Ferroalloy is what? Plants of ferroalloys

The metallurgical industry is a high-tech industry, which requires not only fossil but also synthesized products or additives that improve the performance of metals. Alloys of iron with certain components are used for steel production . The compounds obtained are ferroalloys.

What it is?

Ferroalloy is a material necessary for the metallurgical industry, used for alloying, deoxidizing, refining ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The ferroalloy is based on an alloy of iron (Fe, ferrum) with additives (manganese, potassium, molybdenum, silicon, etc.). Production takes place in special units.

To date, an iron alloy with more than twenty elements is used to make the material. New research and industrial needs demonstrate an increase in the number of compounds.

Purpose of ferroalloys

In the ferrous metallurgy, ferroalloys are used for alloying, which makes it possible to produce more than 2.5 thousand grades of various steels. Improved types of steel are used in the mining, metallurgical, chemical, construction, defense industries and other industries. Ferroalloy - an addition to the metal, which is introduced to change the properties of the final material. Correction of the qualities of steel can improve the mechanical performance, resistance to temperature changes or aggressive chemical environment. The final properties of the material will depend on the composition that was introduced during the melting period of the metal.

The production of ferroalloys and their further use makes it possible to produce alloyed steel with a changed functionality, for example, non-magnetic or tool material. The deoxidation of steel with the help of ferroalloys is necessary to bind and discharge oxygen to the slag from the total mass. Here, iron compounds are used with silicon, titanium, aluminum, etc.

Also, the ferroalloy is a modifier for steel or cast iron, designed to reduce grain, improve the structure of the material and affect the enhancement of mechanical properties. To obtain a modifying additive, iron is combined with several elements, for example calcium + silicon, iron + manganese, iron + silicon + magnesium, etc.

Raw materials

The production of ferroalloys begins with raw materials, which is an ore, saturated with a certain group of elements. For example, for ferrosilicon and ferrochrome, enriched ore is used, and for ferrotitanium or ferrotungsten, the raw material is concentrate. The technological process includes the step of reducing the metal oxides involved in the compound. The catalyst of the reaction is iron or its oxides. The recovered element receives the conditions for a stable form and their absence for reverse oxidation. At the present stage, the metallurgical industry most often uses the electrothermal method of producing ferroalloys, the basis of which is a reducing reaction. Melting steel with the addition of ferroalloys reduces the temperature in the furnace, thereby reducing the energy intensity of production.

Types of ferroalloys

At present, world production of ferroalloys is 16.5 million tons per year. The number of titles is estimated in hundreds of marks, which fully corresponds to the needs of production of all types of steel (ordinary, special, structural). The Russian share in world production is 12.7%, with China, the United States and Japan taking the leading positions. Ferroalloy - this is one of the popular types of products, its production is a promising direction of industrial development.

The main types of ferroalloys:

• Ferrosilicon.
• Silicocalcium.
• Ferromanganese.
• Ferrochromium (medium carbon, low carbon, noncarbonaceous).
• Silicochrome.
• Ferrovolphram.
• Ferromolybdenum.
• Ferrovanadium.
• Ferrotitanium.
• Ferroboron.
• Exothermic alloys.

Ferroalloy industry

The ferroalloy industry in Russia until 1917 was represented by the only enterprise located in the Urals. The plant's capacity consisted of two kilns of 250 kW each. In the 30 years in operation were introduced 4 plants: Lipetsk, Chelyabinsk, Zaporozhye (Ukraine), Zestafon (Georgia).

In the period from 1942 to 1945, Kuznetsk, Aktobe, and Klyuchevsky ferroalloy plants were built and launched. In the post-war years, Serov Plant (1956), Stakhanovsky in Ukraine (1962), Nikopolsky (Ukraine, 1966), Ermakovsky in Kazakhstan (1968) were gradually put into operation. The installed capacity fully satisfied the needs of the domestic market and allowed to enter the foreign market with a competitive offer. The total production of ferroalloys at the time of the collapse of the USSR was 6 million tons per year. In Russia today, there are ten plants specializing in the production of ferroalloys. The largest of these is the Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Combine.

Aksu plant in Kazakhstan

Aksu Ferroalloy Plant is located in Pavlodar region of Kazakhstan. Until 1995 it was called the Ermakovsky Ferroalloy Plant, the commissioning date was 1966. In 1995, the company was sold to the Japanese company Japan Chrom Corp., in the same year it became part of the corporation "Kazchrome." The total annual production is about one million tons of products. At present the enterprise is one of the leaders in the world production of alloys. The consumed power capacity is 600 megawatts. The main gross product is chromium, manganese, siliceous alloys.

Production capacity:

• Four smelting shops.
• Twenty-six electric furnaces with capacity from 16.5 to 63 MVA.
• Two preparatory workshops.
• Slag processing plant.
• Mechanical repair shops.
• Automobile and railway shops.

The total number of the company's personnel is 6000 people.

Novokuznetsk factory

In 1942 he began to produce ferroalloys Novokuznetsk. In 1992, the company changed the form of government, becoming a joint-stock company. The first change of ownership occurred in 2000, the management company was the MDM group. Since 2010, the plant has been controlled by the Ural-Siberian Metallurgical Company.

