An inter-company approach to improve resource and energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in metal industries by linking flow- sheet models.

The need to increase efficiency and productivity within the metals industry in Germany is discussed, and a project is described involving five industry partners from the iron-and-steel and zinc industries in which an integrated approach was employed to represent an integrated steelmaking site, an electric arc furnace, the recycling of Zn-containing residues from the DK and Waelz processes and the recovery of Zn from Zn industry residues. Flow-sheet models were developed for the individual processes and the effect of re-using a residue within a particular process was simulated by applying sensitivity analysis to the single flow-sheet models. The flowsheets were linked using software which enabled data to be exchanged between the models. An example is presented covering the electric arc furnace steelmaking process and the recycling of the furnace dust in a Waelz kiln.
The need to increase efficiency and productivity within the metals industry in Germany is discussed, and a project is described involving five industry partners from the iron-and-steel and zinc industries in which an integrated approach was employed to represent an integrated steelmaking site, an electric arc furnace, the recycling of Zn-containing residues from the DK and Waelz processes and the recovery of Zn from Zn industry residues. Flow-sheet models were developed for the individual processes and the effect of re-using a residue within a particular process was simulated by applying sensitivity analysis to the single flow-sheet models. The flowsheets were linked using software which enabled data to be exchanged between the models. An example is presented covering the electric arc furnace steelmaking process and the recycling of the furnace dust in a Waelz kiln.