Metallurgy is ... The branches of metallurgy, enterprises and their location

The history of mankind is more than one thousand years old. During the entire period of the existence of our race steady technical progress is noted, an important role in which the ability of a person to handle metal to play, to create and extract it, played. Therefore, it is quite logical that metallurgy is something without which it is impossible to imagine our life, the normal performance of work duties and much more.

Definition

First of all, it is necessary to understand how scientifically, from the technical point of view, the modern sphere of production is called.

Thus, metallurgy is a branch of science and technology that covers the process of obtaining various metals from ore or other materials, as well as all processes that are related to the transformation of the chemical composition, properties and structure of alloys.

Structure

Today, metallurgy is the most powerful branch of industry. In addition, it is an extensive concept that includes:

• Direct production of metals.
• Processing of metal products in both hot and cold form.
• Welding.
• Application of various metal coatings.
• Section of science - materials science. This direction in the theoretical study of physical and chemical processes is guided by the knowledge of the behavior of metals, alloys and intermetallides.

Varieties

All over the world, there are two main branches of metallurgy - black and color. This gradation has developed historically.

Ferrous metallurgy is the processing of iron and all the alloys in which it is present. Also this branch implies the extraction from the bowels of the earth and the subsequent enrichment of ferrous ores , steel and iron foundries, rolling of blanks, production of ferroalloys.

To non-ferrous metallurgy, work with ore of any metal, except iron, is considered. By the way, non-ferrous metals are conventionally divided into two large groups:

- Heavy (nickel, tin, lead, copper).

- Light (titanium, magnesium, aluminum).

Scientific solutions

Undoubtedly, metallurgy is an activity that requires the introduction of innovative technologies. In this regard, many countries of our planet are actively engaged in research aimed at studying and practicing a wide variety of microorganisms that would help solve, for example, such a topical issue as wastewater treatment, which is an obligatory component of metallurgical production. In addition, such processes as biological oxidation, precipitation, sorption and others have already become a reality.

Separation by process

The factories of metallurgy can be conditionally classified as two main groups:

- pyrometallurgy, where the processes take place at very high temperatures (melting, roasting);

- hydrometallurgy, which consists in extracting metals from ores using water and other aqueous solutions using chemical reagents.

The principle of choosing the place of construction of a metallurgical plant

In order to understand on the basis of what conclusions a decision is made to build an enterprise in one or another place, it is worthwhile to consider the main factors of the location of metallurgy.

In particular, if the issue concerns the deployment of a non-ferrous metallurgy plant, then here are the criteria that come to the fore:

• Availability of energy resources. The production associated with the processing of light non-ferrous metals requires a huge amount of electrical energy. Therefore, such enterprises are built as close as possible to hydroelectric power stations.
• The required amount of raw materials. Of course, the closer the ore deposits are, the better, accordingly.
• Ecological factor. Unfortunately, the countries of the post-Soviet space can not be classified as a category where metallurgical enterprises are environmentally safe.

Thus, the location of metallurgy is a very difficult question, and the solution of which should be given the utmost attention, taking into account all possible requirements and nuances.

To form the most detailed picture in the description of metal processing, it is important to point out the key areas of this production.

Enterprises of ferrous metallurgy Have in their composition several so-called redistribution. Among them: agglomerate, steelmaking, rolling. Let's consider each of them in more detail.

Domain production

It is at this stage that the iron is released directly from the ore. This occurs in a blast furnace and at temperatures above 1000 degrees Celsius. Thus, the smelting of cast iron occurs. Its properties will directly depend on the course of the melting process. By controlling the melting of ore, you can eventually get one of the two types of cast iron: re- cast (used later for steel production) and foundry (cast iron blanks are cast from it).

Steel production

By combining iron with carbon and, if necessary, with various alloying elements, steel is eventually obtained. There are enough methods for its smelting. Particularly note the oxygen-converter and electric smelting, which are the most modern and highly productive.

