The heart of steel making

SECONDARY METALLURGY

SMS MEVAC

Secondary Metallurgy

SMS MEVAC
leading in secondary metallurgy
About us
SMS Mevac provides equipment, process know-how
and additional services required for the production
of high-quality steel grades. The range of secondary
metallurgical equipment covers vacuum-type and
atmospheric type treatment processes.
History
During the merger of SMS Schloemann-Siemag AG
and Mannesmann Demag Metallurgie in 1999 also
SMS Vacmetal GmbH and MDM Messo merged to
form the new company called SMS Mevac GmbH.
Both companies, being predecessors of SMS Mevac,
significantly enforced the development of equipment
for vacuum and atmospheric treatment processes
during the second half of the last century and thus
became the leading companies for the supply of
secondary metallurgical equipment. In this tradition,
SMS Mevac is continuing the development of innovative technology in cooperation with renowned
steelmakers throughout the world.
We are serving the world market for secondary
metallurgy, together with our associate company
SMS Mevac UK, which is jointly owned by
SMS Mevac and Corus.

RH Recirculation
Degassers
decarburisation
degassing
alloying/fine trimming

RH-TOP Recirculation
Degassers with TOP Lance
decarburisation
degassing
desulphurisation
dephosphorisation
chemical heating
alloying/fine trimming

VD/VD-OB Tank Degassers

degassing
decarburisation
desulphurisation
alloying/fine trimming
slag management
shape control

VOD Tank Degassers

with Oxygen Lance
decarburisation
stainless steel production
degassing
desulphurisation
chemical heating
alloying/fine trimming

LF Ladle Furnaces
electrical heating
desulphurisation
alloying/fine trimming
slag management
shape control

CHS Chemical
Heating Stations
chemical heating
desulphurisation
alloying/fine trimming
shape control

CONTENTS
2

About us

Secondary Metallurgy what does it mean?

Secondary Metallurgy the heart of steelmaking

RH/RH-TOP Recirculation Degassers

10 VD/VD-OB Tank Degassers

12 VOD Vacuum Oxygen Decarburisation Units
14 LF Ladle Furnaces

LTS Ladle
Treatment Stations
desulphurisation
alloying/fine trimming
shape control

16 CHS Chemical Heating Stations

18 LTS Ladle Treatment Stations
20 HMP Hot Metal Pretreatment Stations
22 Automation Systems

HMP Hot Metal

Pretreatment Stations
powder injection
for desulphurisation
deslagging

Special Features:
24 RH-TOP Lance Systems
25 Powder Injection Systems
26 Automatic Inert Gas Coupling Systems
27 In-line Bag Filter Systems

HMP Hot Metal

Pretreatment Stations
KR mechanical stirring
for desulphurisation
deslagging

28 Modernisation, Revamping and Upgrading

30 Innovations
31 Customised Services

SMS MEVAC

Secondary Metallurgy

SECONDARY METALLURGY
what does it mean?
The conventional practice of steel
making is characterised by producing the required steel grade in
one single operational unit. The
consequences are long melting
times, extended refining periods
and high stresses on the steelmaking equipment itself.
Using modern technology the
steel production is divided into
a primary and a secondary step
which makes steelmaking much
more economical. The primary
step comprises the production
of a basic melt. After oxidation of
carbon and phosphorus, the melt
is tapped directly into a ladle. The
temperature of the melt is kept at
a low level which prolongs the life
cycle of the refractory lining and
increases productivity. Secondary
metallurgy takes place exclusively
in the ladle and comprises all further measures required to produce
a high-grade steel.
Functions of the
equipment for
secondary metallurgy
The necessary functions of the
equipment used for secondary
metallurgical treatments are as
follows:
introduction of inert stirring gas
to homogenise the ladle content
accurate addition of alloying
elements, achieving high alloy
yield and close chemical composition tolerances

vacuum treatment to remove

hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and
last, but not least, carbon
injection of powder materials,
particularly for desulphurisation
purposes
feeding of solid or cored wires
containing various powdered
materials for micro-alloying and
inclusion shape control
heating of the melt with electrical energy through graphite
electrodes or, alternatively,
with chemical energy using
the exothermic reaction of
aluminium and oxygen.
Vacuum treatment
a special application of
secondary metallurgy
Pressure dependent reactions are
the key to remove certain undesired
elements in steel. Such vacuum
treatment results in removal of
elements like carbon, oxygen,
hydrogen or nitrogen from the steel.
For these reactions to take place,
the thermodynamic equilibrium,
the inert gas flow rate and the
transfer kinetics from the liquid
to the gaseous phase are factors
which play an important role.
SMS Mevac has applied these
principles to units of industrial
scale, tailor-made for the wide
range of customer requirements,
utilizing interfacing modules with
proven design.