The main products are designed for deoxidation, alloying steel with ferrosilicon. For the engineering industry, modifiers are used, which are used in the smelting of cast iron. A new type of production was microsilica, used to make steel and tundish, involved in the process of casting steel.

Klyuchevsky Plant

Klyuchevsky Ferroalloy Plant was founded on the basis of a chrome-enrichment plant in 1941. Today it is the only enterprise in the post-Soviet space that produces more than 30 types of ferroalloys and ligatures. It is part of the company "MidUral Group".

The range of products includes:

• Silicocalcium with additives of vanadium, zirconium, titanium, aluminum.
• Silicvanadium, ferroniobium, silicocalcium, ferrotitanium.
• Modifier ferrosilicotsirconium with magnesium content.
• Ligatures - based on niobium and nickel with rare earth metals.
• Slag, etc.

Produced products are used in deoxidation, alloying, degassing of steel and its alloys, and also as modifiers of cast iron.

Nikopol Ferroalloys

The first stage of the plant was launched in 1966. Since 1968, the company was considered the largest in Europe. The greatest prosperity and full capacity utilization Nikopol Ferroalloy Plant reached in 1985-1990. After that, the production of products steadily began to decline. To date, the plant is a recognized industry leader in Ukraine. In connection with the difficult economic situation is on the verge of closure.

Products:

• Ferrosilicate manganese.
• Ferromanganese.
• Weight electrode.
• Fluxes.
• Slag, abrasives, rubble.
• Associated production.

Factory in Bratsk

The fraternal ferroalloy plant is located in the Irkutsk region and is the largest ferrosilicon producer in the East Siberian region. The plant was created on the basis of one of the shops of the Bratsk Aluminum Smelter. The necessity of the enterprise was conditioned by the need of the internal market in semiconductors, solar batteries, electronics. The main product of the enterprise is ferrosilicon with a high content of silicon - up to 75%. The issue was established in 1998. In order to provide its own raw materials, the BFZ develops the Uvat deposit of quartzite ore. The production complex receives electricity from the nearby Bratsk HPP, which significantly reduces the cost of production, more than a third of which is sold among the enterprises of the controlling company Mechel.

Serov Plant

Serov ferroalloys have been produced for more than 50 years. The plant is the second largest in terms of production in Russia. The main products are ferrochrome (high-carbon, medium-carbon, low-carbon, ferrosilicochromes). The first stage of the plant was launched in 1961. Today it is a part of the company "ЧМЭК".

The ferroalloy plant is located in the Sverdlovsk region (Serov city), the annual production volume is about 200 thousand tons of finished products. The enterprise produces a large range of ligatures based on low-carbon ferrochrome, obtained by mixing melts. Responding to the needs of the domestic metallurgical market, the enterprise mastered the release of ferrosilicon. The products are supplied to many foreign markets and domestic enterprises.

Aktyubinsk Plant

The plant is located in the city of Aktobe (Kazakhstan). The first ton of ferroalloys was produced at the enterprise in 1943. The main products are ferroaluminum, ferromanganese, ferrochrome, ferrosilicon, ferrozinc, non-ferrous metals and their alloys, alloys for catalytic processes.

Aktyubinsk Ferroalloys Plant produces more than 300 thousand tons of products per year. In addition, the enterprise produces concentrates for the metallurgical industry (ilmentinovy, zirconium, rutile). The plant is one of the world leaders in the industry. The management company is TNK Kazchrome.

Plants of ferroalloys of Russia and CIS

Enterprises of Russia:

• Alapaevsky metallurgical plant, products - ferromanganese.
• Kosogorsky MTZ in Tula, products - cast iron, ferromanganese.
• Serov Plant, products - ferrochromium.
• Bratsk plant, the main products - ferrosilicon.
• The Ryazan plant, the main products - ferromolybdenum, ferrovanadium, ferrovolphram, the enterprise manufactures ligatures of rare metals.
• Tikhvinsky plant, production - ferrochrome.
• Kuznetsk ferroalloy plant (ferrosilicon).
• Kliuchevsky plant produces rare types of alloys - ferroboron, ferronobium, ferrotitanium, etc.
• Chelyabinsk IEC is the industry leader. Let out production - ferromanganese, ferrosilicon, ferrosilicochrome, silicocalcium, etc.
• Kingisepp plant (ferromanganese, silicomanganese).

Enterprises of Ukraine:

• Zaporizhia Ferroalloys Plant produces ferrosilicon, metal manganese, ferrosilicomanganese, etc.
• Nikopol plant, products - ferrosilicomanganese, ferromanganese, etc.
• Stakhanovsky plant in Lugansk region, types of products - ferrosilicomanganese, ferrosilicon, ferromanganese.
• Donetsk Ferroalloy Plant, the main products - ferroaluminum.

As of the beginning of 2017, Ukrainian enterprises practically ceased their activities as a result of the civil war and the deep economic crisis in the country.

Enterprises of Kazakhstan:

• Aktyubinsk Plant, manufactured products are based on chromium, manganese, siliceous alloys.
• Aksu plant produces ferromanganese, ferrochromium, etc.

Georgian manufacturers:

• Zestafon plant, produced types of ferroalloys - ferromanganese.