The permeability of the blast furnace and in particular of its lower part, conditions its performances and its campaign duration. It is therefore essential to be able to characterize it. Several methods have already been used as radioactive tracing, coke core boring and Iiquids sampling, achieved by the tuyere probe installed on the BF 1 of Sollac Fos. Results of these measurements can be completed by gas analyses on the blast furnace radius and by gas tracing using helium, also achieved with the tuyere probe. This article presents the synthesis and shows the consistency of these various measurements.

The condition of the coke bed in the lower zones of the blast furnace determines the nature of liquids flow into and through the hearth. Methods for monitoring the condition of deadman cleanliness and coke bed voidage at the taphole level have been developed. Influences on metal chemistry and hearth refractory heat loads are discussed. This paper also discusses strategies for management of taphole performance by application of operator guidance techniques which employ real time data acquisition and the on-line application of mathematical models of liquids removal during casting. Recommendation strategies for installed clay volume and taphole opening/closure times are discussed.

A closed-loop blast furnace automation system was jointly developed by VOEST-ALPINE Industrieanlagenbau (VAI) and VOEST-ALPINE Stahl Linz (VASL). The system, with the tradename VAiron, makes not only the operation of the blast furnace entirely transparent, but stabilizes it also, and permits therefore significant improvements in the regularity of hot metal quality and substantial reductions in production costs. The final goal of the development is the "fully automatic blast furnace" .

In order to achieve comparatively constant BOF process data, a radar measurement equipment was installed at the two 185-t vessels at the Dillinger Hütte steelplant. The level of liquid steel in the converter is easily measured for every heat with a radar unit. With this installation, the distance between the tip of the oxygen blowing lance and the steel surface can be adjusted in accordance to process conditions. As a result, metallurgical and technological improvements were achieved, e.g. the Fe-content of the slag was reduced and the lime consumption could be lowered as well. A more uniform lining wear can be observed and the life of lance tips is increased.

VOEST-ALPINE Industrieanlagenbau (VAI) has developed the VAI-CON Temp system for the continuous temperature monitoring in metallurgical vessels. The system has been tested for a variety of installations and has reached industrial perfection. It has many potential applications (from the electric arc furnace to the continuous casting tundish) and, thanks to the highly accurate results it provides, it allows a substantially better process control than the conventional, discontinuous measuring systems.

Oxygen consumption in the EAF continues to increase, partly due to the development of various technologies based on supersonic lancing. This paper discusses the characteristics of supersonic jets and their industrial implementation. Based on fluid mechanics, numeric modelling and laboratory measurements, physical parameters which can act on the quality of the jet are reviewed. Alarc Jet supersonic injection technology has been designed to provide, in addition to high-standard burners and postcombustion tools, the best global efficiency of oxygen in the EAF. Application to the 160-t furnace of SAM Neuves-Maisons is described.

When producing ultra-thin hot strip, the yield and economy depend on achieving narrow geometrical and material properties fulfilling the increased customers demand. In production, the correct measurement of the strip properties is necessary. This paper gives advanced measuring and control techniques for the parameters concerning thickness profile, flatness profile, coil face profile, temperature profile, surface finish profile of ultra-thin hot rolled strip.

With the aim of enhancing coating quality control during the galvannealing process, an on-line optical image acquisition sensor has been developed at "Centre de Recherches Métallurgiques" , Belgium. In the galvannealing process, the ζ phase surface density is a coating quality characteristic, and the on-line microscope, placed at 20 mm from the surface, grabs images on which ζ crystals can be clearly identified. The resulting images are then processed, and the results of the analysis can be used to adjust the process parameters in order to reach the desired coating characteristics (iron content, powdering) .

Fugitive dust emissions from open sources are difficult to quantify owing to the extended area covered by such sources and the range of activities that contribute to such emissions. In a novel approach, a network of continuous monitors was used to obtain real-time local PM10 data on an integrated works and these data were used in conjunction with a reverse-dispersion modelling technique to quantify stockyard PM10 emissions. The results obtained are discussed and other potential applications of this approach are outlined.

Progress in bridge construction is partly due to the availability of improved steel products. In particular heavy plates, which can today be delivered in a wide range of dimensions and steel grades, enable bridge designers to achieve an efficient cost- and time-saving construction under simultaneous consideration of high architectural demands on aesthetics and elegance. Several examples will be presented which demonstrate the impressing opportunities of modern steel.