0832427 Michigan Technological University; S. Kawatra 0832700 University of Utah; H. Sohn
The purpose of this proposal is to start a new I/UCRC entitled "I/UCRC for Fundamental Studies of Advanced Sustainable Iron and Steel" to develop new knowledge, tools, hardware, and personnel required for the iron and steel industries. The proposed center will be a collaborative project between Michigan Technological University (MTU), and the University of Utah (UoU). The proposed center will promote research to improve the understanding of iron reduction and steelmaking processes. The research to be conducted at the center has the potential to develop new process methods that should break away from the process restrictions imposed by the current blast furnace steelmaking operations. It would also involve investigation of different ways to convert iron oxides to metallic iron, and to investigate methods for conducting life cycle analysis and the reduction of wastes and emissions generated by the steel making process. The proposed projects will take advantage of the tremendous strides that have been made in instrumentation, materials characterization, and reaction modeling to advance the understanding of iron oxide reactions.
The broader impacts of the proposal are that the processing operations of other alloys have the potential to benefit from the information gained in studying the iron and steel systems. The staff and students of the educational institutions and member companies will benefit by learning and understanding the mechanisms involved with the reduction of iron oxides. The industry will, in general, benefit as the close cooperation between the two universities and the member companies will accelerate the dissemination of information. The proposal has a well defined outreach program to broadening participation and ensuring diversity of involvement by partners, student outreach to under represented groups, and teachers at various institutions.
PI: S. Komar Kawatra Co-PI: Timothy C. Eisele Introduction The Advanced Sustainable Iron and Steelmaking Center (ASISC) was established in 2008 to conduct research that would lead to the iron and steel industry becoming more sustainable. It addresses all stages of iron processing from ore comminution and concentration, through ironmaking and steelmaking operations. The iron industry shares a great deal of technology with other mineral processing and metals extraction industries, such as phosphate processing and precious metals extraction. ASISC therefore makes a particular effort to transfer applicable technologies between ironmaking and these other industries. This provides access to a broader technological base, and makes it possible to transfer solutions to problems that have already been solved in other fields. Intellectual Merit Particular objectives of the Center are: 1. Improving processing efficiency to lower energy consumption and reduce waste; 2. Reducing the use of fossil fuels and replacement with renewable energy sources; 3. Utilization of ironmaking and steelmaking waste products; 4. Capture of pollutants to prevent them from entering air or water; and 5. Development of new processing methods that can provide improved performance at lower cost. Broader Impact ASISC currently has seven industry members who are supporting a variety of Center activities. Ongoing projects include capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide from ironmaking operations; studies of the surface chemistry of iron ore to improve the efficiency of iron ore pellet production; determination of methods for reducing iron ore pellet dust emissions; improved processes for concentrating valuable minerals based on their densities; and use of magnetic fields to improve iron ore filtration. ASISC has hosted an annual conference on Sustainable Metals and Minerals Production since 2011. This conference, held in Houghton, MI each August, is well-attended by both industry personnel and university researcher. Papers presented at these conferences include results of research conducted by Center members, and presentations by industry personnel who have contributions towards making the mining and metals industries sustainable. The conferences also include sustainability short-courses to help the industry to adopt new, beneficial technologies.
