Search Results (70)

The expansion of unobstructed floor plans has resulted in large open areas, especially in modern designs. Although these new designs are appealing and esthetically attractive, they remain at a risk of large fires which may initiate at certain location(s) and make their way along to the other parts of the compartment. Such fires are called travelling fires and are not currently covered by the design codes due to lack of available research and understanding. Unlike traditional compartment fires, travelling fires may last longer and may result in compromising the structural integrity due to prolonged fire exposure. This article studies the impact of travelling fires on structures with focus on the structural elements, oriented perpendicular to the direction of fire travel. The data presented comes from Test 1, conducted by the authors as part of the TRAFIR project at Ulster University. The details provided include the recorded gas temperatures within the compartment and the temperatures recorded in the surrounding structural elements, along gridlines ② and ③. The test compartment consisted of a steel structure with a hollow core concrete roof. The structural steelwork was supplied with additional dummy columns for data acquisition purposes. The study demonstrates that structural elements located within the fuel bed are subjected to significantly higher temperatures. The gas temperature differences within and outside the fuel bed on occasions exceed 450 °C across compartment width, while the same for columns and beams were up to 350 °C and 200 °C, respectively. Such transient heating of the structure could possibly induce the load distribution within the structure and may help achieve improved global fire resistance. The findings from this study will improve our understanding of travelling fires, their impact on structures, and will open directions to study the collapse mechanisms of structures under the influence of travelling fires and will help with devising design guidance for structures exposed to travelling fires. Full article

The conceptual design and techno-economic assessment of Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) for the recovery of H₂, CO₂, and CO from steel making Blast Furnace-Basic Oxygen Furnace and Coke Oven off-gases, major contributors to anthropogenic carbon emissions, are presented. Three PSA units are modeled on Aspen Adsorption V14, each utilising dedicated adsorbents and configurations tailored for the target gas. Model validation is successfully conducted by comparing breakthrough simulation results with experimental data. The simulation results demonstrate that the PSA systems effectively separate H₂ (99.3% purity, 80% recovery), CO (98% purity, 87% recovery), and CO₂ (96.9% purity, 75% recovery) from steelmaking off-gases. Meanwhile, the techno-economic assessment indicates that the PSA systems are economically viable, with competitive costs of £2768/tH₂, £52.78/tCO, and £16.89/tCO₂ captured, making them an effective solution for gas separation in the steel industry. Full article

The current, continuous increase in attention toward preservation of the environment and natural resources is forcing resource-intensive industries like steelworks to investigate new solutions to improve resource efficiency and promote the growth of a circular economy. In this context, electric steelworks, which inherently implement circularity principles, are spending efforts to enhance valorization of their main by-product, namely slags. A reliable characterization of the slag’s composition is crucial for the identification of the best valorization pathway, but, currently, slag monitoring is often discontinuous. Furthermore, in the current period of transformation of steel production, preliminary knowledge of the effect of modifications of operating practices on slags composition is crucial to assessing the viability of these modifications. In this paper, a stationary flowsheet model of the electric steelmaking route is presented; this model enables joint monitoring of key variables related to process, steel and slags. For the estimation of the content of most compounds in slags, the average relative percentage error is below 20% for most of the considered steel families. Thus, the tool can be considered suitable for scenario analyses supporting slag valorization. Higher performance is achievable by exploiting more reliable data for model tuning. These data can be obtained via novel devices that gather more numerous and representative data on the amount and composition of slags. Full article

Industrial heritage tourism has been subject to increasing visitor interest, making Europe’s old factories, mines, and steelworks into attractive tourist installations. However, these facilities, like all other market players, impact the environment, and, therefore, their management should take into account achieving sustainable development goals. The purpose of this article is to identify key sustainability measures taken by public industrial heritage tourism facilities in Europe to protect the environment. This article discusses the results of a survey of administrators of public industrial heritage facilities in Europe. This research was carried out using the Computer Assisted Web Interview technique, sending a research questionnaire to facilities associated with the European Route of Industrial Heritage. The results indicate that these entities are taking numerous measures to implement environmental sustainability patterns, particularly in the areas of waste segregation, pollution and waste generation reduction, and low energy consumption in equipment purchases. Unfortunately, the survey shows that many of the stated actions are not being implemented, as only one in four managers has implemented a formal program related to the implementation of at least some sustainability principles or training conducted in this regard. Managers of industrial heritage sites also advocate for increased national and international cooperation between sites. The author also draws attention to the need to acquire green technologies and communicate the effects of these activities to stakeholders. Full article