Application

Grades
Hot rolled plates
(e. g. DDQ, EDDQ)
Automobile plates, micro-alloyed
(e. g. IF)
Silicon steel
(e. g. electrical sheets)
Low carbon structural steel
(e. g. case hardening, heavy plates)
Medium carbon structural steel
(e. g. forgings)
High carbon structural steel
(e. g. bearings)
High alloyed steel
(e. g. hot work tools)
Stainless steel
(e. g. austenitic and ferritic)

Advantages and
economy
increases in productivity of the
steel plant
shortening of the tap to tap
time of the melting unit
savings on primary energy and utilities
use of low cost charge material
as well as ferro alloys
consistent steel quality from
heat to heat

Secondary Metallurgical Unit

RH/RH-TOP

VD/VD-OB

VOD

preferred (without restrictions)

LF

CHS

LTS

possible (with restrictions)

Secondary Metallurgy
what does it mean?

production of ultra clean steel

development of new steel
qualities
low maintenance cost
improved co-ordination of all
units involved in the production
sequence
better working conditions for
the operating personnel.

SMS Mevac, being a small but

powerful company employs a large
variety of specialists in metallurgy,
process technology, mechanical
and electrical engineering, automation as well as project managers. It
is our strength to address the individual needs of the customer very
effectively.

Jointly with other divisions of the

SMS Demag Group, SMS Mevac
can provide all integrated iron and
steelworks equipment from ore
preparation to the final product.
The customer is served by a single
contract partner for all his process
requirements.

SMS MEVAC

Secondary Metallurgy

SECONDARY METALLURGY
the heart of steelmaking
Secondary metallurgical units form
the multi-purpose link between the
primary melting furnace and the
continuous or ingot casting unit. To
satisfy the permanently increasing
demand of day-by-day quality and
productivity, every steelplant has to
implement new successful measures, which enable the steel plant
to manage said demand. With the
investment in secondary metallurgical plants and equipment every
steel plant has the possibility of
considerable improvements in
the fields of process reliability and
product quality, productivity and
competitiveness.
Flat products
For flat steel producers with their
main emphasis on the production
of low carbon and ultra low carbon
grades, the installation of a RH
or RH-TOP unit between melting
and casting allows the production
of extra deep drawing qualities
(EDDQ), improves steel cleanliness
and enables the steel producer to
optimise the economic mass production of these grades. A RH or
RH-TOP unit can manage metallurgical tasks like decarburisation,
degassing, deoxidation or analysis
and temperature adjustment with
very high accuracy. For steel grades
that do not require any vacuum
treatment, but nevertheless have a
necessity of high steel cleanliness
and excellent castability, a ladle furnace fulfils metallurgical tasks like
slag management, desulphurisation
and homogenisation.

Long products
Steel plants which produce long
products with the main emphasis
on steel cleanliness, e. g. bearings,
springs, forgings, pipes or high alloy
structural steels, require a highly
sophisticated refining technology.
Ladle furnace and tank degasser
(with or without oxygen blowing
lance) are significant investments
to optimise secondary metallurgical
refining techniques for the production of these clean steels.
Metallurgical work like adjustment
of chemical composition, top slag
desulphurisation and deoxidation is
carried out at the ladle furnace at a
defined temperature, supported by
inert gas bubbling. Further refining
steps, as there are degassing and
removal of deoxidation products,
take place in the tank degasser.

