DIRECT FROM

4TH QUARTER 2019

INSIDE 2 3 7 12 13
THIS COMMENTARY: GETTING THE MIDREX WATER NEWS & VIEWS: NEWS & VIEWS:
Slow Road To MOST FROM TREATMENT Midrex Opens Office 2019 International
ISSUE Recovery For RAW MATERIALS MANAGEMENT in Dubai Conference on
DR-Grade Pellets VIA THE DIRECT FOR INCREASING MIDREX®
REDUCTION/EAF PLANT Cleveland-Cliffs HBI Technology
ROUTE AVAILABILITY Plant On-Track for
Ore Selection & PRODUCTIVITY Mid-2020 Start-Up New look for
(Part 1) midrex.com

www.midrex.com
12.30.19
 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS < >

COMMENTARY prices slumped, as the two largest global economies engaged

in a trade dispute. Prices of both long products and flat prod-

SLOW ROAD TO
ucts slipped by 20-30%. Ironmaking plants, particularly those
forced to buy merchant ore on the world market, were pinched

RECOVERY FOR
between falling product prices and rising raw materials costs.
The squeeze was even tighter in the direct reduction in-

DR-GRADE PELLETS
dustry. Direct reduced iron (DRI) output had surged by nearly
40% during the prior two years, and growth was expected to
continue at a very rapid pace. Demand for seaborne DR-grade

T
he past year has pellets was forecast by the International Iron Metallics Asso-
been challenging ciation to grow by 50% over the next five years. Then the two
for many iron and tailings dam failures occurred at mines that were major sources
steelmakers, especially those of high-grade pellets – and everything changed.
who rely upon merchant How did the DR plants deal with this problem? Primarily,
direct reduction-grade pel- by expanding their sourcing to include non-conventional ores;
lets for their iron ore supply. lump ores and lower grade pellets. However, each of these ac-
Prices of oxide pellets, iron, tions involved difficulties. For instance, DRI made from lower
and steel have varied over a grade pellets contains higher amounts of gangue, which in-
broad range, putting a strain creases the slag volume in an EAF and reduces the yield.
By Vincent Chevrier, PhD on profitability. At times, the The demand side of the equation is more difficult to fore-
General Manager – operating expenses of some cast. Will economic growth return to the high rates of a few
Business Development ironmakers have exceeded years ago and drive steel demand? No one knows. What we do
the sale price of their product, forcing curtailment of operation know is new MIDREX® Plants are coming into production in
until the situation improved. While other times, the business 2019-20, increasing overall demand and consumption volumes.
climate was more favorable. In short, economic forces driving Although the DR-grade pellet market will be tight for several
supply and demand caused fluctuations that were beyond the more years, we should not see the large swings like earlier this
control of the steel companies. year.
Iron ore supply, especially high-grade pellets, have been re- Midrex recently hosted a panel of five iron ore suppliers –
stricted since late-2015, when a mining tailings dam collapsed Anglo American, Baffinland, Bahrain Steel, Rio Tinto, and Vale
in Brazil and caused the closure of over 20 million tons per year – at the annual International Conference on MIDREX Tech-
of production. Then, in January 2019, a second tailings dam nology, where we heard their views on the market, as well as
failed and another 50 million tons per year of ore production industry news and updates. The storm seems to be abating –
was shuttered. These and other supply disruptions put iron supply is gradually increasing and prices have returned to more
ore prices on a seemingly never-ending escalator. Within eight tolerable levels. Although producers of DR-grade pellets are
months (November 2018 until July 2019), the base price for iron actively working to increase their output, no new capacity is
ore, as indicated by the price of 62% Fe sinter fines upon arrival planned in the short-term.
in Northeast China, nearly doubled. Simultaneously, the pre- This issue of Direct From Midrex presents the first install-
mium for direct reduction-grade pellets, which already was at a ment of a three-part series that focuses on the four interrelat-
remarkably high level, increased by $13/t. At its peak, in summer ed factors that influence iron unit yield in DR/EAF steelmak-
of 2019, the price of 67% Fe pellets, fob Brazil, was around $140/t. ing. When pellet supply is tight and prices are high, increasing
Normally, when raw materials costs rise, it is possible to metallic iron yield becomes more important. Part 1 discusses
raise the price of the product to compensate. Sometimes, even iron ore selection.
greater profits can be made. But not this time. Worldwide steel