The article presents research on the evaluation of the use of two four-layer textile composites with ZrO₂/Al coatings of different thicknesses (deposited by magnetron sputtering PVD) with potential use in thermally insulating protective gloves designed for steelworkers, welders, or miners. The structure of the composites was analyzed using high-resolution X-ray micro-CT. The assessment of the safety of the glove user was conducted using methods in which the composites were exposed to contact heat, radiant heat, and flame heat. The results showed that both four-layer textile composites equipped with ZrO₂/Al coatings provide effective protection against contact heat, radiant heat, and flame heat and can be successfully used in the construction of metallurgical protective gloves. Both composites achieved the first performance level (for contact heat method, for contact temperature 100 °C), the fourth performance level (for radiant heat), and the third performance level (for flame heat). Full article

The paper presents the results of industrial research and numerical simulations of the chemical homogenization of liquid steel. The research object was a ladle furnace with a working capacity of the ladle of 100 t at the steel plant of Huta Częstochowa, currently Liberty Częstochowa Sp. z o.o. Industrial research was carried out under standard production conditions of the steelworks. The research included automatic steel sampling, measurement of the bath temperature, controlled measurement of argon flow at a given intensity, and the determination of the concentration of elements in steel samples using a spectrometric analyser. The element introduced in the form of a ferroalloy (FeMn and FeSiMn) played the role of a marker in the study of changes in the chemical composition during the process of dissolution and mixing of the alloying additive. Monitoring changes in the chemical composition of steel after the introduction of the marker was carried out by taking metal samples. The initial and boundary parameters of the modelled processes necessary to perform numerical simulations were determined successively through industrial measurements or determined on the basis of empirical relationships. A two-equation k-ε turbulence model was used to assess the flow inside the tested ladle furnace, and a discrete phase model was used to model gas bubbles. The mixing characteristics of the steel bath after introducing the alloying additive to it were determined. The comparison of the results of numerical simulations with experimental data was based on the analysis of the chemical homogenization process. Full article

Shafts play a key role in the operation of mining plants. They connect underground excavations with the surface and provide the ability to transport people, equipment, and raw materials. The nature of the dynamic interaction of a conveyance moving at a significant speed along deformed guide rails is complex, and the method of assessing the interaction of hoisting conveyances with shaft steelwork, despite ongoing research, still requires further understanding and improvement. Misalignments of the guide rails and conveyance movements transverse to the shaft axis induce impact (guiding) forces, which are the key design parameters of shaft steelwork. The reliable assessment of guiding forces allows the design of safe and economical steelworks and the assessment of their structural safety during operation under deformations and corrosive deterioration. Determining the value of guiding forces requires their field measurements or the use of approximate empirical formulas. Both methods have their limitations—measurement is expensive and interferes with normal shaft operation, while empirical formulas are subject to high error due to the lack of consideration of many structural details specific to each shaft that significantly affect the behavior of the system. This study presents a new method for using a relatively simple-to-implement measurement of hoisting conveyance acceleration to assess guiding forces. A finite element model of the skip and steelwork was built, and simulations of the conveyance interaction with the structure were carried out. A strong relationship between the sliding plate’s impact point location and the guiding force was found. Extreme values of the guiding force were observed in the vicinity of the bunton connection. The study showed that reducing the skip load mass does not affect the force value. Simplified methods of calculating the moments of inertia of the hoisting conveyance significantly overestimate the code-based values of the guiding forces. The presented method considers the actual stiffness and mass distribution of hoisting conveyance and, therefore, allows for a more accurate estimation of the guiding forces and the transport of larger loads. This data-driven approach allows for the continuous monitoring of the guiding forces, the adjustments of the hoisting parameters, the rational planning of repairs, and a reduction in the replacement of corroded shaft steelwork. Full article