Stainless steel products

For melting and refining of stainless steel grades there are many
different process routes. The individual choice is influenced by raw
material availability, desired final
product, existing shop logistics and
capital economics. In general the
stainless steelmaking process can
be classified as a DUPLEX or
TRIPLEX type. The DUPLEX refining process which is composed
of electric arc furnace melting,
followed by converter refining, can
be extended to a TRIPLEX refining
route by installation of a VOD plant.
This is necessary, if very low carbon, sulphur or nitrogen contents
must be achieved in the final product.

Typical process route for flat steel products: BOF-LF/RH-CCM. Depending

on the steel grade to be produced, LF or RH-TOP fulfil the necessary metallurgical tasks for economic mass production.

Typical process route for long products: EAF-LF-VD-CCM. LF and VD are

significant investments to optimize secondary metallurgical refining
techniques for the production of clean steel at competitive prices.

Typical process route for stainless steel production: EAF-MRP/AODVOD-CCM. VOD is a low-cost investment for production of special
steel grades with lowest levels of carbon, sulphur and nitrogen.

SMS MEVAC

Secondary Metallurgy

RH/RH-TOP
Recirculation Degassers
The RH process
The Ruhrstahl Heraeus (RH) recirculation degassing process has
proven its eminent suitability for
operations requiring short tap-totap times in more than 130 units,
built mainly in BOF shops, and
with heat sizes of up to 400 tons.
Highlights of this
process are:
short treatment time
minimum temperature losses
no special slag measures

265t-RH-TOP ThyssenKrupp Stahl,

Duisburg-Beeckerwerth, Germany

no special requirement for

ladle freeboard
no porous plug required
extremely favourable decarburisation and degassing results
RH process applications:
decarburisation to lowest levels
degassing (hydrogen removal)
efficient alloying/fine trimming
with high accuracy
fast homogenisation of ladle
content, even when large
amounts of silicon are added
vacuum deoxidation

Design highlights:
fixed vessel installation
(ladle lifting system)
movable vessel installation
(vessel lifting system)
fast vessel exchange system
for increased availability
duplex vessel installation for
increased availability

RH-TOP Anshan Iron&Steel,

P.R. China

240-RH-TOP Degasser, EKO Stahl,

Germany

180 t RH-TOP Degasser,

US Steel Kosice, Slovakia

SMS MEVAC

Secondary Metallurgy

VD/VD-OB
Tank Degassers
The VD process
The tank degassing process has
proven its high availability and its
suitability for the production of
high-quality steel grades in more
than 140 units, built in EAF and
BOF shops, and with heat sizes
of up to 340 tons.
This process is characterised by:
slag-free tapping at the
melting unit
application of ladles with
sufficient freeboard
inert gas stirring through the
ladles bottom by means of
porous plugs
low operational costs
VD process applications:
degassing (hydrogen and
nitrogen removal)
decarburisation to lowest levels
desulphurisation by metal/
slag reaction
efficient alloying/fine trimming
with high accuracy
slag management
shape control
homogenisation of ladle content

The application of
oxygen blowing lance
systems (VD-OB)
The installation of an oxygen
blowing lance system features
the following additional process
applications:
oxygen blowing for forced
decarburisation from high
carbon start levels e.g. for
the production of Ultra-Low
Carbon (ULC) steel grades
oxygen blowing for chemical
heating by aluminum
combustion
Design highlights:
fixed tank installation above
or below shop floor
movable tank installation
twin tank installation for
increased availability
vacuum ladle design
mechanical vacuum pumps

240 t VD Plant, SOLLAC FLORANGE, France

10

165 st VD-OB Plant, Nucor Berkeley, U.S.

SMS MEVAC

Secondary Metallurgy

VOD Vacuum Oxygen

DECARBURISATION UNITS
The VOD process
The Vacuum Oxygen Decarburisation process (VOD) has proven
its economic operation and its suitability for the production of highquality stainless steel grades with
highest cleanliness in more than
75 plants with heat sizes of up to
200 tons.
Due to the lower partial pressure
of CO under vacuum, decarburisation of high-alloy melts to minimum carbon contents is possible,
while simultaneously, high chromium yields are achieved without
excessive refining.
The VOD plant usually operates
either in combination with an electric arc furnace (DUPLEX process)
or in combination with an electric
arc furnace and a MRP/AOD converter (TRIPLEX process).

