Innovative by
multi-partner projects
At Dillinger, innovation always takes center stage, not only internally and with our customers, but also through participation in multi-partner projects. These projects are designed to bring together the necessary expertise, laboratory and plant technology to enable synergy effects for faster new and further developments.
Motivation
Cooperation in multi-partner projects makes it possible to address development needs and ideas in which not only we, but also other institutes, companies and society are interested. Such projects would either take too long or overtax our own resources if they were developed exclusively internally.
Partners
In line with all compliance regulations, we combine our steel and process know-how as well as our industrial plant and laboratory technology with specialized universities, research institutes and industrial companies from various sectors in order to integrate the specific spectrum of expertise in each case. If necessary, we also make use of public funding.
Current projects
TransZeroWaste
Upgrading of low-quality iron ores and mill scale with low carbon technologies
Considering the ambitious pollutant emission reductions expected of the steel sector in the coming years, development of novel solutions to address the transition to clean steel production and the switch to more environmentally friendly production technologies are of fundamental importance. Due to the transition from carbon-based iron and steel production to green steel production with hydrogen (H2), most current production units such as sinter plant, blast furnace (BF) and basic oxygen furnace (BOF) will in the future be replaced by the direct reduction process (DR process) followed by the electric arc furnace (EAF). In consequence, a complete replacement of the existing highly efficient internal recycling via sinter plant by new developments is needed.
Within the TransZeroWaste project new technologies are being developed to assist in this regard and promote the reuse of steel residues in the production process, namely through the hydrometallurgical removal of impurities from oily mill scale and sludge, together with pelletization, briquetting and microwave treatment of currently discarded iron containing materials. In addition, upgrading of low-grade ore in combination with suitable Fe-baring by-products will be included in the project’s development activities.
Material investigation and pre-trials on lab-scale of all iron-baring by-products of BF-BOF- and EAF-route in combination with a Material Flow Analysis (MFA) of two distinct sites steel production plants, before and after the transition incorporating the novel TransZeroWaste technologies, thorough literature research and thermochemical calculations form the basis for the ongoing developments. One of the sites (AG der Dillinger Hüttenwerke – Dillinger) operates a BF-BOF integrated steel plant with transformation to DR- ore-based-EAF-route, while the other (CELSA) operates a scrap based EAF adding DR for e.g. recycling of scale.
Meanwhile, based on these findings and ongoing pre-trials on lab-scale, the optimization of layout and construction of the projects pilot plants have been started. One of the pilot plants, the microwave kiln for removal of unwanted residuals such as e.g. zinc from the iron-containing scale, dust, sludge, etc. will be installed and operated at Dillinger during the project for adjustment and testing under industrial environment conditions.
Further information on the project:
The projects partners LUXEMBOURG INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (LIST), VDEH-BETRIEBSFORSCHUNGSINSTITUT GMBH (BFI), COMPANIA ESPANOLA DE LAMINACION SL (CELSA BARCELONA), K1-MET GMBH (K1-MET), UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE VALENCIA (UPV), INNCEINNMAT SL (CEINNMAT), AKTIEN-GESELLSCHAFT DER DILLINGER HUTTENWERKE (DILLINGER), INSTITUTO DE SOLDADURA E QUALIDADE (ISQ), ESTEP PLATEFORME TECHNOLOGIQUE EUROPEENNE DE L’ACIER (ESTEP), PROIGMENES EREVNITIKES & DIAHIRISTIKES EFARMOGES (AMSOLUTIONS), SIEC BADAWCZA LUKASIEWICZ – INSTYTUTMETALURGII ZELAZA IM. STANISLAWASTASZICA (IMZ), AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS (CSIC), provide an efficient cooperation to join research and industrial expertise and facilities.
