Technology for underwriters 20 Steel plants

Part 2: Steel processing

Mnchener Rck Munich Re Group

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Steel plants Further processing into finished products

Contents 1 2 2.1 2.1.1 2.1.2 2.2 2.3 2.3.1 2.3.2 3 4 An overview of steel processing Manufacture of steel strips Rolling Hot rolling Pickling and cold rolling Heat treatment Coating Hot galvanising Electrogalvanising Cold drawing of wire, round rods, and profile rods Forging and pressing of shapes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Compact strip production Continuous casting plant Thin slabs Coils Slabs Blooms Billets Blanks Plate mill Hot strip mill Cold strip mill Billet mill Bar mill Heavy section rolling mill 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Strip treatment plant Wire rod mill Medium section mill Tube mill Heavy plate Coils, plate, sheet Coils Sheet Wire rod Bars Medium sections Heavy sections Solid stock Pipes and tubes

1 An overview of steel processing

Liquid steel is made into semi-finished products in the process of casting, which is described in Section 3 of Steel plants , No. 19 in our series Technology for underwriters . Processing the semi-finished products to make such finished products as plates, strips, girders, pipes, sheet piles, rails, or wire is mainly performed by rolling. There are about 70,000 different types of product with different profiles. The configuration of a rolling mill varies widely depending on the type and quality of the final product. A distinction is made between cold rolling and hot rolling. In the cold rolling process, the surface quality, the accuracy of the dimensions, and the strength of the product concerned can be improved. Both rolling and casting are currently undergoing important changes. The goal is to reduce the amount of investment required for rolling mills and the amount of energy used in the rolling process.

These innovations affect in particular the manufacture of steel strip, which in terms of output is very important. In the traditional process, slabs with a thickness of about 250 mm are made in continuous casting plants and subsequently rolled into strips in hot rolling mills. This process is both costly and energy-intensive. In more recent times, use has frequently been made of thin slab casters (e.g. CSP plants = compact strip production and ISP plants = inline strip production). The slabs produced in continuous casting plants have a thickness of no more than about 50 mm. Considerably less energy input is therefore required to process the slabs into strips. Thin slab casting plants can nowadays be said to be proven technology. The latest developments are aimed at casting steel strips with a thickness of only several millimetres. This would make hot rolling mills almost completely redundant. Such plants are already under development in several countries, although at the time of writing they are still to be considered pilot plants.

2 Manufacture of steel strips

In this section the manufacture of steel strips by means of rolling, heat treatment, and surface-coating will be described. 2.1 Rolling The shaping of conventional slabs with a thickness of approx. 250 mm is performed in a number of steps in rolling stands that are grouped together. A distinction is made between roughing stands, intermediate stands, and finishing stands. A rolling stand comprises the housing, the working rolls and back-up rolls with their bearings, the hydraulic adjusting equipment for setting the roll gap, the mill drive, and the central control unit. Rolling stands are either reversing stands or tandem stands, depending on the way they operate. The purpose of the back-up rolls is to support the thin working rolls and absorb the high rolling forces. The number of back-up rolls varies widely. The most common ones are duo-high stands, four-high stands, and cluster mills (Sendzimir mills).
Continuous casting Thin slab casting 1 2 3 4 5

7 Strip casting

Shortening of the production line casting and rolling . 1 2 3 4 Flame deseaming Pusher furnace Roughing stand Finishing stand 5 Cold rolling mill 6 Continuous furnace 7 Induction furnace

The mills are driven by electric motors. Frequently, the speed has to be adjustable. The motors are either direct current or alternating current. Direct current motors require rectifiers, which consist of sensitive thyristors. Alternating current motors either have gears or are made adjustable by means of thyristors. The entire group of machines and equipment in a rolling mill is called a mill train. This mill train may have a length of several hundred metres and is accommodated in large halls. The rolling stands are positioned at ground level, while the hydraulic and lubrication systems are located underground in the basement. This is also where the electric cables that supply the motors are installed. 2.1.1 Hot rolling The so-called rolling stock is preheated in a furnace to a temperature of about 1,0001,200C and is then shaped in rolling stands. At the end of the process, the products go into the finishing shop, where they are cut to length, examined, and packed. There are many different designs of preheating furnaces. Continuouslyoperating walking beam furnaces are commonly used. The charge is passed through the furnace step-by-step by walking beams that are moved hydraulically. They are fuelled with oil or gas, the heat from the flue gases being fed into recuperators for generating steam.

Hot rolling stand for steel strip.

2.1.2 Pickling and cold rolling Before cold rolling, the scale must be removed from the rolling stock, which is done in pickling plants using an acid. Pickling plants are very long. They operate continuously and can be linked directly to the downstream cold rolling mill.

Pickling plants comprise a a a a a mechanical precleaning section, pickling section with acid containers, rinsing unit, strip passivation unit, drying unit.