12

This process is
characterised by:
slag-free tapping at the
melting furnace
application of ladles with
sufficient freeboard
inert gas stirring through the
ladles bottom by means of
porous plugs
oxygen lance with high
efficiency and minimised
splashing
VOD process
applications:
stainless steel production
homogenisation of ladle content
Design highlights:
fixed tank installation above
or below shop floor
movable tank installation
twin tank installation for
increased availability
vacuum ladle design

120 t VOD Plant, Shanghai No. 1, P.R.China

13

SMS MEVAC

Secondary Metallurgy

LF Ladle Furnaces
The ladle furnace
process
The use of secondary steel making
processes such as degassing or
desulphurisation results in significant losses in steel temperature.
This temperature losses have to
be compensated either by superheating in the melting unit prior to
tapping, or by using ladle furnaces.
The superheating in the melting
unit causes various problems:
reduced productivity of the
melting unit
increased consumption of
refractory material
increased absorption of
detrimental gases
A ladle furnace is the perfect solution to avoid such disadvantages.
SMS Demag and SMS Mevac
have been building ladle furnaces
for several decades. More than
200 plants installed in EAF and
BOF steel making plants, with

14

heat sizes of up to 400 tons, have

proven the superiority of the ladle
furnace over other concepts.
LF process applications:
electric heating
desulphurisation by metal/
slag reaction
alloying/fine trimming
slag management
shape control
homogenisation of ladle content
buffer function between melting
and continuous casting units to
ensure sequence casting
Design highlights:
fixed roof installation
slewing roof installation
two treatment positions or two
ladle transfer cars for increased
availability
power conducting arms made
of copper or aluminium plates
inert gas roof for special
applications

130 t LF, Panzhihua Iron&Steel,

P.R.China

170 t LF, Saldanha Steel, South Africa

15

SMS MEVAC

Secondary Metallurgy

CHS Chemical
HEATING STATIONS
For chemical heating, the exothermic reaction energy created by the
oxidation of aluminium (or silicon)
is used. The process is run under
atmospheric conditions and features a refractory-covered bell or
ring. The bell or ring is partially
immersed into the liquid steel bath,
so that the entire process is performed under inert gas conditions.
This technique is an effective
method for attaining clean steel
and precise chemical composition.

16

CHS process
applications:
chemical heating
alloying/fine trimming
shape control
homogenisation of steel quality
and temperature
desulphurisation by metal/
slag reaction
More than 30 plants installed in
EAF and BOF steel making plants,
with heat sizes up to 400 tons,
have proven the reliability of this
concept.

320 t CAS-OB Unit,

CORUS Port Talbot, U.K.

17

SMS MEVAC

Secondary Metallurgy

LTS Ladle
Treatment Stations
SMS Mevac has developed various
ladle metallurgy processes to suit
the purpose of ladle refining. In
these processes ladle refining is
conducted without installing largescale equipment, hence at low
cost and by simple operation.
Ladle treatment stations are
positioned between the melting
and continuous casting facilities.
More than 60 plants installed in
EAF and BOF steel making plants
have proven the reliability of this
concept.

LTS process applications

deoxidation by the addition of
aluminium or microalloys
adjustment of chemical composition by wire feeding and
alloy additions
homogenisation of liquid steel
by bottom purging or lance
stirring
desulphurisation by addition
of synthetic slag or by powder
blowing
addition of cooling agents
for temperature adjustment
serving as a liquid storage
buffer prior to casting

100 t LTS POSCO Pohang, Korea

165 t LTS, Saarstahl AG, Germany

18

100 t LTS POSCO Pohang, Korea

Ladle treatment station: for steel desulphurisation

under inert gas atmosphere

19

SMS MEVAC

Secondary Metallurgy

HMP Hot Metal

PRETREATMENT STATIONS
In most steel plants, the hot metal
leaves the blast furnaces with a
sulphur content of 0.04 to 0.12 %.
Caster operations and final product
quality require, however, a sulphur
content of as little as 0.01 to
0.001 % in the hot metal charged
to the oxygen converter.
Therefore, pre-treatment of hot
metal, which means adjustment of
the composition (desulphurisation,
sometimes dephosphorisation and
desiliconisation) and temperature
of hot metal produced in a blast
furnace, is absolutely mandatory.
Moreover, modern EAF-process
routes also require a certain percentage of virgin raw material to
dilute tramp elements in the steel.
The charging of hot metal with
low sulphur, in addition to carbon

