling potential of the inventory in use. In these casesrecycling credits are either overestimated or underestimateddepending on the lifetime and herewith the deviation fromcurrent End of Life recycling practices.

Life Cycle Assessment is a powerful method to compare thefull environmental burden assignable to products, services orprocesses. In the framework of ULCOS project, this methodwas chosen to assess the environmental burden of futureiron and steel making processes. We propose here a novelmethodology which consists in replacing the traditional datacollection by a rigorous physico-chemical calculation. Suchan approach allows precise environmental assessment ofexisting or future processes.

The cracking behaviour of the oxide layer formed duringhot rolling has been studied together with differentcombinations of process parameters in order to find theirsingle influence on the surface quality and formation ofoxide defects. Several trials have been performed on theCRM pilot line to study in detail the impact of strip reduction,strip temperature, entry scale thickness, roll degradation,lubrication, skin cooling, chemical composition andhumidity on the scale behaviour. In general the degree ofdeformation, entry scale thickness and rolling temperaturesare the more important parameters and the importancedecreases in that order.

The paper presents the new Mo free duplex stainless steelUR2202 (EN 1.4062) developed to provide a cost effectivealternative to 304L (EN 1.4307), concrete, organic materialsor galvanized carbon steel in potable water systems, pulp &paper industry and construction applications. The reductionof Ni is balanced by a nitrogen addition in order to obtaina microstructure containing approximately 50% ferrite and50% austenite. Several industrial heats were produced with22Cr%, 2Ni% and 0.2N% as the typical composition. Thenew lean duplex grade UR2202 has better localized anduniform corrosion resistance and twice the yield strengththan 304L.

Due to recent nickel price volatility, ferritic stainless steels,having no or very low nickel content, can be very interestingto stainless steels users. Ferritic represents only about26% of the total stainless steel production nowadays. Thepaper presents the ferritic stainless steel family: mechanicalproperties of the grade including drawability as well ascorrosion resistance properties. Experimental data of thenewly developed 20% Cr ferritic grade are discussed andcompared to the properties of existing 200 and 300 seriesgrades. High temperature properties of ferritic stainlesssteels designed for exhaust systems are also presented.

The selective oxidation of three CMnSi steels with differentC levels was studied by XPS. The formation of a graduallycovering SiO2 film is observed until a transition temperatureabove which the oxide film disappears, resulting in a renewedappearance of metallic iron at the surface. This change inoxidation behavior is thought to be due to the SiO2 reductionby solute C which is thermodynamically favorable at hightemperature. At the same time the precipitation of a BN filmon the metallic surface was observed which prevented anyfurther oxidation.

An approach is proposed for the evaluation of surface fatiguedamage of hot forming tools that undergo severe thermomechanical loading. Fatigue crack propagation in a hot worktool steel X38CrMoV5-47HRC is investigated using singleedgecracked tension specimens with 3 different thicknesses(2.5, 1, 0.6 mm) and two R-values. The stress intensity factoris evaluated with ABAQUS®. Paris curves are established forthe crack propagation experiments.

High cycle thermal fatigue due to the mixing of hot andcold fluids may initiate cracking in pipes of safety relatedcircuits. A method has been developed to identify suchfluid mixing zones subjected to potential thermal fatiguedamage. This method is based on a loading model and amechanical model that depend on the main characteristicsof the mixing zone and on the material properties. It issupported by a large experimental program. This methodhas been applied to all the mixing zones of safety relatedcircuits of the EDF pressurised water reactors, allowingto identify sensitive zones and to apply an appropriateinspection program that ensures the control of the risk dueto this damage mechanism.

The equivalent fatigue approach is a method for transformingcomplicated loadings into simpler ones, equivalent in termsof damage, without information about the geometry of thestructure. It has been used for the design specifications ofmetallic structures, for the conditions of their tests trials, andfinally for the characterization of customers and markets.The case of the one input equivalent fatigue approach hasbeen thoroughly investigated at PSA. The current work treatsthe extension of the equivalent fatigue approach to the caseof multi-input loadings. Especially the aim of this paper isto develop Markov chain models for the equivalent fatigueloadings.