Anticorrosive organic coatings are usually tested with accelerated weathering methods to assess their anticorrosive performance. The results of lab testing often do not correlate well with results from field testing, which resembles the conditions of actual use more closely. We tested the correlation of the neutral salt spray test (NSS, ISO 9227) and tests for mechanical properties and a 5-year field exposure in four different locations in the atmospheric zone, splash zone and immersion zone using 19 organic coatings for hydraulic steelwork. No correlation was found between the anticorrosive performance under outdoor exposure and the mechanical properties of a coating. The NSS test showed a positive correlation with the results in the field in 6 of 12 cases. For the fresh water testing location in Trier, the correlation proved to be very good. The biggest difference between lab and field testing was observed for zinc-primer-free coatings, which passed in the lab testing and failed in the outdoor testing. This study shows that the NSS test correlates with outdoor exposure only in some cases on a statistically significant level, but the results of NSS testing can be useful in approval testing for protective coating systems using predefined pass/fail criteria. Full article

Arc devices are among the receivers with the highest power connected to power systems. Due to dynamic load changes, these receivers generate a number of disturbances that affect the quality of electric power. The most important disturbances include voltage fluctuations. It is also worth mentioning the asymmetry and deformation of the supply voltage curve. This article discusses the mutual interaction of receivers operating in parallel, operating stably, and devices with dynamic current consumption. Calculations based on model tests and the results of parameters characterizing the quality of energy, which were recorded in the line supplying the steelworks, are presented. The power supply conditions (power of the short-circuit network) were assessed to influence the degree of suppression of voltage fluctuations by loads with stable current consumption. Full article

Background/Objectives: Steelworkers are more likely to have a higher prevalence of hyperuricemia due to their exposure to special occupational factors and dietary habits. The interrelationships of visceral adiposity index (VAI), hyperuricemia, and drinking tea remain uncertain. This study aimed to assess the association between VAI and hyperuricemia among steelworkers, and if drinking tea modified this association. Methods: A total of 9928 steelworkers from Hunan Hualing Xiangtan Iron and Steel Company participated in this cross-sectional study. All participants completed a questionnaire, received anthropometric measurements, and provided blood samples for biochemical testing. Three logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between VAI and hyperuricemia. Results: In this study, the prevalence of hyperuricemia was approximately 23.74% (males: 24.41%; females: 20.63%), and a positive correlation between VAI and hyperuricemia risk was observed. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the risk of hyperuricemia increased 1.76 times (95% CI: 1.64–1.89) and 2.13 times (95% CI: 1.76–2.57) with the increase of ln VAI in males and females, respectively. For males, compared to quartile 1, the risk of hyperuricemia in the second, third, and fourth quartile of VAI were 1.75 (95% CI: 1.11–2.71), 2.56 (95% CI: 1.67–3.93) and 4.89 (95% CI: 3.22–7.43). For females, compared to quartile 1, the risk of hyperuricemia in the second, third, and fourth quartile of VAI were 1.99 (95% CI: 1.40–2.82), 2.92 (95% CI: 1.96–4.34) and 4.51 (95% CI: 2.89–7.02). Additionally, our study found that, compared with not consuming tea, drinking tea could reduce uric acid levels by 0.014 in male steelworkers (t = −2.051, p = 0.040), 0.020 in workers consuming smoked food (t = −2.569, p = 0.010), and 0.022 in workers consuming pickled food (t = −2.764, p = 0.006). Conclusions: In conclusion, VAI is positively correlated with hyperuricemia in steelworkers. Drinking tea may lower uric acid levels in male steelworkers and steelworkers who prefer smoked and pickled foods. Full article

Slip, trip, and fall (STF) accidents cause high rates of absence from work in many companies. During the 2022 reporting period, the German Social Accident Insurance recorded 165,420 STF accidents, of which 12 were fatal and 2485 led to disability pensions. Particularly in the traffic, transport and logistics sector, STF accidents are the most frequently reported occupational accidents. Therefore, an accurate detection of near-falls is critical to improve worker safety. Efficient detection algorithms are essential for this, but their performance heavily depends on large, well-curated datasets. However, there are drawbacks to current datasets, including small sample sizes, an emphasis on older demographics, and a reliance on simulated rather than real data. In this paper we report the collection of a standardised kinematic STF dataset from real-world STF events affecting parcel delivery workers and steelworkers. We further discuss the use of the data to evaluate dynamic stability control during locomotion for machine learning and build a standardised database. We present the data collection, discuss the classification of the data, present the totality of the data statistically, and compare it with existing databases. A significant research gap is the limited number of participants and focus on older populations in previous studies, as well as the reliance on simulated rather than real-world data. Our study addresses these gaps by providing a larger dataset of real-world STF events from a working population with physically demanding jobs. The population studied included 110 participants, consisting of 55 parcel delivery drivers and 55 steelworkers, both male and female, aged between 19 and 63 years. This diverse participant base allows for a more comprehensive understanding of STF incidents in different working environments. Full article