Movable KR station with 2 treatment

positions

20

scrap, is often practiced to produce

high quality steel grades.
The introduction of co-injection
technologies meant a technological
leap in regard to reducing the costs
for the injected powders. Before
being jointly injected into the hot
metal via a refractory-lined submerged injection lance, the various
reagents are separately fluidised,
followed by a controlled mixing
step in the transport line. This
technique allows a wide range of
reagent combinations while the
delivery rate of each reagent can
be independently adjusted.
More than 20 stations installed in
BOF and EAF steel making plants,
with heat sizes of up to 350 tons
have proven the reliability of this
design.

An alternative technology to be
applied in HMP plants is the KR
process, which features a good
efficiency of the desulphurisation
reagent (mainly lime) as the
particles are dispersed deeply
and uniformly into the hot metal
by mechanical stirring.
HMP process
applications:
desulphurisation
dephosphorisation
desiliconisation
deslagging
homogenisation of hot metal
quality and temperature
Design highlights:
mono- or co-injection of
desulphurisation agents
KR mechanical stirring process

225 t Hot Metal

Desulphurisation Station,
EKO Stahl, Germany

CaC2 day silo

& dispensers
5 t jib crane

5 t jib crane
magnesium
dispenser

magnesium
dispenser

injection lance/
sampling unit

injection lance/
sampling unit
control
room

lance
storage

moving fume hood

hydraulics
room

lance storage
hoist
well

hoist
well

to fume
extraction
plant

moving fume
hood

ladle support/tilting stands

21

SMS MEVAC

Secondary Metallurgy

AUTOMATION SYSTEMS
SMS Mevac provides the full range
of automation systems for the
process control of the respective
secondary metallurgical unit. The
systems include PLC based basic
automation systems for process
data collection, interlocking and
sequence control (Level 1) in combination with systems for screen
operation, monitoring and supervision (Level 1.5). In addition, metallurgical models on process computers (Level 2) assist the operator
in meeting the desired steel quality.
These automation systems are
typically interfaced with the steel
shop automation system (Level 3)
and the laboratory computer. This
integration guarantees a plant-wide
co-ordination of units according to
the production schedule as well
as quality assurance.

Interaction of Automation Levels

STATE

PREDICTION
Model

(Analysis,
Temperature, Weight)

Cyclic
Evaluation

Process
Calculation

LEVEL 2

- Material Addition
- Decarburisation
- Oxygen Blowing
- Element Losses
- T/O Measurements
- Analyses

- Alloying
- Decarburisation
- Degassing
- Deoxidation
- Heating
- Temperature

HEAT STATE
Model

SETPOINTS

Execution

Measurements

The automation system ensures

maximum support to the operator
for an easy, reliable, safe and efficient control of complex secondary
metallurgical processes including
operation of the plant
monitoring of plant status
communication with the steel
shop computer system
alarm handling
data acquisition
determination of process set points
preventive maintenance through
continuous monitoring of critical
equipment data
reporting.
SMS Mevacs process automation
systems have been installed in
more than 170 plants so far.

22

- Sample
- Material Addition
- Off-gas Analysis
- Oxygen Blowing
- T/O Measurements
- Vacuum
- Argon

- Material Addition
- Oxygen Blowing
- Vacuum
- Argon

LEVEL 1,5
LEVEL 1

Production
Automation

Level 3

Production Planning
Quality Control

Process
Automation

Level 2

Process Guidance
Metallurgical Models

Process
Control

Level 1.5

Visualisation
Operation

Level 1 PLC
Process

Control room of 110 t

CAS/CAS-OB Twin Unit, SSAB,
Sweden

320 t CAS-OB Unit,

CORUS Port Talbot, U.K.