GI coatings are covered by a very thin aluminum layerthat precipitates after wiping. Anisotropic growing of zinccrystals during solidification induces a strong basal texturein GI coatings. Skin-pass induced changes in GI coatingsurface chemistry, crystallography and reactivity have beenassessed. Local coating analyses have been performed (XPS,TOF-SIMS) in order to describe local effects of roughnessindentation during skin-pass on coating characteristics. A laboratory bi-crushing device supported by XRD and EBSDhas been used to analyze the aluminum oxide behaviourduring deformation and ageing. Reactivity of such surfaceshas been tested using fatty acids.

A new grade of the 200 series has been defined for theEuropean market as a candidate alternative to austeniticgrade EN 1.4301 (AISI 304). The grade was recentlyassigned a material number by VDEh (1.4618 - X9CrMnNiCu17-8-5-2). The paper presents mechanical properties ofthe grade including drawability and corrosion resistancecharacteristics. The newly designed grade has mechanicalproperties slightly superior to those of EN 1.4301 (AISI304) and equivalent to those of EN 1.4310 (AISI 301)grade. In terms of corrosion resistance, the grade is closeto that of grade EN 1.4301 (AISI 304), upgrading theclassical 200 series.

Among the local impacts which are considered within the SubProgram 9.3 of the ULCOS project for the assessment of technologiessustainability, air quality is a key issue for the evaluation ofthe environmental impact of a steel plant in its surrounding area. Inthis paper a method based on the use of air dispersion modellingis proposed for the assessment of the ULCOS technologies on thebasis of the concentration in the atmosphere of the main pollutants(NOx, SO2, TSP, PM10, PM25, CO, Pb, PCDD) produced by theplant. For performing this task the AERMOD model, a widely usedmodel belonging to class of Gaussian models, was used. For exploitingAERMOD it was necessary to characterize the case base plantspecifying the positions and dimensions of its main parts and itsstacks as well as the characteristics of their emissions. Furthermoreit was necessary to collect information on the meteorological conditionsand the terrain of the considered zone. The results, measuredin terms of average concentration of the pollutants at ground level,show that such concentrations are below the limits established bycurrent legislation. In the future these results will be used for comparisonsof the case base with new technologies.

RWTH Aachen University has a long history as a researchorganisation and as an institution of education. It is known as aprogressive, modern and forward-looking institution among students,industrial partners and citizens. RWTH Aachen Universityrecognises its responsibility towards society, it has establishedand demonstrated flexibility and adaptability over the years andit is determined to improve its international visibility.
Within the Excellence Initiative of the German federal and stategovernments, RWTH Aachen University has been awardedfunding for its future concept. This allows a greater concentrationon the clear stated goals and principles of the university,one of which is to train a highly-qualified and responsible newgeneration of academics for the benefit of business and society,research and teaching. RWTH Aachen University has developeda strategic plan which is reflected in the Institutional Strategyand leads to a super ordinate goal: In contrast to a university primarilycharacterised by the coexistence of individual strengths,especially in engineering, RWTH is developing into an integratedinterdisciplinary university of technology that is able to meetglobal challenges.
Six interdisciplinary forums at RWTH (e.g. Forum MaterialsScience, Forum Technology and Society) are engaged toprovide a better integration and cooperation among all scientificareas. Working groups within the forums and the differentdepartments at the university collaborate in order to make afaster progress in cross-cutting research fields. Interdisciplinarypathfinder project proposals were submitted and doctoral theses,e.g. “Development of materials and technologies in the mirror ofliterature” and “Material design against the background of technologyand society”, are begun at our Department of FerrousMetallurgy, Chair for Metallurgy of Iron and Steel. In cooperationbetween different departments of Material Sciences andthe Humanities we have set up a project relating to “Materials,symbolic meanings of materials and identity construction”. Thespeakers of the Forums support the dialog between academicworld, industry, society and politics.
The best researchers are supposed to contribute and collaborate.That is why the social surroundings and environment should beappropriately arranged. Modifications in organization and structureat RWTH Aachen University have been made. With its largenumber of projects for integration and support for newly-appointedresearchers and their families, Dual Career Programme,Parent Service Office, efforts to internationalise all the facultiesand to inspire young people to be the future generation of engineers,scientists and leaders in industry and society, demonstratesthe strong will to learn and teach.
RWTH Aachen University is looking ahead with a great optimismthat it will succeed in Meeting Global Challenges in the next 10years and that it will bring valuable information, research anddevelopment to the SOVAMAT Initiative.

