Advances in Ferro-Alloys Production
A Special Issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417) belonging to the section "Materials Science and Engineering".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 December 2027 | Viewed by 2
Editors
Interests: molten salts electrochemistry; silicon metal production; aluminium electrolysis; decarbonizing metallurgical production processes; inert anodes for high temperature electrolysis; CFD modelling; MHD modelling; in general process modelling
Interests: computational fluid dynamics (CFD); multiphysics modelling; magnetohydrodynamics (MHD); electric arc and plasma modelling; metallurgical process modelling; submerged arc furnaces
2. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Cape Town 7602, South Africa
Interests: computational multiphysics modelling of high-temperature processes including magnetohydrodynamics for plasma arc problems, multiphase fluid flow, reacting flows and others; physics-aware reduced order and data-driven modelling for digital twin applications; high-speed imaging and sensing in pyrometallurgy; application of open science principles in pyrometallurgical research
Interests: pyrometallurgy; process modelling; thermodynamics; DC arc furnaces; furnace design; electric arcs; ferro-alloys; platinum group metals; smelting history
Interests: silicon metal production; computational fluid dynamics (CFD); multiphysics modelling; magnetohydrodynamics (MHD); electric arc and plasma modelling; electrical power system modelling and analysis
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Ferroalloys are essential to modern metallurgical industries, but their production remains highly energy- and carbon-intensive. Growing demands for decarbonisation, resource efficiency, and process stability are driving the development of alternative reductants, electrified production routes, advanced furnace and process-control technologies, and circular approaches to raw-material and by-product utilisation.
This Special Issue aims to present recent experimental, theoretical, and industrial advances in sustainable ferroalloy production, with particular emphasis on scientifically validated technologies and quantitative understanding of materials and processes. Contributions may address manganese-, chromium-, nickel-, silicon-, and other ferroalloy systems across the full production chain, including raw-material preparation; thermodynamics and kinetics; furnace operation; tapping, refining, and casting; slag and refractory behaviour; alternative reductants and carbon materials; energy efficiency and emissions reduction; recycling and circularity; multiphysics modelling and digital twins; and automation, artificial intelligence, and data-driven process optimisation.
The Special Issue is associated with the 18th International Ferro-Alloys Congress (INFACON XVIII), and is also open to high-quality contributions from the wider scientific and industrial community. We welcome original research articles, review papers, and industrial case studies covering the full spectrum of ferro-alloy science and technology.
Suggested topics
- Low-carbon technologies and CO2 emissions—new reductants, renewable-energy integration, process electrification, and emissions mitigation.
- Manganese alloys—raw materials, pretreatment, furnace operation, tapping, slag handling, process modelling, and energy efficiency.
- Ferrochromium and ferronickel alloys—production, raw materials, pretreatment, smelting, refining, and casting.
- Silicon and ferrosilicon—production, furnace operation, electrical systems, process control, and slag management.
- Other alloys and novel products—emerging alloy systems, innovative products, recycling, and circularity.
- Reductants and carbon materials—biocarbon, natural gas, hydrogen-bearing reductants, and other alternative reducing agents.
- Control systems and digitalisation—automation, process modelling, digital twins, big-data analytics, artificial intelligence, and data-driven optimisation.
- Furnaces, electrodes, and refractories—design, materials, performance, monitoring, and operation.
- Health, safety, and the environment—occupational health and safety, environmental management, emissions control, and industrial sustainability.
About INFACON XVIII
INFACON XVIII will be hosted by Reykjavik University in collaboration with the University of Iceland, IceTec, and Aluminium Cluster Iceland, and organised in cooperation with the International Committee on Ferro-Alloys (ICFA). The congress will take place in Reykjavik, Iceland, from 23 to 27 May 2027. It will bring together researchers, metallurgists, plant operators, technology providers, and equipment suppliers to exchange knowledge and discuss scientific, technological, and industrial developments across the ferroalloy sector.
Prof. Dr. Gudrun Arnbjörg Saevarsdottir
Dr. Yonatan Afework Tesfahunegn
Dr. Quinn G. Reynolds
Dr. Rodney T. Jones
Guest Editors
Dr. Hákon Valur Haraldsson
Guest Editor Assistant
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
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Keywords
- ferroalloy production
- silicon and ferrosilicon
- manganese alloys
- furnaces and electrodes
- energy efficiency
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