The vessels for pickling and rinsing are covered with hoods. Acidic fumes are prevented from escaping by additional sucking-off equipment. The acids must be reprocessed after use in recovery plants. Preheating furnaces are not necessary in cold rolling mills. In the majority of cases, several rolling stands are positioned one behind the other in tandem. The steel strip, which is delivered in coils, passes through the rolling stands and is welded to the next coil, making a continuous strip.

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Pickling line

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Arrival of coils Shears Welding machine Pickling Rinsing Drying Trimming shears

Pickling plant and cold rolling mill.

Tandem mill

2.2 Heat treatment Besides the chemical composition of the steel and its surface coating, heat treatment is of great significance. Through heat treatment, the internal stress of a product can be reduced and its microstructural composition changed. There are various methods of heat treatment. One that is frequently used is annealing, which involves heating the steel to a temperature of 600800C, holding it at that temperature for some time, and then cooling it in predetermined stages. Annealing is either continuous or discontinuous. The continuous processes take place in annealing plants mainly consisting of the furnace and a downstream water cooling plant. Discontinuous annealing of sheets makes use of batch-type annealing furnaces with a hydrogen atmosphere.

2.3 Coating There are only a few types of steel that are non-corrosive without additional protection. Steel and particularly steel strip is therefore given a metallic or non-metallic anti-corrosive coating for which zinc is commonly used. Zinc-coating plants are long and are housed in large halls.

2.3.1 Hot galvanising Hot-galvanising plants comprise a strip pre-heating unit, a strip cleaning unit, a melting bath, cooling and drying units.

Hot galvanising. The steel strip leaves the zinc bath and is pre-cooled by the ambient air.

The cold-rolled strip is welded together into a continuous strip at the galvanising plant intake. Then the strip is heated to about 600C in a continuous furnace and cleaned. After this, the strip enters the cooling unit, where the temperature of the strip is precisely adjusted to a predetermined temperature and the strip is fed through a zinc melting bath. The coating thickness can be adjusted to requirements. The coated strip is then cooled by air and water and passed through a sizing stand in order to produce smooth surfaces.

2.3.2 Electrogalvanising Electrogalvanising produces a finer protective layer than hot galvanising. Electrogalvanising plants comprise a strip pre-treatment unit, galvanising cells, a strip post-treatment unit.

The strip is pre-treated by means of chemical, mechanical, and electrolytic cleaning, after which the oxide film is removed by pickling. The strip is then fed through a series of vertical galvanic cells. A DC field between the steel strip, which is connected up as a cathode, and an anode causes the zinc particles in the electrolytic fluid to be deposited on the surface of the strip. The steel strip may be coated on one side or on both sides and the thickness of the coating can be regulated. Rectifiers are needed to generate the direct current. Strip post-treatment comprises phosphate treatment and rinsing.

Electrolytic galvanising plant.

Electrolytic galvanising cell. 1 1 2 3 4 2 Cathode () Anode (+) Electrolyte Pump

3 Cold drawing of wire, round rods, and profile rods

When the hot-forming process is complete, wire, round rods, and profile rods are further processed, mostly by cold drawing. The purpose of drawing is to reduce the cross-section and to produce a smooth, even surface, good dimensional accuracy, and more tensile strength, which is required in the manufacture of screws and springs, for example. The drawing is performed on drawing benches. The workpiece attains its form by being drawn through a hole with a certain profile.

Hand-forging of steel using a forging hammer. The workpiece is held and guided by a movable manipulator.

4 Forging and pressing of shapes

In the work of forging and pressing, the blanks produced in ingot casting are processed. These processes are significant where hot rolling is not possible. The products of forging and pressing are usually very large or complex workpieces such as crankshafts, turbine rotors, and steel tyres for anti-friction bearings. Forging is done with forging hammers. The pre-heated workpiece is held and moved by a manipulator. In the pressing process the workpiece is processed by a heavy forging press. It is important that the machining of the workpiece is intensive and thorough.

5 Risks and loss prevention

In the long halls and basement floors involved in the processing of steel it is very important to have good fire protection. Fire compartments with a maximum length of 100 m should be constructed in the cable tunnels by building fire-retarding walls, making sure that fire spread is not possible through any wall penetrations created by pipes or cables. Monitoring these compartments with a fire alarm is desirable.

Ancillary buildings should be secured by means of fire-resistant structures. If the fire load is high, the installation of fire-fighting equipment like a deluge or water fog extinguishing system may be necessary. 5.1 Rolling mills The operating conditions at rolling mills are very rough. Loss prevention is therefore of particular significance. In hot rolling mills uniform pre-heating of the rolling stock is essential for trouble-free operations. There are enormous stresses in the stands of rolling mills and this can lead to cracks and fractures. Regular inspection by means of nondestructive testing is recommended. The roll bearings must cushion very large forces and should be examined regularly. Faulty operations can lead to the stands being exposed to excessive strain. Mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic overload safety devices are therefore required. Rolls heat up by friction and through contact with the hot rolling stock, so that efficient cooling is essential for trouble-free operations. If the cooling breaks down for any reason, e.g. because of blocked nozzles, there is a danger of roll fracture. Thermal overloading, e.g. due to the rolling stock becoming jammed, can lead to thermal stress cracking or shelling.