Le projet PREDIT CRISFIS (financé parl’ADEME) consiste à étudier conjointementles aspects crissement et fissurationdes freins à disques haute puissancepour le ferroviaire. Dans cet article,les avancées concernant la partie fissurationsont abordées. Une démarche expérimentaleet de modélisation est adoptée dans le butde mieux comprendre la fissurationdes disques. Des essais de freinage réaliséssur banc d’essai industriel à l’échelle 1sont présentés. Dans un premier temps,l’influence du type de garniture surle chargement thermique vu par le disqueest étudiée au moyen d’une camérade thermographie infrarougeet de thermocouples implantés dansles garnitures et dans le disque de frein.Dans un deuxième temps, les chargementsthermiques extraits des filmsthermographiques sont utilisés commedonnées d’entrée pour des calculsthermomécaniques. Enfin, les résultatsdes modélisations et des essais sont corrélésaux endommagements observéssur les disques.

The new Mo free duplex stainless steel UR2202 wasdeveloped by Industeel in close cooperation with Ugitech -Schmolz + Bickenbach. It can be used in many constructionor transport applications, as a substitute for 304 and 304L.With at least the same corrosion properties, the new UR2202has higher mechanical properties. This provides the potentialfor significant weight savings for fabricated tanks, pressurevessels etc., when compared to the austenitic grade.Different welding products are considered to achievehomogeneous or heterogeneous welds with the lean duplexbase metal and can be selected according to the requiredcorrosion resistance, toughness and tensile properties.

Non destructive testing techniques, like Eddy Current andUltrasound, are common practice today in any roll shop.Pomini Tenova, with its considerable experience gainedinstalling more than 350 inspection systems throughout theworld, designed its new generation inspection system tomeet growing customer demands for system performance,adherence to quality, health and safety. The new Inspektor.NET system is the result of an intelligent manufacturingproject which guarantees improved performance in EddyCurrent and Ultrasound scans.

The ULCORED coal based concept is simulated based onthe production of syngas using existing coal gasificationtechnology. The shifter gives the option to produce CO2-leanH2 from coal/biomass for in plant use. Large CO2 emissionsarise on site from the use of natural gas in heating ovens andfrom the use of electricity in EAF melting. In the case of thesecoal based systems, production of “excess gas” to be used asfuel gas in various processes will reduce the CO2 emissionfor the total site.

SSSA is involved in the Subproject 9 Scenarios, Sustainability,Dissemination & Training, in particularly in the Work Package4. This KPI, developed at SSSA, measures the most importanteffects in the EU/Rest of the World Steel Trade due to theimplementation of a new technology: a quantitative approachhas been used in order to evaluate the EU raw materialdependence from the rest of the world and an approachboth qualitative and quantitative has been used in order tocalculate the variations in the EU competitiveness. An importantconsideration in the development of KPIs is the selection of theappropriate measurement categories. The selection is based,first of all, on the quantification of the European dependencethrough the weight of the non EU supplier countries andthrough the weight of the most important raw materials in theproduction process, then on the measurement of the Europeancompetitiveness. The article describes the methodology andthe algorithms applied in the steel sector. Finally, some resultsare shown and discussed.

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.

The Direct Reduction process can be carried out usingsyngas from biomass. Mathematical models of theintegrated process gasification plus direct reductionhave been used to evaluate flow rate, temperature andcomposition of the gas in the various steps of the wholeprocess. Fluidised bed gasification and operation withtechnological oxygen at high pressures is the proposedsolution to produce syngas. Best candidates for suchapplication are biomass from forest and wood industryand agricultural residues. Both of such type of biomassare present and distributed in many European areasin such amount to make industrially possible their use,taking into account the logistic requirements. A costbetween 30-60 Euros/t DRI is roughly estimated.
The characteristics of the syngas implies the adoptionof purification steps, before the use of the syngas inthe shaft furnace, using technologies permitting hot gascleaning, to save energy efficiency of the process.