ArcelorMittal Hamburg GmbH (Hamburg, Germany):

Bandusch L., Mag. Eng., CEO

Georgsmarienhütte GmbH (Georgsmarienhütte, Germany):

Dettmer B., Mag. Eng., Melt Shop Manager, DC Electric Arc Furnace

Steel Institute VDEh (Düsseldorf, Germany):

Fandrich R., Dr. Eng., Manager Steelworks and Metallurgical Fundamentals, reinhard.fandrich@vdeh.de

VDEh-Betriebsforschungsinstitut GmbH (Düsseldorf, Germany):

Kleimt B., Dr. Eng., Head of Automatic Control Systems Dept.

Technical University Hamburg-Harburg, Helmut Schmidt University/Uni versity of the Federal Armed Forces (Hamburg, Germany):

Krüger K., Dr. Eng., Univ. Prof., Chair for Data Processing and System Analysis

Badische Stahl Engineering GmbH (Kehl, Germany):

Ploner P. P., Mag. Eng., Senior Vice President, Commercial Dept.

Georgsmarienhütte Engineering GmbH (Georgsmarienhütte, Germany):

Treppschuh F., Mag. Eng., Senior Consultant

After the major decline in 2009, the European steel industry is still struggling to reach the pre-crisis level. The steel production with EAF is under constant improvement which can be seen by an increase in efficiency. Examples thereof are process automation as well as the use of off-gas energy for scrap preheating or steam generation. Simultanously, the performance of new plants is also increasing. One crucial challenge for the future of the European steel industry, if not today already, is the availability of electric energy. Weak distribution grids as well as rising electricity prices are at hand. The continuous improvement of the steelmaking process in Europe shows that we are taking a leading position in plant engineering and operation. Improvements are carried out continuously to increase productivity and quality. In the field of environmental protection the European steel plants also reach very high standards. However, the competitive situation of European plants is negatively impacted by political influence. In order to maintain and further develop our position, efforts in the field of research and development must be reinforced. This can only be achieved by highly trained staff and an experienced engineering base.

1. Jahrbuch Stahl 2013, Verlag Stahleisen, Düsseldorf, 2012 (in print).
2. Fandrich, R.; Kleimt, B.; Liebig, H.; Pieper, T.; Treppschuh, F.; Urban, W.: stahl u. eisen 131 (2011) No. 6/7, pp. 75/89.
3. Dittmer, B.; Krüger, K. Rieger, D. Matschullat, T.; Döbbeler, A.: Iron Steel Tech 8 (2011), No. 2, pp. 49/55.
4. Kleimt, B.; Köhle, S.; Kühn, R.; Zisser, S.: Application of models for electrical energy consumption to improve EAF operation and dynamic control, Proc. 8th Europ. Electric Steelmaking Conf., Birmingham, UK, 9–11 May 2005, pp. 183/97.
5. Pierre, R.; Kleimt, B.; Dettmer, B.; Schliephake, H.: Model-based automation and optimization of EAF steelmaking from charging to tapping, EAF Workshop Perspectives on Automation, Materials, Energy and En vironment, Milan, Italy, 29–20 March 2012.
6. Nyssen, P.; Ojeda, C.; Baumert, J.-C.; Picco, M.; Thibaut, J.-C.; Sun, S.; Waterfall, S.; Ranger, M.; Lowry, M.: Implementation and on-line use of a dynamic process model at the ArcelorMittal- Dofasco electric arc furnace, Proc. METEC InSteelCon 2011, 4^th Intern. Conf. on Modelling and Simulation of Metallurgical Processes in Steelmaking (STEELSIM).
7. Köchner, H.; Lamp, T.; Fischer, H.: Continuous optical temperature measurement for liquid steel temperature control, Proc. METEC InSteelCon 2011, 1st Intern. Conf. on Energy Efficiency and CO₂ Reduction in the Steel Industry (EECR).