Working rolls are subject to a great deal of wear and tear and must be changed regularly during operations. After being dismantled, the rolls are machined either by turning or grinding. Initial cracks on the surface of rolls must be removed in order to avert the danger of roll fracture. When they have gone through this process a number of times, they have lost so much material that they are only good for scrap. The lubrication and hydraulic systems of rolling stands are exposed to extreme loads and must be monitored carefully whilst running. These systems run under high pressure and with large amounts of oil. Any leak in the systems will increase the fire hazard. Leaks are an indication of deficits in maintenance. The oil tanks should be structurally separated and protected by foam or deluge extinguishing systems. The hydraulic and lubrication systems are usually housed underground. Large electric motors should be installed with structural separation and should be protected against fire by inert gas extinguishing systems. Direct current motors need a great deal of maintenance. Their rectifiers must be well protected in ventilated or air-conditioned switching cabinets. For the purposes of fire protection, the installation of inert gas extinguishing systems in the cabinets is recommended. Alternating current motors require less maintenance, it is true, but their gears must be inspected carefully, which includes monitoring the oil system. In order to avoid short circuits, the insulating resistance of the electric motor coils should be checked regularly. When a rolling mill furnace is being started up for the first time, the lining must be dried carefully following the manufacturers instructions.

The acids in pickling plants constitute a particular hazard. If these units have plastic hoods, fire protection is of particular significance. 5.2 Galvanising shop The direct current used in electrolytic galvanising shops is produced from alternating current by rectifiers equipped with thyristors. These are sensitive electronic components which must be well protected and cooled, because they are susceptible to heat and dust.

6.2 Machinery insurance Steel plants are made up of a very large number of individual machines. Cataloguing them in detail is hardly practicable, so that a more general list of plants is more suitable. The deductible should not be too low in this case. The usual depreciation and maintenance endorsements for electric motors and transformers are to be applied. Risk inspections are recommended. Special attention should be paid during inspections to the operability of the instruments and safety devices for monitoring bearings, motors, lubrication and hydraulic systems, roll gaps, etc. 6.3 Machinery loss of profits insurance There are usually considerable stocks of spare parts on hand so that production stoppages can be kept to a minimum. However, delivery times not only for large machines but also for electronic control systems are often long. In the event of an interruption it is often possible to obtain end products from third parties so that deliveries to customers can be maintained.

6 Insurance aspects
6.1 Erection all risks insurance The fire risk in rolling mills and surface-coating plants is high. Suitable fire protection equipment should already be operational during the erection phase. During inspections, special attention should be paid to fire protection for the oil systems and in the long cable tunnels. Fire compartments should have proper sealings. On account of the enormous weights involved, the quality of the ground and the type of foundations are extremely important. A subsoil report should be obtained. Natural hazards are not to be underestimated either. The length of trial operations has a major bearing on the rating. Suitable deductibles should be agreed on.

Published to date 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Paper manufacture Excavation pits below groundwater level Cement production Fire protection on construction sites Directional drilling Diaphragm walls Laying of pipeline siphons Sugar production Immediate action after damage to electronic equipment and installations Monitoring glass panes for breakage, part 1 Monitoring glass panes for breakage, part 2 Caissons MRPC/MRPCMaps Rating software for engineering insurances Combined cycle stations Pod propulsion A new diesel-electric vessel propulsion system Fluidised bed combustion systems in power stations Loss prevention by infrared thermography Transformers 19 Steel plants Part 1: Steel production 20 Steel plants Part 2: Steel processing 21 Hot work 22 Locating leaks after water damage 23 Earthmoving machines 24 Desalination of sea water 25 Aero engines 26 Printing presses 27 Crude oil refineries Part 1: Basic principles 28 Crude oil refineries Part 2: Plant sections, insurance aspects 29 Valves in household plumbing systems 30 Integrated gasification combined cycle power projects (IGCC)

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 2004 Mnchener Rckversicherungs-Gesellschaft Kniginstrasse 107 80802 Mnchen Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 89/38 91-0 Fax: +49 (0) 89/39 90 56 http://www.munichre.com Responsible for content Corporate Underwriting/Global Clients Pictures credits ABB Industrietechnik AG, Mannheim (1) Gnther H. Eckert, Bro frTechnische Grafik, Mnchen (1) Preussag Stahl AG, Salzgitter (2) SMS Schloemann-Siemag AG, Dsseldorf (2) Stahlwerke Peine-Salzgitter AG, Salzgitter (1) Verlag Stahl Eisen, Dsseldorf (1) Printed by Druckerei Fritz Kriechbaumer Wettersteinstrasse 12 82024 Taufkirchen/Mnchen Germany

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