Steel Production Process Explained
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ScribdTranslationsSteel Production Process Explained
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ScribdTranslations1 STEEL PRODUCTION PROCESS
Steel is a metal that is obtained through alloying (it is the mixture of one or more
elements), and these are iron and carbon as long as the percentage of carbon varies between the
0.035 and 2.14%. In some cases, other materials such as chromium are included in this process.
nickel or manganese with the aim of giving the material some specific properties.
First, the extraction process is carried out, and then the materials must be introduced into a
furnace at very high temperatures to achieve this alloy and to be melted by the heat,
finally eliminating certain impurities present in the iron. After this, a
resistant and malleable material, but with a problem that we know and have seen in
previous articles, it is about oxidation.
1.1 PREPARATION OF RAW MATERIAL
The raw materials used to produce steel are basically iron ore,
carbon and limestone. In steel production, a 4-stage process must be followed:
First: Reception and preparation of raw materials, which includes the degasification of coal.
the metallurgical coke.
Second: Reduction of iron ore to obtain pig iron from blast furnace, which is iron in
liquid state.
Third: Refining or reducing carbon and other impurities of the latter to achieve the
steel.
Fourth: This last part of the process includes rolling and finishing of the different
products.
1.2 PRODUCTION OF PIG IRON
Pig iron is the first process carried out to obtain steel, the basic materials.
employees are Iron Ore, Coke, and Limestone. Coke is burned as fuel for
heat the oven, and when burning it releases carbon monoxide, which combines with the oxides of
iron from the ore and reduces it to metallic iron. The production of pig iron occurs in the blast furnace.
oven which is a container coated with a refractory material in which the
reduction of iron.
The following materials are introduced into the blast furnace:
Iron contributors: (sinter).
Fuel: injected together with hot air.
Coke: Acts as a fuel, but also as a reducer of iron ore.
Fluxes: (normally limestone) to form the slag and lower the melting point.
Hot air (oxygen): to be able to carry out the combustion.
1.3 STEEL PRODUCTION:
It is produced from the refining of iron ore and/or scrap metals along with agents.
appropriate funders, coke (for carbon) and oxygen in high-temperature furnaces, for
to produce large masses of iron called pig iron from first melting (alternatives furnaces)
Electric). The pig iron is further refined and/or alloyed with other metals such as copper, nickel, chromium,
manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, silica, sulfur, titanium, columbium, and vanadium etc. To produce the
característcas deseadas de resistencia ductlidad soldabilidad y resistencia a la corrosión.
1.3.1 CASTING AND SEMI-FINISHED PRODUCTS:
Continuous casting is an innovative metallurgical process in industrial production. It allows
to have control over the transformation of liquid metal into semi-finished products. On
transformation is through the processes of: emptying of ladles and continuous casting.
The ingots: They are semi-finished steel with a solid cross-section that is polygonal, wavy or
square, manufactured by a non-continuous casting process. For the manufacture of tubes, its
section can be between 340 and 600 mm, and its length may vary depending on the relationship
weight/length required in the final tubular product.
The continuous casting, which consists of pouring molten metal into molds with movable bottoms.
whose section has the shape of the product that is desired to obtain. As it progresses, the
the product becomes solid. Finally, it is cut to the desired size.
Integrated steelmaking begins with the reduction of iron ore in the blast furnace and they have
steel production and casting treatment facilities.
2 TYPES OF STRUCTURAL STEEL
According to its chemical composition, it can be divided into four general types.
Carbon steel
Carbon steel is one of the categories where most products usually fall.
made with steel. In fact, it is also divided into three subtypes: low, medium, and high carbon.
To produce structural profiles, low carbon steel is used. The reason is that it is a material
very malleable that can be manufactured in different shapes and sizes.
Steel with alloys
Steel with alloys is combined with other elements. These can be phosphorus, manganese,
sulfur, nickel, chromium, copper, vanadium, niobium or cobalt, among others. Thanks to this, the material
it incorporates other properties, such as greater resistance, ductility, or weldability.
Stainless steel
Steel esthetic is one of the most well-known. It is an alloy that contains between 10 and
a 20% of chromium. Additionally, it also has nickel and molybdenum. This makes it have a
great resistance to corrosion, making its wear difficult.
Tool steel
There are many steel alloys that are made to increase hardness,
resistance and durability of the material. Some may contain molybdenum, tungsten, vanadium
cobalt. They are mainly used to manufacture powerful tools.
-Advantages
High strength per unit weight: (compared to concrete, wood or others
"large structures": tall buildings, long bridges, etc.
Uniformity: because the properties of steel hardly change over time, as if
pass with H° or H°A°
Elasticity: because its actual behavior closely resembles its hypothesis,
due to the high tension it withstands while following Hooke's law.
Durability: if maintenance is adequate (anti-corrosive paints etc.) the structures of
steel could last indefinitely.
Ductility: it is the property that the material has to withstand large deformations without failing.
under high tension efforts. They provide visible evidence before failure.
Tenacity: meaning it has high resistance and ductility. A member that exhibits great
Deformations can still resist large forces.
Ease of expansions, for example, bridges can easily be expanded, modified,
etc.