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Getting the Most from Raw Materials

Via the Direct Reduction/EAF Route

Maximizing Iron Unit Yield

from Ore to Liquid Steel
(Part 1)

This series is based on a paper titled, “Getting the Most from Raw Materials – Iron Unit Yield from Ore
to Liquid Steel via the Direct Reduction/EAF Route” by Christopher Manning, PhD, Materials Processing
Solutions, Inc. and Vincent Chevrier, PhD, Midrex Technologies, Inc. and articles previously published
in Direct From Midrex.

Yield is king when evaluating cost at the metallic iron unit

Beginning with this issue, DFM will present a three-part stage, as well as at the liquid metal stage. However, iron unit
series on getting the most from raw materials, focusing yield from ore to liquid steel can vary over a wide range. Metallic
on the four interrelated factors that influence iron unit iron unit losses can add up to greater than 15% during handling,
yield via the DR/EAF route: storing, and melting of direct reduced iron (DRI).

• Ore selection (Part 1) Large costs associated with iron unit losses are sometimes
hidden, as they can be distributed across several unit opera-
• DRI physical properties (Part 2)
tions. These costs must be controlled to remain competitive in
• DRI handling and storage (Part 2)
today’s iron and steel market, which is why it is essential to be
• Melting practice (Part 3)
mindful of the factors that influence yield: ore selection, DRI
physical properties, handling and storage, and melting practice.
INTRODUCTION Traditional integrated blast furnace/BOF operations have

I
ron units represent the largest operating had over 100 years to develop procedures, technologies, and

expense of a direct reduction plant, and metal- methods for maximizing iron unit yield by minimizing, captur-
ing, and recycling oxide wastes at every stage of the process. In
lic iron units represent the largest operating
contrast, commercial steel production via the direct reduction/
expense of an EAF steelmaking plant. Increasing or
EAF route has been around only for less than 60 years and still
decreasing yield by a few percentage points can have
has many opportunities for improvement, such as maximizing
a greater impact on total operating cost than a 50% net iron unit yield from ore to liquid steel.
swing in energy cost.

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PART 1 – ORE SELECTION The following chemical constituents should be considered when
selecting an iron ore for direct reduction use:
Ore chemistry and oxide mechanical properties both influence
yield through to liquid steel. An ore with the optimum chemis- • Total iron
try may not have the optimum mechanical properties for pro-
• Silica & alumina (acid gangue)
ducing DRI. The ore that leads to maximum yield likely will be
a compromise of oxide pellet chemical and mechanical proper- • Lime & magnesia (basic gangue)
ties. Lump ore also can be reduced in gas-based direct reduction • Phosphorus
shaft furnaces, but the availability of suitable ores (especially • Sulfur
ones with very high Fe content) is becoming more and more
• Copper
limited. However, lump ore can cause challenges in the shaft
furnace and material handling system. Therefore, pelletized ore • Titania
currently is the primary feedstock for shaft furnace direct re-
duction operations around the world. TABLE I shows the maximum practical chemical quality for

Iron ore specifications for direct reduction use should be oxide materials, as well as the preferred limits for producing

determined by the overall economics of the DR plant and the as- DRI best suited for EAF steelmaking.

sociated steel mill. If it becomes necessary to alter the specifica- Practical Preferred
tions, the resulting impact on the cost of steel production must Limits (%) Limits (%)
be considered. Fe 66.0 min. 67.0 min.

SiO2 & Al2O3 3.5 max. 2.0 max.

CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Specifications for the chemical composition of iron ore feed- CaO 2.5 max.
stocks are usually dictated by the intended user of the DRI,
MgO 1.0 max.
rather than the direct reduction process, because the only major
chemical change to the iron ore in the direct reduction process P 2O 5 0.03 max. 0.015 max.
is the removal of oxygen – no melting nor refining. As a result, S 0.025 max. 0.015 max.
most of the impurities and gangue in the oxide feed are pres-
Cu 0.03 max. 0.01 max.
ent in the DRI product. Therefore, the iron content of the feed
materials should be as high as possible and the gangue content TiO2 0.35 max. 0.15 max.
(especially acid gangue constituents, like silica and alumina) as
TABLE I. Iron Oxide Chemical Quality Limits
low as possible. The total amount of gangue in oxide pellets and
lump ores generally should not exceed 3-4%. Excessive gangue PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
will require additional electric power in the EAF and increased The physical attributes of iron ores often are more important
refractory wear. to a direct reduction process than the chemical characteristics.
It should be noted that the removal of oxygen from the iron A preferred DR feedstock will be of consistent size to allow ho-
oxide pellets and lump ores will cause an apparent increase in mogeneous feeding, have good reducibility characteristics, and
the percentage of both the iron and the impurities, although the sufficient mechanical strength to prevent degradation and fines
relative amount of each remains constant. generation during handling, transport, and melting. These char-
acteristics are determined by screen analysis, tumble test, and
the measurement of compression strength.
The mechanical properties of the oxide, such as crush
strength or drop strength, impact the overall yield of the DR
plant, as oxide fines/dust can be generated during handling and
storage. Most of the handling and storage concepts for oxides
also apply for DRI.

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 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS < >

The following physical characteristics should be consid- at a certain temperature. The reduction furnace in a MIDREX®
ered when selecting an iron ore for direct reduction use: Plant is sized for 4-6 hours of effective burden residence in
• Size – About 95% of pellets should be in the size range of 9-16 the reduction zone. Most oxide pellets and lump ores used for
mm. Lump ores should have a size range of 10-35 mm, with direct reduction have adequate reducibility within a 4-hour
85% within the range. The -3mm fraction should be mini- range at reduction temperatures below the fusion temperature.
mized. This means there is a direct relation between reduction
• Mechanical Strength – Tumble strength for pellets should temperature, reducibility, and productivity (the higher the re-
be 90-95% +6.73 mm. For lump ores it should be 85-90% +6.73 duction temperature, the higher the reducibility and the pro-
mm. Cold compression strength for pellets should be 250 kg ductivity). However, the reduction temperature is limited by the
or greater. Tumble strength and cold compression are indi- point of agglomeration (fusion temperature) inside the reduc-
cations of how well the oxide pellets have been indurated. tion furnace. The agglomeration tendency (percentage of pellets
Low tumble and cold compression strengths mean higher sticking together in clusters during reduction) can be improved
fines generation during handling. by coating the pellets to control the basicity (CaO + MgO/SiO2 +
• Bulk Density – Low bulk density means a reduction in unit Al2O3).
weight or capacity of a hopper or other volumetric devices, If a particular pellet has a higher clustering tendency, it
such as the reduction furnace. Pellets and lump ores should often can be overcome by blending in lump ore. Most lump ores
have a bulk density of at least 2.2 t/m3. act as lubricants to the furnace burden, preventing clustering
due to their tendency to decrepitate.
REDUCTION CHARACTERISTICS TABLE II shows the desired physical and reduction charac-
Reducibility can be gauged by the residence time in the reduc- teristics for lump ores and oxide pellets used in direct reduction
tion zone required to reach a certain degree (%) of metallization applications.

