Altair Webinar : From Mine to Blast Furnace – Optimising the Steelmaking Process with EDEM Bulk Material Simulation

One of the main challenges faced by the steelmaking industry is to improve energy efficiency while maintaining steel quality.  

Bulk materials such as iron ore, coal, pellets and sinter are at the core of the steelmaking process. From transporting raw materials from the mines to the plant by wagons, moving materials on conveyor belts to the blast furnace and the actual charging of the furnace, efficient handling and processing of those materials is critical to achieve efficiency.  

Typical challenges linked to bulk materials handling include spillage, blockage and wear as well as material segregation. Understanding the solid burden flow and the formation of the cohesive zone in the blast furnace is also critical to ensure performance and stability.  

This webinar will introduce EDEM bulk material simulation software and explain how it can be used to optimize a range of operations and processes as part of the steelmaking process.  

Topics covered: 

1) Raw material handling and transportation: improving performance and reliability of equipment such as transfer chutes, coal wagons, bucket elevators, screw augers and more. 

2) Processes: optimizing performance of machines such as cone crushers, mills, vibrating screens, dryers and mixers. 

3) Blast furnace: minimizing segregation in charging process, optimizing material distribution and dispersal, predicting areas of equipment wear, simulating realistic solid burden flow and solid and gas flow.  

Presenter : Dr Andrew Grima, B. Eng (Mech), PHD, Chief Operating Officer, Bulk Materials Engineering Australia (University of Wollongong)