Conversion melting is characterized by its transience and the resulting steel with the required chemical composition. The basis of the process is the purging of the liquid metal with oxygen through the tuyere, as a result of which the cast iron is oxidized and transformed into steel.

The electric steelmaking method is the most effective. It is thanks to the use of arc furnaces that it is possible to smelt the highest quality alloy steel grades. In such units, the heating of the metal loaded in them takes place very quickly, and it is possible to add the necessary amount of alloying elements. In addition, the steel produced by this method has a low content of nonmetallic inclusions, sulfur and phosphorus.

Alloying

This process consists in changing the composition of steel by introducing into it the calculated concentrations of auxiliary elements for the subsequent giving it certain properties. Among the most frequently used alloying components are manganese, titanium, cobalt, tungsten, aluminum.

Rental Service

Many factories of metallurgy Have in their composition a rolling group of shops. They produce both semi-finished products and already completely finished products. The essence of the process is the passage of metal in the gap between the rolls rotating in opposite directions of the rolling mill. And the key point is that the distance between the rolls should be less than the thickness of the blank. Due to this, the metal is drawn into the gap, moves and eventually deforms to the specified parameters.

After each pass, the gap between the rollers is made smaller. An important point - often the metal is not plastic enough in the cold state. And therefore, to process it, preheat it to the required temperature.

Consumption of secondary raw materials

In modern conditions, the market for recyclables of both black and non-ferrous metals is developing steadily. In many respects this is due to the fact that ore resources, to a great extent, are not renewable. Each year, their production significantly reduces inventory. Taking into account the fact that the demand for metal products in machine building, construction, aircraft building, shipbuilding and other branches of the national economy is steadily growing, it seems reasonable to develop the processing of parts and products that have already worked out.

It can be confidently asserted that the development of metallurgy is to a certain extent also explained by the positive dynamics of the industry segment - the use of secondary raw materials. At the same time large and small companies are engaged in scrap processing.

World tendencies of development of metallurgy

In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in the output of rolled metal, steel and cast iron. This is largely due to the real expansion of China, which has become one of the leading planetary players in the market of metallurgical production.

At the same time, various factors of metallurgy allowed the Celestial Empire to win almost 60% of the world market. The remaining top ten manufacturers were: Japan (8%), India and the United States of America (6%), Russia and South Korea (5%), Germany (3%), Turkey, Taiwan, Brazil (2%).

If, on the other hand, 2015 is considered separately, then there is a tendency for a decrease in the activity of steel producers. And the biggest recession was registered in Ukraine, where the result was recorded, which is 29.8% lower than last year.

New technologies in metallurgy

Like any other industry, metallurgy is simply inconceivable without the development and implementation of innovative developments in practice.

Thus, the staff of the Nizhny Novgorod State University developed and began to introduce into practice new nanostructured wear-resistant hard alloys based on tungsten carbide. The main direction of innovation is the production of modern metalworking tools.

In addition, in Russia, the grate drum with a special ball nozzle was modernized in order to create a new technology for processing liquid slag. This event was carried out on the basis of the state order of the Ministry of Education and Science. This step completely justified itself, because its results ultimately exceeded all expectations.

The largest enterprises of metallurgy in the world

International ratings claim that the leading producers of metal on the planet are:

• Arcelor Mittal is a company headquartered in Luxembourg. Its share is 10% of the world's total steel production. In Russia, the companies belong to the Berezovskaya, Pervomaiskaya, Anzherskaya, and Severstal-group mines.
• Hebei Iron & Steel is a giant from China. It belongs entirely to the state. In addition to production, the company is engaged in the extraction of raw materials, its transportation and scientific research. The company's factories use exclusively new developments, and the most up-to-date technological lines that allowed the Chinese to learn how to produce ultra-thin steel plates and ultra-thin cold rolled sheets.
• Nippon Steel is the representative of Japan. The management of the company, which began operations in 1957, seeks to unite with another company called Sumitomo Metal Industries. According to experts, such a merger will allow the Japanese to quickly reach the first place in the world, overtaking all their competitors.