LUMP ORES OXIDE PELLETS

PHYSICAL QUALITY ACCEPTABLE PREFERRED ACCEPTABLE PREFERRED

Size:
Nominal 5x35 mm 10x25 mm 5x18 mm 6x16 mm
9x16 mm N/A N/A 85% min. 95% min.
- 5 mm 8% max. 5% max. 5% max. 3% max.
Tumble Strength:
+ 5 mm 85% min. 90% min. 92 min. 95% min.
- 28 mesh 10% max. 7% max. 6% max. 4% max.
Compression Strength:
Average N/A N/A 150kg min. 250kg min.
< 50 kg N/A N/A 5% max. 2% max.

REDUCTION CHARACTERISTICS ACCEPTABLE PREFERRED ACCEPTABLE PREFERRED

Midrex Linder Test (760° C)

Metallization 90% min. 92% min. 91% min. 93% min.
Degradation (- 3 mm) 10% max. 5% max. 5% max. 2% max.
Hot Load Test (815° C)
Tumble Strength (+ 3 mm) 85% min. 90% min. 90% min. 95% min.
Average Compression N/A N/A 50 kg min. 100kg min.
Clustering 0 0 0* 0

* Agglomeration at temperature above 760° C is acceptable if metallization at 760° C is at least 93%

TABLE II. Iron Oxide Physical Quality & Reduction Characteristics

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In direct reduction, thermal fragmentation will occur first reduction behavior of the oxide pellet in the direct reduction
as the iron ore heats followed by reduction fragmentation as shaft furnace. The specific mineralogy of the ore, as well as the
the ore starts to reduce from hematite to magnetite. Both occur fluxed basicity of the pellet (ratio of basic-to-acid components)
during the first 30 minutes of reduction. Fines produced by frag- will determine the degree of reduction that can be achieved.
mentation are mostly recoverable as metallized fines, which can Lab testing often is the best way to evaluate the reducibility of
be briquetted for subsequent use by the EAF steelmaker. Good a given pellet.
quality oxide pellets generally experience very low reduction In addition to hot reducibility, the oxide pellet chemistry
fragmentation. will determine the tendency of the pellet to stick and form clus-
Most lump ores are subject to thermal fragmentation, ters in the shaft furnace. Upset conditions in the shaft furnace
which occurs when heating the ore in a temperature range of can result in significant iron unit loss to non-prime product,
375-425° C. The rate of heating does not seem to be important. which may or may not be suitable for recycling through the
However, when the ore reaches the temperature range, some of shaft furnace.
the ore disintegrates into fragments. Lump ores with low reduc- Finally, the sulfur and phosphorus content of the ore can
tion fragmentation will generate 3-4% -4 mm fines, while ores have an indirect impact on the iron unit yield. Higher S and/
with high reduction fragmentation can yield up to 15% -4 mm or P level in the DRI may require different slag practices in the
fines. EAF to remove the contaminants. A higher basicity slag will re-
sult in a larger slag volume and thus larger FeO loss to the slag.
OPTIMUM OXIDE This will be discussed in more detail in Part 3 – Melting Practice
PELLET COMPOSITION of this series of articles.
A great deal of laboratory-
scale research and plant- CONCLUSION
level experimentation has Knowing the operating characteristics of direct reduction-
been conducted to deter- grade ores can prove invaluable in optimizing a plant’s perfor-
mine the optimum compo- mance and controlling its operating costs. Iron ore purchases
sition of a DR-grade oxide represent up to 2/3 of total operating cost; therefore, iron ore
pellet. The answer depends on specific plant conditions and evaluation and selection are extremely important to the opera-
the iron ore market. In the current market, DR-grade pellets are tional and financial health and longevity of a direct reduction
recognized as a top-tier quality pellet and command a significant plant.
price premium. Reduction characteristics, such as reducibility, agglomera-
Several key factors distinguish a DR-grade pellet from a tion tendency, and degradation during reduction should be in-
typical blast furnace-grade pellet. Generally, the Fe content of cluded in a raw materials specification. However, there is no in-
DR-grade pellets is 67% or better, whereas blast furnace-grade ternally accepted test procedures to evaluate these properties
pellets are typically 65% Fe or lower. The high iron content is for direct reduction applications. Therefore, it is very difficult
important to minimize gangue, especially acidic components to make ore suppliers accept these properties in specifications,
like SiO2 and Al2O3 in the DRI product (cold DRI, CDRI; hot DRI, especially if penalties are involved.
HDRI; and hot briquetted iron, HBI). Because the majority of DRI In addition, not all iron oxide raw materials possess all of
is melted directly in an oxidizing steelmaking furnace, higher the desired chemical, physical, and reduction characteristics.
acid gangue will lead to a larger slag volume in the steelmaking Therefore, blends of different materials, especially combina-
furnace and higher iron losses to the high FeO slag. This is less of tions of good quality pellets and lump ores, often are used by
a concern for HBI when it is used in a blast furnace under high- direct reduction plants. The advantages and disadvantages of
ly reducing conditions. However, the higher Fe content may be each type of oxide pellet or lump ore must be considered to de-
needed to meet the density requirement for maritime transport. termine which combination will provide the lowest operating
In addition to total iron in the pellet, its reducibility also cost while maximizing production and maintaining product
impacts the overall yield. Several factors influence the hot quality.

