Primary Metallurgy
Research group information
Unit and faculty
Contact information
Research group leader
- Associate Professor
Research group description
Profile
The Primary Metallurgy Research Group focuses on the study of melting and refining processes in steelmaking, most importantly electric arc furnace (EAF) and converters. Through experimentation, simulation, and comprehensive analysis of the process fundamentals, we seek to develop efficient CO2-lean operating practices in collaboration with the forerunners of the steel industry. Our current efforts are focused on sustainable steelmaking practices, with a specific emphasis on utilizing CO2-free direct reduced iron (DRI) in EAFs and smelters. As for converters, we have extensive experience in argon-oxygen decarburization (AOD) and basic oxygen furnaces (BOF). Hot metal desulfurization is also one of our research areas. We have competencies particularly in the development of dynamic mathematical models, utilization of computational thermodynamics and high-temperature experiments, and characterization and modification of metallurgical slags. Our team collaborates actively with leading research groups and we warmly welcome visiting researchers studying primary metallurgy.
Research areas
- Hot metal pretreatments
- Electric arc furnaces
- Electric smelters
- Hydrogen plasma smelting reduction
- Converters
Research tools
- Reaction kinetics: thermodynamic-kinetic reaction models, data-driven models, process models, high-temperature experiments (metal-slag, metal-refractory, metal-gas)
- Reaction equilibria: computational thermodynamics (FactSage, Thermo-Calc, HSC Chemistry), thermogravimetry
- Fluid flows: computational fluid dynamics (Fluent, COMSOL), physical modelling
- Characterization: FE-SEM/EDS, XRF, XRD, OES, DSC-TGA