23

SMS MEVAC

Secondary Metallurgy

SPECIAL FEATURES
RH-TOP Lance Systems
A top lance for oxygen blowing
onto the liquid steel recirculating
within a RH vessel was already
implemented in a Thyssen RH
facility in Germany in the late sixties.
In the eighties, Kawasaki Steel
Corp. developed the KTB process,
combining the RH top lance oxygen
blowing function with the new idea
of putting heating energy into the
RH vessel by using the post-combustion effect, burning CO emerging from the liquid steel to CO2.
Using the oxygen supplied by the
top lance, forced decarburisation
as well as chemical heating of the
liquid steel by aluminium combustion became standard practices in
many steel plants. This process
proved to be most suitable for mass
production of ultra low carbon steel
with consistently high quality.
Consequently, many RH degassers
built by SMS Mevac have since
been using this technology.
Since the nineties, lance types with
multiple functions were developed
to incorporate further features
with new operational benefits.
TOP lances nowadays may include
features such as:
short lance design to blow from
a large distance onto the liquid
steel, thus simplifying the equipment installed and allowing the
installation of TOP lances even
in steel shops with restriced
headroom above the RH
powder blowing for decarburisation, desulphurisation or
dephosphorisation

24

TOP lance system RH-TOP Plant

gas heating for adjustment of

proper vessel refractory temperature and skull removal
video camera installed in the
lance tip, providing an excellent
view into the RH vessel
More than 60 TOP lances have
been installed so far, many of them
incorporating the multiple function
design.

300 t RH-TOP Plant N. V. SIDMAR,

Belgium

SPECIAL FEATURES
Powder Injection Systems
Powder injection systems are
widely used in ladle metallurgy.
Often, these systems are an
additional feature installed in ladle
furnaces, chemical heating stations, ladle treatment stations or
even tank degassers to increase
their desulphurisation capabilities.
SMS Mevac provides the entire
system from storage silos to
dispensers and injection lance
manipulators as well as the respective lance exchange magazines.
Often, the lance system is used
to provide a backup argon bubbling
facility by a dedicated argon lance
in case of failure of the porous
plug.

Workshop test of
Inclined Lance

Powder
control valve

25

SMS MEVAC

Secondary Metallurgy

SPECIAL FEATURES:
Automatic Inert Gas Coupling
Systems

Vertical inert gas

coupling system

The automatic inert gas

coupling system
Inert gas stirring, either with argon
or nitrogen, through the ladles
bottom by means of porous plugs
is essential for various secondary
metallurgical processes.
To avoid time-consuming manual
connection and disconnection of
inert gas supply lines, reliable
automatic systems have been
developed by SMS Mevac.
Depending on the specific application, horizontal coupling systems
with actuator or vertical coupling
systems without actuator are used.
The system which is most frequently used is the vertical coupling

26

Horizontal inert gas

coupling system

system which is characterised as

follows:
The rigid upper part of the inert
gas coupling is always installed on
the ladle while the flexible lower
part can be installed in various
locations, like:
on the ladle transfer car in
tapping position
on the ladle transfer car at
the ladle furnace
inside of the vacuum tank
on the ladle stand at the
ladle treatment station
on the ladle turret of the
continuous casting machine
The coupling is automatically performed when the ladle is lowered.
The horizontal coupling system

incorporates a pneumatic cylinder

which actuates the mechanical link
of the argon line after the ladle has
been set down.
More than 30 automatic inert gas
coupling systems have proven the
reliability of our design.
Design features:
individual gas supply to up to
3 porous plugs
applicable under vacuum
conditions
vertical coupling system
horizontal coupling system

SPECIAL FEATURES
In-line bag Filter Systems
Process gases generated during
vacuum treatment of liquid steel
may be heavily dust-loaded. Steam
ejector vacuum pumps are ideally
suited to handle these kind of
gases. During the process, the
dust is deposited in the condenser
cooling water and can be removed
later by standard water treatment
equipment.
As an alternative, the dust may be
separated before entering the first
booster of the vacuum pump. This
technology makes use of large
in-line bag filter units installed in

the suction line. An efficient gas

cooler serves to protect the bags
from thermal stress.
Highlights:
low steam ejector maintenance
the off-gas meets all
environmental regulations
low investment cost and
operational costs for water
treatment facilities
ideally suited for VOD units
bag filters in combination with
mechanical vacuum pump
systems offer no-steam
operation of small VD/VD-OB/
VOD units

More than 20 in-line bag filter

systems, mainly installed in combination with VOD and VD-OB units
of any heat size, have proven the
reliability of this concept.