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MIDREX WATER TREATMENT MANAGEMENT

For Increasing
Plant Availability
& Productivity

By Fayçal Finnouche, Service Manager – Water, David J Oswald, General Manager Water Services, Midrex
Technologies Gulf Services FZCO; and John Linklater, Program Manager - Services, Midrex Technologies, Inc.

INTRODUCTION and electrode consumption will be lower and tap-to-tap times

T
he emergence of DRI production technology over the will be reduced, as compared to using a 100% scrap mix. A simi-
last 50 years has revolutionized the steel industry by lar MIDREX Plant soon will be commissioned at Algerian Qatari
providing a more environmentally-compatible method Steel in Jijel, Algeria.
of iron production. DRI provides electric arc furnace (EAF) op- In 2018, as in every previous year since 1987, plants based on
erators the means to compete at the highest steel quality levels MIDREX Technology produced more than 60% of the world’s
and blast furnace operators the ability to optimize their hot DRI supply, and the cumulative total of DRI production since
metal production and reduce emissions. 1969 eclipsed 1 billion tons. MIDREX Plants consistently have
From humble beginnings in Portland, Oregon, USA, in 1969, the industry’s highest average number of annual operating
where the two modules that comprised the first MIDREX® Plant hours and best average plant availability percentage.
were each rated at 150,000 tons per year (t/y), Midrex has been at Midrex Technologies, in collaboration with its construction
the forefront of the direct reduction industry both technically partners and process licensees, has made significant strides in
and commercially. Today, the world’s largest single module DRI advancing DRI process technology and overall plant reliability.
plant is in operation near Oran, Algeria, at the Tosyali Algeria Major engineering initiatives have improved equipment per-
steelworks. This MIDREX Plant is rated at 2.5 million t/y and is formance and reliability, resulting in plants operating at near-
capable of producing hot and cold DRI (HDRI and CDRI, respec- optimal rates. Plants are able to run longer campaigns between
tively) to meet the requirements of the steel plant’s EAF melt maintenance shutdowns and major repairs. Today, plants typi-
shop. When HDRI is sent to the melt shop, the EAF electrical cally operate 8-14 months between major shutdowns.