Ease of joining: welds, rivets, bolts.
Prefabrication, quick assembly
Possible reuse: for example, after dismantling a structure, it's possible to sell it.
Scrap at the end of useful life or collapse.
Prefabrication and fast assembly.
Disadvantages:
Maintenance cost: they must be painted periodically due to high susceptibility to the
corrosion.
cost of fire protection: due to its resistance being reduced
considerably against fires.
Susceptibility to buckling: the longer and more slender the compression members are,
greater risk of buckling.
Fatga: due to the fact that the resistance of steel can be significantly reduced under great
number of investments of meaning, or a large number of changes in the magnitude of
tension efforts.
Brittle fracture: steel can lose its ductility and produce brittle failure in sectors
where there is a concentration of efforts. at the same time the loads that produce fatigue and the lows
temperatures exacerbate the situation
2.1 CARBON STEEL:
These act as main elements of resistance to carbon and manganese in
carefully dosed quantities. Carbon steels have their contents limited
to the following maximum percentages: 1.7% of carbon, 1.65% of manganese, 0.60% of silicon and
0.60% copper. These steels are divided into four categories, depending on the percentage of
carbon
Low carbon steel: 0.15%.
2. Mild steel: 0.15 to 0.29%. (Carbon structural steels fall within this)
category.)
3. Medium carbon steel: 0.30 to 0.59%.
4. High carbon content steel: 0.60 to 1.70%.
Carbon steel, also known as structural steel or malleable steel, is a
material composed of carbon and other elements such as silicon and manganese, which gives it
grants various properties and gives rise to different compounds, with which a can be manufactured a
a wide variety of products, from sheets to structural profiles. Carbon steel
they have different physical characteristics, which affect the qualities of each one
the products made with this material.
Hardness: the level of hardness is very important in different constructions, as in
At times, steel needs to deform to function as reinforcement and have a
optimal application, while in others it must maintain its rigidity and strength to support
large amounts of weight.
Resistance: this characteristic is relevant at all times, however, it stands out even more.
when there are conditions of traction or recurrent use.
Ductility: quality that allows the elongation of this steel, which does not affect its
enormous resistance, as it allows large deformations in cold without breaking,
allowing the manufacture of long steels or their application.
Weldability: a characteristic that stands out by allowing an effective and permanent union, the same that
it allows the configuration of various structures and constructions in general.
2.2 LOW ALLOY STEEL WITHOUT HEAT TREATMENT
These steels contain alloying elements less than 2 sufficient to increase their
mechanical resistance. Generally, the minimum yield stress is greater than 40 ksi. The main
the element is Manganese:
The following steels stand out:
2.3 Low Alloy Steel with Heat Treatment
It is known as heat treatment when metal alloys are subjected to
sudden high temperature conditions and sudden cooling, length of stay,
speed, pressure, as long as the alignment of the metals or alloys is present
in solid state, in order to improve its mechanical properties, especially hardness, the
resistance and elasticity. The materials to which heat treatment is applied are,
basically, steel, glass, and cast iron, made from iron and carbon.
The term low alloy is arbitrarily used to describe steels in which the total of
alloying elements do not exceed 5% of the total composition of the steel.
3 STEEL PROFILES
Generally, steel profiles are designated by the shape of their cross-sections.
example, set profiles at an angle, tees, zetas, and plates. However, it is necessary to make a
clear distinction between standard American beams (called S beams) and wide flange beams
(W beams), as they both have the shape of I. The internal surface of the pattern of a
Section W is parallel to the outer surface or, almost parallel with a maximum slope of
1 to 20 on the inside, depending on the manufacturer.
The S beams, which were the first profiles of rolled beams in the United States, have a
pending from 1 to 6 on the inner surface of its plates. It should be noted that the thicknesses
constants (or almost constants) of the patterns of the W beams, unlike the tapered patterns
The S beams facilitate the connections. The wide flange beams represent
Nowadays, almost 50% of all rolled structural profiles. The W and S profiles are
They are shown in the Figure, along with other common steel profiles:
3.1 HOT ROLLED PROFILES
Hot rolled steel profiles are those whose process of
the processing is carried out at high temperatures, without a noticeable change in its
physical properties; economically laminating in a wide variety of forms and
sizes. Normally, the most advantageous members are those that have
large section modules in proportion to the area of their cross sections.
After seeing a wide variety of steel structures, we would be surprised to know
that steel was not produced economically until the late 19th century and that the
First wide flange beams were not rolled until 1908.
The supposed perfection of this material, perhaps the most versatile of all materials
structural, it seems more reasonable when considering its great resistance, little
weight, ease of manufacturing, and other properties.
3.2 COLD-FORMED THIN STEEL SHEET PROFILES
These are made by bending thin sheets of low carbon steel or low alloy.
virtually any desired cross-section. These profiles, which can be used for
The lighter members are usually used in some roof, floor, and wall positions and vary in
thicknesses between 0.01 up to approximately 0.25 inches. The thinner profiles are used with
high frequency for some structural panels.
While cold working reduces ductility somewhat, it also increases it to some extent.
resistance. Under certain conditions, the design specifications will allow the use of such
upper resistances.
Cold bent profiles