View at the gas

cooler/bag filter

27

SMS MEVAC

Secondary Metallurgy

MODERNISATION,
Revamping and Upgrading
SMS Mevac has already revamped
more than 20 units, some of them
under the most difficult conditions.
In order to determine the actual
status of an existing unit that is to
be revamped, a feasibility study is
performed. This feasibility study
enables the customer to select
from different solutions and to define the extent of revamping which
offers the optimum economical
merits to him.
Typical revamping
objects
conversion DH to RH
TOP-lance installation
vacuum vessel design
snorkel maintenance
vessel exchange system
vacuum pump system
automatic sampler
alloying system
Economical merits
increased productivity
decreased operational cost
higher availability
reduced maintenance
lower variance in heat
characteristics
higher product quality
new areas of steel application

28

29

SMS MEVAC

Secondary Metallurgy

INNOVATIONS
SMS Mevac actively supports the
development of innovative technologies. This includes, together with
partners worldwide, the introduction
of new processes as well as the
improvement of equipment for the
benefit of our customers. Examples
of recent developments are:
Automatic sampler
using industrial-type
robots
With increased performance and
reliability, standardised robotic
systems with dedicated gripping
tools simplify the automatic
sampling procedure for analysis,
temperature and oxygen activity.
Selecting, attaching and detaching
the probe and even the sampling
procedure itself are carried out in
a repeatable and reliable manner.

Splash control in
vacuum degassers
The intense reaction of CO formation leads to excessive splashing
of metal inside the vacuum vessel
at certain pressure levels. With the
introduction of continuously adjustable needle valves in steam ejectors, an energy-saving control of
the suction capacity has been developed. Optimised pump-down curves
are realised with this technology,
with a very high, reproducable
decarburisation behaviour at an
acceptable splashing level.
Injection of oxidising
agents in VOD
Oxidising agents for the production
of stainless steel such as iron oxide
are added simultaneously with oxygen via the lance into the steel for:
UV

acceleration of decarburisation
better nitrogen removal for
production of low nitrogen
stainless steels
improved control of temperature
profile
less addition of cooling scrap

1000

pump down curve B

(optimized)

100

Pressure (mB)

Temperature (C)

pressure in hPa

pump down curve A

10
0

30

60

120
180
time in s

240

300
time (min)

Customised SERVICES

Customised services
In addition to the supply of equipment, SMS Mevac offers a comprehensive variety of services to
ensure the selection of the most
suitable process unit, a smooth
start-up of the unit according to the
time schedule as well as a reliable
operation of the equipment.
All engineering services are in
accordance with international
standards and state-of-the-art
technologies.
Consultant services
studies for modernisation
and revamping projects, comprising productivity and quality
improvements as well as
reduction of production costs
start-up and metallurgical
assistance
know-how transfer

Engineering services
recommendation of the most
suitable process
tailor-made integration of
equipment into existing steel
making plants
engineering related to
mechanical equipment as
well as electrical and process
automation systems
supply of metallurgical models
project co-ordination
handling of turn-key projects

Supervision services
supervision of manufacturing
supervision of erection
supervision of cold and hot
commissioning
After sales service
supply of consumables and
spare parts
support of plant operation by
our process engineers and
metallurgists
support for modernisation and
revamping

Training services
theoretical and practical training
on-site and off-site training in
co-operation with well-known
European steel makers,
e.g. CORUS (formerly
known as BRITISH STEEL
and HOOGOVENS),
THYSSENKRUPP STAHL (TKS)
and SIDMAR

31

SMS MEVAC

Secondary Metallurgy

SMS Mevac office in Essen/How to find us:

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SMS Mevac GmbH

Bamlerstrasse 3a
45141 Essen
Germany
Telephone +49 201 63 23-0
Telefax
+49 201 63 23-200
mail@sms-mevac.com
www.sms-mevac.com

MEETING your EXPECTATIONS

H1/ 301E
5000/10/05 aA Printed in Germany

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