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FIGURE 1. Example of RPS data

TECHNOLOGY AND SERVICES has proven to have significant, real time advantages to the
Midrex has developed an Integrated Plant Solution (IPS) for plant’s production and operating parameters. It also has the
water treatment management, specifically aimed at enhanc- advantage of utilizing all of the Midrex in-house disciplines
ing plant availability and productivity. It combines several pro- including proprietary software.
grams that together address the following industry imperatives: Figure 1 follows the production and natural gas enhance-
ment at one client over a 6-month time period. During this pe-
• Create additional production opportunities riod, plant operators and management worked with Midrex’s
• Reduce maintenance & operating costs RPS team to make incremental changes, which resulted in sig-
• Protect critical equipment & components nificant enhancements.
• Deliver quality production
THE ANATOMY OF A WATER
IPS ties the operational decision-making with water treat- SYSTEM-RELATED SHUTDOWN
ment and maintenance, providing a holistic approach to solu- With all the advancement in DRI process technology through
tions. A critical component of this integrated solution is Remote the years, one area that has changed little is the treatment of
Professional Services (RPS). RPS allows Midrex operations ex- the water circuits. However, enhanced water treatment can
perts to remotely view the plant DCS in a read-only environment. have a significant impact on increasing production availability,
Operational data is observed from the Charlotte control room reducing operating costs, and protecting critical component
and analyzed using the extensive technical expertise of Midrex, assets. So, it comes as no surprise that one of the primary tasks
supported by proprietary software to troubleshoot specific prob- during a shutdown is to remediate problems associated with
lems and enhance the production process. Based on the findings, the water system.
Midrex will recommend solutions and operational adjustments In 2018, Midrex performed a survey and found that nearly
to a plant’s operations team. These suggestions, backed by actual 30% of “annual” outages were attributable to remediation of
plant data and sound technical reasoning, can be further dis- water-related problems, such as scale removal, sludge removal,
cussed and implemented by the plant with Midrex assistance, if packing removal, cleaning and replacement, and numerous
deemed appropriate. Utilizing this second “layer” of experience other related issues (Figure 2). The amount of time and man-

FIGURE 2. HEAVY CALCIUM DEPOSITS MICROBIOLOGICAL FOULING IRON FOULING

Typical problems found in
DRI plant water system

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power required to fix these problems are “hidden” costs to an designed to be removed – within the clarifier. Without the CO2
operating plant. They are budgeted and incurred regularly, so stripper, soluble iron leaves the clarifier and as the CO2 natu-
few questions are raised about fixing the problems, as they are rally evolves, the iron converts to insoluble iron throughout
considered a “cost of operation.” the return water circuit, generating deposition. Specifically,
Midrex’s strategic partner, Chemtreat, initiated a study with the advantages of this design change include:
the gas stripper at the voestalpine Texas HBI plant to determine
if improvements to clarifier performance could be achieved • Improved iron removal at the clarifier, and potential addi-
against industry norms. The plant originally had the gas sripper tional iron credits at the pelletizing or fines collection plant
installed for safety reasons (to remove CO) but the functionality • Reduced fouling in the hot and cold wells of the
of the equipment is uniquely suited for enhancing water treat- cooling tower
ment since CO2 is also removed. • Reduced tower fill fouling
To understand the importance of CO2 in the water, the Pour- • Reduced pipework fouling and packing fouling going to
baix Diagram is included as Figure 3. Essentially there are both and into the top gas scrubber
soluble iron (Fe2) and insoluble iron (Fe3) species in any given • Reduced localized corrosion in the return loop due to
process recirculating in the water (PCW) circuit. Depending on reduced carbonic acid (HCO3) formation
conditions, a significant amount of iron could be in the soluble • Reduced erosional effects of excessive iron oxide abrasion
state. These conditions are defined by the Pourbaix Diagram. as the water recirculates
The diagram shows the relationship between oxidation- • Reduced potential for iron induced micro-bio corrosion
reduction potential and pH. In a PCW circuit that does not have • Improved blowdown water clarity and improved environ-
a CO2 stripper, the pH of the water circuit is generally < 8, which mental compliance
favors a higher level of soluble iron (Fe2) recirculating and be-
ing carried over the weir. With a CO2 stripper present prior to Additionally, the removal of CO2 reduces the potential
the clarifier, the pH of the recirculating water is elevated and for calcium carbonate scaling because the calcium hydroxide
a significant level of soluble iron – perhaps greater than 50% – (lime coating source) reaction with CO2 will not occur, as shown
becomes insoluble and therefore, precipitates out within the below:
clarifier.
This phenomenon has a dramatic effect on clarifier per- CaO(s) + H2O(l) ->Ca(OH)2(s)
formance because more iron is capable of removal - where it is Ca(OH)2(s) + CO2(g) -> CaCO3(s) + H2O(l)