Investigating the influence of varying shaft steelwork stiffness on the stability of horizontal mass displacements, which are crucial elements of a conveyance-shaft steelwork system, is a significant step in evaluating the risk of parametric vibrations in steel constructions. While the Rayleigh method is limited to the first approximation in the solution to this analysis, it still provides valuable insights. Our examination indicates that the impact of a varying shaft steelwork system may not be noticeable in practical applications. This is a significant finding, as it suggests that the impact of varying stiffness in real working objects may be ignored, because the increase in the parametric resonance effects is negligible. This underscores the importance of our research in understanding the stability of steel constructions. This research, which involves theoretical analysis, simplifies the dynamic analysis of the conveyance-shaft steelwork system’s behavior. The result of the performed analysis is a valuable equation for predicting stable work in real hoist installations. Full article

In this work, PM_2.5 was sampled at Dunkerque, a medium-sized city located in northern France. The mean concentration of PM_2.5 during the sampling period was 12.6 ± 9.5 μg·m⁻³. Samples were analyzed for elemental and organic carbon (EC/OC), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), humic-like substances (HULIS-C), water-soluble inorganic ions, and major and trace elements. The origin and the variations of species concentrations were examined using elemental enrichment factors, bivariate polar plot representations, and diagnostic concentration ratios. Secondary inorganic ions were the most abundant species (36% of PM_2.5), followed by OC (12.5% of PM_2.5). Secondary organic carbon (SOC) concentrations were estimated to account for 52% of OC. A good correlation between SOC and WSOC indicated that secondary formation processes significantly contribute to the WSOC concentrations. HULIS-C also represents almost 50% of WSOC. The determination of diagnostic ratios revealed the influence of anthropogenic emission sources such as integrated steelworks and fuel oil combustion. The clustering of 72 h air masses backward trajectories data evidenced that higher concentrations of PM_2.5, OC, and secondary inorganic aerosols were recorded when air masses came from north-eastern Europe and the French continental sector, showing the considerable impact of long-range transport on the air quality in northern France. Full article

Sludge, due to its form and significant moisture and zinc content, is the most problematic metallurgical waste. Near the site of a disused steelworks plant in Krakow (Poland) there is an estimated 5 million tonnes of landfill sludge that consists of more than 90% iron and other metal oxides. There is a global tendency to switch steel production towards carbonless technologies, which is why the presented work investigates the possibility of simultaneous waste liquidation and recovery of valuable metals with the use of hydrogenous reduction. Direct reduced iron (DRI) production was selected as the targeted technology, so the sludge was lumped and bound with cement or CaO addition. The obtained lumps were reduced in a hydrogenous atmosphere with gradual heating to 950 °C, after which their phase structure was analyzed and elemental analysis was performed. It was found that zinc evaporated during the experiment, but mostly thanks to the carbon contained in the sludge. The increased addition of binder to the sludge resulted in the enhancement of the lumps, but also limited the reduction range. The products obtained were mostly wustite and less pure iron. Taking into account the degree of reduction and the lumps’ compression strength, the best binding was achieved by adding cement at a quantity of 5% mass. Full article

This article presents the technical aspects that may reduce electric power consumption during the welding of pipes with the high-frequency induction (HFI) method. Experiments were carried out at Huta Łabędy S.A. Steelworks, during the test production of 323.9 × 5.6 mm pipes of P235GH steel grade. Two sets of HFI heating system settings were studied: with a variable squeeze force of the heated edges and a variable position of the inductor in relation to the welding point. It was proven that the temperature at the welding point increased due to the stronger squeeze of the heated edges, which reduced the electric power consumption. Reducing the distance of the inductor relative to the welding point had the same effect. By optimizing the squeeze force and the position of the inductor, energy consumption was reduced by about 5.5%. Microstructural studies of the welds did not show any adverse effects of the optimization. Full article