The objective of the project is to set a cornerstone step towards the decarbonization of the EU steel sectors and to support the decarbonization of iron alloys production. In this project, the flexible utilization of several alternative SCCs will be demonstrated in EAF and BF based production routes.
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In EAF steel production, three different modes of utilization will be tested (single injection point, multiple injection point and combination of injection and charging) at industrial level.
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In BF based production route an analysis and feasibility study will consider utilization in coke making, sintering and injection in BF.
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In iron alloys plant, SCCs will be used for FeCr production.
Moreover, the activities are integrated with the development of digital platform for materials management inside the factory and the integration of a Decision Support System (DSS) able to monitor, identify and suggest the optimal process recipe, depending on the current process conditions. Moreover, the storage and handling of the SCC will be optimized via sensors and product passport, able to, respectively, monitor the state of the materials and trace their origin and previous life. CROSSCUT is not limited to specific materials but is aimed at multi-material and flexible utilization of different SCCs. Multi-material utilization in integrated and EAF-based routes, in fact, has not tested at high TRL to the best of our knowledge yet.
Specific Objectives
Objective 1: Identification and industrial test of SCCs to be used in EAF
Objective 2: Improved injection systems of SCC for EAF
Objective 3: Identification use and assessment of SCCs for FeCr production in SAF
Objective 4: Identification and preliminary characterization of SCCs to be used in integrated route
Objective 5: Reduction of CO2 in the CROSSCUT case studies
Objective 6: Development of Digital Product Passport (DPP) and guideline framework to track and highlight the secondary raw materials use in steel and Fe alloys production
Objective 7: Optimise the handling and storage system for efficient utilization of SCCs
Objective 8: Integration of digital technologies to achieve process optimisation in energy efficient of steelmaking
Objective 9: Showcase the effectiveness and transferability of the proposed improvements in BF steelmaking, through a virtual demonstrator
Methodology
The project is based on long term utilization of SCCs able to replace coal for BF and EAF production and for FeCr production. In these production routes it is foreseen a flexible utilization of materials, with long term trials and collection of data, which are analysed with Machine Learning tool, with the scope to optimize the operating practices. The project foresees:
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Collection of material and inventory, targeting the utilization at European level of about 600.000t of SCCs as global amount. In the project activities, assuming an utilization of 10kg/t of produced steel, long term trials will require a minimum amount of 3000t of SCCs;
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Feasibility of utilization of the different SCCs in integrated route (cokemaking, sintering, blast furnace)
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Adaptation or setting of injection systems (injectors for EAF) to be able to use a mix of SCCs as fossil coal substitute.
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Feasibility study to use SCCs in the integrated route (coke-making, sintering and BF)
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Specification of BF injection system for multimaterial injection
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Development of a digital platform to manage the SCCs utilization inside an integrated steel factory taking into account and coupling the characteristics of the materials with specific processes (cokemaking, sintering, BF)
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Development of a digital environment able to collect and generate continuous reporting on plant performances.
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Development of an AI based DSS to support operators in optimising the flexible injection process.
Work Packages
WP1 (RINA-CSM): project management deals with all aspect related to management, reporting, financial monitoring and interactions with EU Commission.
WP2 (RINA-CSM): Specification processes and materials and materials: this WP is aimed at collection of materials characteristics (available data and tailored analysis and plant detailed technical specifications.
WP3 (FENO): Industrial scenario adaptation contains all the actions and adjustment and installation necessary to perform materials injection in BF and EAF plants.
WP4 (RINA-CSM): Advanced monitoring and DSS development, dealing with development of digital tool customised on flexible utilization of SCC.
WP5 (LME): Industrial trials in EAF: long term utilization of SCCs: dealing with long term utilization of SCCs testing different ways of injection and charging.
WP6 (ADI): SCCs utilization in integrated route, concerning its feasibility with utilization of models for utilization in cokemaking, sintering and BF.
WP7 (SWERIM): SCCs utilization in FeCr production, concerning analysis of materials, definition of briquetting process and industrial trials for FeCr production, with minimum target of 20% SCCs utilization.
WP8 (SIDENOR): Transferability of CROSSCUT approach, with analysis of utilization in other steel plant and transferability of results to DRI production.
WP9 (SWERIM): Business model and assessment of Results.
WP10 (RINA-CSM): Dissemination, communication, and exploitation, including all activities to share and disseminate results with tailored dissemination and communication plan.