FIGURE 3. Pourbaix diagram

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 10 TABLE OF CONTENTS < >

Process Clarifier Effluent TSS

40

35

30
Total Suspended Solids (ppm)

25

20

15

10

0
Monthly average of daily TSS readings
Process Clarifier Outlet TSS Average

FIGURE 4. 12-month TSS average

RESULTS-BASED SOLUTION agreed that the system could have run another 1-2 years with-
With the introduction of this equipment, separate “clean water” out experiencing water quality issues.
and “dirty water” systems, and the strategic placement of chemi- Midrex has used these findings in discussing how to best
cal injection points, Midrex and Chemtreat significantly altered optimize future and existing plants to realize:
water treatment strategies to prove how much better the system • Maximum plant availability, thereby extending tph
could function. During the initial campaign, total suspended sol- production
ids (Figure 4) were much lower than any plant for which Midrex • Reduced maintenance costs
has data. Treatment products and dosages were altered to deter- • Asset protection
mine the best result. • Quality optimization
Other key indicators (water flows and operational pres-
sures) to key components, such as top gas scrubber, reform gas SUMMARY
cooler, and temperatures remained stable indicating that typical The Integrated Plant Solution (IPS) for water treatment man-
fouling was not occurring. agement combines the following:
After nearly two years of uninterrupted operation, the plant • Best-in-class water treatment strategies – selecting the
decided to have a shutdown and inspect the component and the right chemicals, dosed at the right location and at the
water system. The results were exceptional. Packing and nozzles right levels to achieve the needed results for the plant.
in the top gas scrubber (“dirty water” system) was free from de- • Engineered solutions – to provide the CO2 stripper and
position. The seal gas cooler and reformed gas cooler, supported other associated equipment and separate water systems,
by the “clean water” circuit, also were free of build-up if required.
(Figure 5, next page). • Remote Professional Services (RPS) powered by
Findings after 22 months of continuous operation were MidrexConnect™ – focused on plant optimization. This
the best results ever recorded for a water system, according utilizes various Midrex proprietary software and experi-
to Midrex experience. Plant personnel and Midrex engineers ence to optimize plant operation and troubleshoot issues.

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TOP GAS SCRUBBER TOP GAS UPPER HULL TOP GAS GRATING TOP GAS CONE TOP GAS FUEL SIDE
NOZZLE INNER HULL

PACKING @ 2-METER PROCESS MIST SEAL GAS NOZZLE SEAL GAS BOTTOM DRAIN SEAL GAS BOTTOM
LEVEL ELIMINATOR PACKING

REFORMED GAS GRATE REFORMED GAS GRATE REFORM GAS SPRAY REFORM GAS SPRAY
– TOP – BOTTOM NOZZLE INNER HULL

FIGURE 5. After 22 months of continuous operation

This is achieved by viewing real-time, read-only screens Midrex’s expectation is that collectively IPS will enable
of the plant DCS in the Midrex headquarters control the DRI manufacturer to extend campaign life and optimize
room. The operators can identify where process variables productivity shutdown-to-shutdown. IPS will ensure that the
and water issues can impact the entire plant. Findings are desired production parameters are better controlled, so day-to-
communicated to the plant operations team. day operations are not impeded by water or process-related is-
• Technical field support – Midrex embeds service sues. As a team, Midrex and a plant’s operations personnel, can
employees at the local plant to ensure results are achieved. work together to significantly improve existing plant opera-
tion using the strengths of Midrex’s engineering, IT resources,
Since the development of the IPS program, Midrex engi- and water services team in a comprehensive program.
neers have been working with an earlier generation module to
design, built, construct, and deploy a new CO2 stripper to help
optimize the plant. Chemical dosing equipment was upgraded
and chemical feed was optimized. Treatment strategies were
aligned to ensure Midrex/Client objectives are met post commis-
sioning. The timeline for implementation was August- Septem-
ber 2019. Additionally, the RPS team will soon implement this
service to enhance support.

