The Sherwood Process for Continuous Steelmaking

CIM Bulletin, 1968

Present conventional techniques for primary steelmaking in both integrated and non-integrated plants are outlined. 'Direct reduction' alternatives are reviewed and categorized according to the nature of the product produced, with particular emphasis on the limited number designed to yield steel as the end product. A proposed new technique, referred to as the Sherwood Process, is described in some detail as a new combination of selected features from the prior technology. This process is intended to realize, in integrated operations, the result of continuous steelmaking directly from the ore in a single plant and, in non-integrated operations, continuous steelmaking from a metallic charge of scrap, sponge iron or pig iron. Prominent features are continuous processing in elongated, horizontal, rotary furnace equipment, controlled direct heating of each process stage and, for the over-all integrated process, a size separation for removal of excess solid reductant and other waste just prior to the melting step. Material and energy balances are presented as well as exemplary cost data. Reasons for selecting this particular combination of process elements are discussed.

Keywords: basic oxygen furnace, Iron Blast Furnace, iron oxide, pig iron, steelmaking, Furnaces, Iron, Plants, Process, Processes, Reduction, steel, Steelmaking, Steels