stahlmarkt 09 | 2019

6 Short messages
ARCELORMITTAL TO BUILD DEMONSTRATION PLANT
ArcelorMittal has commissioned technology
provider Midrex Technologies to design a demonstration
plant at its Hamburg site to produce steel
with hydrogen. Both companies have now signed
a Framework Collaboration Agreement (FCA) to
cooperate on several projects, ranging from research
and development to the implementation of
new technologies. The FCA will be governed by a
number of Project Development Agreements,
incorporating the expertise of Midrex and Arcelor-
Mittal. The first Project Development Agreement
is to demonstrate in Hamburg the large-scale production
and use of Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) made
with 100% hydrogen as the reductant. In the
coming years, the demonstration plant will produce
about 100,000 tons of direct reduced iron
per year - initially with grey hydrogen sourced
from natural gas. Conversion to green hydrogen
from renewable energy sources will take place
once available in sufficient quantities and at an
economical cost. Energy for hydrogen production
could come from wind farms off the coast of
Northern Germany. The plant will be the world’s
first direct reduction plant on an industrial scale,
powered by hydrogen.
Midrex-signing: At the signing ceremony
in Hamburg (from left to right):
Vincent Chevrier, Todd Astoria and KC Woody
from Midrex with Dominique Vacher,
Dr Uwe Braun and Matthias Schad
from ArcelorMittal.
Copyright: ArcelorMittal
SEVERSTAL INVESTS IN ARCANUM ALLOYS
PAO Severstal has invested in Arcanum
Alloys, Inc., a Michigan-headquartered company
that develops innovative steel-based alloys.
Severstal is the lead investor of the round,
investing approximately six million dollars in
this funding round. Another major investor in
the company is the leading American venture
capital firm Khosla Ventures. Arcanum Alloys,
Inc. has developed a unique technology for the
production of surface optimized diffusion alloys.
With this platform technology, the company is
able to produce a wide variety of products with
enhanced properties. Their first product offers
aesthetic and corrosion properties equivalent to
stainless steel, but with superior formability
and at lower operational and capital costs. These
products are targeted at customers in the
automotive and construction industries as well
as manufacturers of household appliances.
George Gogolev, Head of Severstal Ventures,
commented: »We plan to present to our clients
steel produced using Arcanum Alloys’ technology
on our pilot production at Cherepovets Steel
Mill in 2020.«
SALZGITTER FLACHSTAHL TO REVAMP CONTINUOUS CASTER NO. 1
Salzgitter Flachstahl has commissioned SMS
group to revamp continuous caster No. 1 at its Salzgitter
works. The plant, which was delivered by SMS
group in 1981, is to be fitted with a new machine
head with mold, oscillator, and segment 0. The revamp
is aimed at upgrading the plant with a range
of trendsetting features, including the use of a hydraulic
resonance oscillator and the digital alignment
assistant HD LASr [mold]. The scope of supply covers
the engineering, the delivery of mechatronic components,
the dismantling, and the installation and commissioning
of the new equipment. An innovative
solution will be used for mounting segment 0 in the
machine head. This solution is the result of intensive
and successful cooperation between Salzgitter Flachstahl
and SMS group. The revamp is set to take place
during a scheduled plant shutdown in October 2020.
The four continuous casters at the Salzgitter Flachstahl plant were supplied by SMS group.
Copyright: SMS group, Photo: Salzgitter Flachstahl
steel market 01.2019