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MIDREX News & Views

Midrex Opens Office in Dubai

M idrex Technologies Inc. has announced the open-
ing of a new office, Midrex Technologies Gulf Services
FZCO, located in the Airport Free Zone (DAFZA) in Dubai, UAE.
The establishment of this office marks a significant footprint
expansion for Midrex and acknowledges the importance of the
Middle East and North Africa (MENA) market. Over the last de-
cade, some of the largest and most advanced MIDREX® Plants
have been commissioned in this region.
The decision to open a Dubai office brings Midrex closer
to its clients and licensees. “Throughout the 50-plus years
of business, we acknowledge that listening and respond-
ing to our customers’ needs has benefited both the indus-
try and Midrex,” General Manager of Midrex Gulf Services,
David Oswald said. “Our expectation is that faster response
time and flexibility will strengthen relationships with tion is that additional support and services will be conducted
the market and will enable Midrex to maintain its leader- by the Dubai office as the market expands.
ship role in direct reduction ironmaking (DRI) technology.” Midrex Technologies Gulf Services FZCO is located at
Initially, the office will primarily support the aftermarket Building 5AE, Room 804 DAFZA, Dubai UAE. Midrex Technolo-
group, Midrex Global Solutions, with a focus on water treatment gies, Inc. is headquartered in Charlotte, NC, USA with offices in
and comprehensive integrated service offerings. The expecta- the UK, India, and China.

Cleveland-Cliffs
HBI Plant On-Track
for Mid-2020 Start-Up
C leveland-Cliffs, Inc. announced completion of the
457-foot tall reactor tower for its Hot Briquetted Iron
(HBI) Plant in Toledo, Ohio, USA, on September 30, 2019. The
MIDREX® Shaft Furnace structure, which was completed
in just 296 days, represents a significant milestone in the
overall plant construction project. The reactor tower is the
key critical path item in achieving the scheduled start-up
of commercial production of HBI in mid-2020.

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 13 TABLE OF CONTENTS < >

MIDREX News & Views

2019 International Conference on MIDREX® Technology

F
orty- one representatives from 13
MIDREX® Plants, as well as personnel
from Kobe Steel, Ltd., Primetals Tech-
nologies, Paul Wurth, and ChemTreat, gath-
ered in Dublin, Ireland, during the third week
of October. The three-day technical sessions
featured a keynote presentation on the steel
market from Wood Mackenzie, a panel discus-
sion focusing on the global outlook for iron ore
by major suppliers, and presentations by plant
representatives and Midrex. The purpose of
Q
atar Steel was presented an award by Midrex at the confer-
the annual conference is to strengthen rela- ence, honoring the record-setting performance of more than
tionships through sharing of technical infor- 5,000 hours of continuous operation in 2019 by their DR-2 module. A
celebration was also held at the Qatar Steel plant in Messaieed to recog-
mation and operational experiences.
nize the plant personnel who worked to achieve the record (see photo).
The Qatar Steel DR-1 operators also recorded a noteworthy perfor-
mance by achieving 186 days (4,464 hours) of continuous operation in
2018.

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 14 TABLE OF CONTENTS <

News & Views

New look for midrex.com

We are pleased to announce the launch of the
new Midrex Technologies, Inc. website.

www.midrex.com

Lauren Lorraine: Editor

Vincent Chevrier, PhD: Technical Advisor CONTACTING MIDREX

DIRECT FROM MIDREX is published quarterly by MIDREX®, MEGAMOD®, General E-mail:

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