An advanced numerical model has been used to diagnose casting practices for a peritectic grade in a Scandinavian steel producer. The model solves the Navier-Stokes equations by use of an interface tracking technique known as the Volume of Fluid (VOF). Furthermore, the model considers heat transfer, solidification and uses Discrete Phase Model to simulate a multiple phase system of steel, slag and argon. As a result, it is possible to predict the metal flow and slag infiltration as well as their influence on the heat flux and solidification under the effect of gas Injection and for transient conditions. Recent improvements to the model include a separation between mould powder and slag film and the consideration of the effect of crystallization on the interfacial resistance for a peritectic mould powder. The casting parameters analysed consist of the casting speed Interlocked with oscillation settings, Submerged Entry Nozzle (SEN) Immersion depths and argon injection flow rates. These practices were optimised by performing parametric studies to evaluate the shell growth, lubrication depth, cooling channel heat flux, etc. The application of the model allows for a prediction of trends and the results provide opportunities for further Improvement in the form of guidelines for the process and enhanced operational windows. The model has been tested under industrial conditions and the results indicate the improvements of the surface quality and process stability can be obtained.

In the frame of the European Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS programme), in the last 15 years many research and demonstration projects have been carried out on different aspects of EAF technology, aiming at improving the process performance in terms of energy and resource optimisation, flexibility and environmental impact. This effort contributed to the development of a number of technological solutions in terms of process modelling, measurement systems and process control. Within the RFCS programme, in 2014 and 2015 the project "Valorisation and dissemination of EAF technology" (VALEAF) was carried out. This project aimed at analysing and disseminating the most important results of European research projects dealing with the different aspects of EAF technology. The paper will presents the applied methods as well as the achieved results and deliverables of the dissemination work performed in the VALEAF project. It will covers the critical analysis of the results obtained in more than 60 EU funded projects with respect to the main topics of EAF technology. The most important results in these fields were selected for valorisation and dissemination within a series of seminars and workshops, which turned out to be a useful step forward to diffuse and favour the exploitation of the findings, and to provide a clear picture of the actual status of European EAF technology. Finally future industrial targets and requirements for further research activities were identified, and a roadmap for future developments of EAF technology was defined.

In this work, the contact stresses and temperatures during hot and cold rolling have been measured. A work roll containing three different sensors was used for the measurements. There were two contact devices for directly measuring forces and one temperature sensor. One sensor was the "ROLLSURF" sensor. Results obtained with this sensor have been presented earlier [1-3], The measurement principle is based on deformation measurements with strain gauges which were placed on an internal cradle-type roll insert. The second sensor was a friction pin sensor. The forces on the top of the pin were measured by three axis piezoelectric-transducers. The pin sensor was mounted inside the work roll opposite to the ROLLSURF sensor. The third sensor was a thermocouple placed next to the pin sensor. The temperatures were measured very close to the roll surface. The surface boundary conditions including the heat flux and surface temperatures were computed using inverse modelling calculations developed at Brno University of Technology. The main task of this paper is to show a comparison of the contact forces and contact length measured with the strain-gauge sensor and the pin-sensor.

This study, in the area of non-destructive testing and measuring technology, shows that it is possible to inspect and determine the mechanical properties and micro structure of a material using electro-magnetic technique. The goal has been to on-line determine material properties like residual stress distributions, variations in tensile strength and fatigue strength in a material. In the project the latest in materials inspection using electro-magnetic methods combined with statistic modelling is used. The project has shown that these new methods can non-destructively determine the mechanical properties of a material or a machine detail. It is believed that this measuring technique has a clear place in industry.

Mill rolling process of seamless pipe was simulated with the aim of applying grain refinement through the formation of intragranular ferrite on VN precipitated inside austenitic grains, for production of as-hot rolled microstructures, which are currently attained only by in-line normalising. Tests were performed on V+N and V+N(Ti) steels using two types of schedules with long and short transfer/heating times prior to sizing between 930-830°C. It was found that transfer/heating time between high temperature rolling and low temperature sizing could be used for precipitation of VN in austenite which in turn can nucleate intragranular ferrite grains on cooling. To facilitate the precipitation process of VN a sub-micro-addition of Ti was used which also helps to restrain austenite grain growth during piercing and pipe forming. Subsequent V(C,N) precipitation of the remaining vanadium in the ferrite contributes precipitation strengthening. Hot rolling followed by intragranular ferrite formation in 0.1%V-0.015%N-0.005%Ti steel is able to develop a fine ferrite-pearlite microstructure with an average ferrite grain size of 7um.