This award will support the participation of eight U.S. scientists in a joint seminar on "Fundamentals of Bath Smelting and Clean Steel Production," to be held in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in October 1991. The meeting will focus on fundamental research on methods of developing new ironmaking technologies that use coal directly and processes to prodice high quality "clean" steels. The co-organizers are Professor Richard J. Fruehan and Alan W. Cramb, Department of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science, Carnegie Mellon University and Professor Nobuo Sano, Department of Metallurgy, University of Tokyo. This is the third joint seminar in the general area of steelmaking, with the others being held in 1976 and 1983. Technically advanced countries, such as the United States and Japan, must develop new iron and steelmaking processes that are economical, pose fewer environmental problems, and produce high quality steels for national and international markets. Both countries are developing such processes to produce high quality or ultra clean steel. Such steels are required for new steel products and improved current products, such as those for automotive applications. It is in higher quality steels that the United States and Japan have some advantage over lower cost producing nations and must maintain their advantage. In the process of bath smelting there are many fundamental generic problems. Whereas much of the practical know how for the process is confidential in nature, the generic fundamental research is not. Examples of fundamental research include slag foaming, reduction reactions, and solution of ore and coal. The joint seminar will provide a unique forum for discussing this research which will, in the long term, benefit each country's efforts to develop a new process.
