The article was prepared on the basis of reports from the Green Steel for Europe (GREENSTEEL) project funded by the European Union as part of the implementation of the climate and energy goals for 2030 and the long-term strategy for a climate neutral Europe by 2050. A consortium of implementers composed of ten partners from EU countries, including Łukasiewicz – Institute for Ferrous Metallurgy in Gliwice, has identified promising technologies for the decarbonisation of the steel industry, defined technological pathways constituting process chains composed of these technologies, as well as scenarios of the decarbonisation process until 2030 and until 2050. The end result of the project is a set of insights and recommendations for effective clean steel manufacturing solutions suitable for the EU to achieve the EU’s climate and energy goals.

The study investigates the ability to remove copper, tin and arsenic from iron ore, scrap and liquid steel based on the literature and thermodynamic calculations using the FactSage 7.2 software. Methods of removing Cu, Sn and As from iron-bearing materials, feasible in industrial conditions in the near term, were selected. Simulation tests with the use of the FactSage 7.2 software showed that under reduced pressure conditions Cu and Sn can be removed from the steel bath, while As evaporation is not possible. Laboratory tests were carried out, including the removal of Sn and Cu in the process of degassing of liquid steel in a deep vacuum in a vacuum induction furnace and the removal of Sn from iron ore in the sintering process. Under conditions of deep vacuum (below 40 Pa), high temperature (1670°C) and a correspondingly long vacuum treatment time (over 30 minutes), the efficiency of removing the copper and tin contents from the liquid steel of approximately 14 and 17% respectively was obtained. The iron ore sintering test with a high Sn content showed the effectiveness of reducing the Sn content during this process, amounting to approx. 30%.

Some vehicle damages can be related to the wheels' functional state, defined by rim and tire conditions. The technical condition of the rim is not simple to identify as it is related to the state of material structure. So far, little information has been presented about measurement systems and methods dedicated to rim technical condition identification that are acceptable by car service stations. Thus, the new measurement system and method are proposed in this paper. The identification process uses forced vibration spectra measurement and data processing with neural network use. For this purpose, the existing wheel balancer has been integrated with the computer coupled to a shaft actuator, vibration exciter, and accelerometer head. The developed software provides automation of measurement procedure and results classification, while the algorithm of data processing enables the proper detection of the three states of rim: new, used, and fit for further use, and not usable.

The paper presents the possibilities and selected examples of practical use of the thermal imaging technique in the metallurgical industry as a non-invasive testing method for measuring temperature distribution on the surface of the examined object. This method can be used in all stages of steel production, from charge preparation to finished product, as well as diagnostics of technical devices. The paper emphasises the non-invasive nature of the examination, which does not disturb the production cycle.

The paper presents the research work carried out at Ł–IMŻ on the optimisation of the technology for producing an innovative powder for slide gates as part of a research project carried out for PEDMO S.A. in Tychy. Attention was paid to the developed method for assessing the efficiency of coating powder grains with a sintering process inhibitor using thermal analysis. It is an important element in assessing the quality of the powder, and thus allowed to optimise the parameters of its production technology. In order to determine the effectiveness of coating powder grains with a carbon layer of sintering inhibitor, a number of experiments were carried out using a thermal analyser, controlling the type of gases emitting during sample heating, therefore the influence of various factors on the mixer working temperature, such as the temperature in the production hall, raw material temperature and mixer operation time, was examined. An additional area of study was the registration and analysis of acoustic signals emitted by the mixer, carried out in cooperation with EC TEST Systems to develop an objective method for determining the end of the powder coating process, which can be implemented in a production line automation system.

The aim of the presented work was to examine the reliability assessment model on the example of a selected power grid object. The analyzed object was tested based on assumptions about technological breaks that were caused by overvoltage, among others. The study was conducted to check the reliability of integral elements of the power grid object and to assess the change in reliability level as a function of the frequency of inspections. The test results are to determine the optimal frequency of inspections of individual power grid objects in order to increase its reliability. In addition, the possibility of correlating optimal inspection periods resulting from the findings of this paper with periodic inspections of power network facilities was assessed.

The knowledge about FeO con and it influences the latter technologica the slag is sent and analyzed in the labo FeO content estimation, based on the steel slag composition measurement.

To this day, the micro-heating unit in a multiparametric capillary sensor’s setup has been controlled using laboratory power supply with constant voltage. In this method it was assumed that the micro heater’s resistance value is semi-constant. However, due to the fact that degradation effects induced by high power density dissipation in multiple, intense or prolonged heating cycles may cause it to vary, a new approach had to be found. Therefore, in this paper, a development of a power stabilization method using PID controller to compensate for micro-heater’s resistance changes during intense heating is described. Additionally, a current sensing resistor, a programmable power supply and a data acquisition system are incorporated into the setup to provide closed-loop feedback.

The knowledge about FeO content in and it influences the latter technological process the slag is sent and analyzed in the laboratory FeO content estimation, based on the steel slag composition measurement.

The paper presents the novel method of fast and contactless estimation of iron oxide (FeO) concentration in steel slag during discharge process in steelworks. The infrared imaging and artificial neural network are the key tools used in the research. The imaging system consists of three cameras that work in the different wavelength ranges. The novel idea based on steel and slag radiation parameters extracted from the sequences of images is described. Radiation data that are the most correlated with FeO content in steelmaking slag are selected and use as input variables for ensemble of Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). Different parameters and configuration of the ANN were tested to define the most effective ones. The final result of FeO content estimation is presented and validated with the values obtained from the chemical analysis.

The multi-parametric capillary sensor with local sample heating has been shown as an effective tool for diesel fuel fit for use classification at the laboratory level of technology, where a trained operator performs the experiments. The sensor consists of disposable capillary optrode, head and measurement control unit. An increase of the technology level of the sensor requires automation of samples handling and implementing automatic rejection of uncertain outlier data. Such data uncertainty may come from variations of capillary optrode diameters, inaccuracy of optrode filling with sample, inaccuracy of corking the sample as well as inaccuracy of optrode positioning in the head. Mentioned inaccuracies of preparation of the measurement may lead to outlier data, which impacts the correctness of sample classification. In this paper automatic detection of outlier data received in multi-parametric capillary sensors of diesel fuels is proposed and examined with data collected by untrained and trained operators. Performed experiments show that direct statistical tools applied to raw data lead to improper results of outlier data pointing. The proper outlier data pointing taking place for raw data converted to vector pattern of data on the base of physical phenomena described by experimental data or with the use of analysis of first derivative of raw data characteristic points course.

—The aim of the present work is an application of the fabrication technologies of p-n junctions working as photodetectors into the ultraviolet region. Usually, the ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors are fabricated as a standard pn diode structure with the anode on the top and the cathode on the bottom on silicon carbide (4H-SiC) substrates. The critical part for detectors is the formation of the p-n junction. It can be done by different technological processes, such as ion implantation, epitaxy, etc. This paper presents three different technological approaches to fabricate UV photodetectors as p- n photodiode.

Modern rims and wheels are tested at the design and production stages. Tests can be performed in laboratory conditions and on the ride. In the laboratory, complex and costly equipment is used, as for example wheel balancers and impact testers. Modern wheel balancers are equipped with electronic and electro-mechanical units that enable touch-less measurement of dimensions, including precision measurement of radial and lateral wheel run-out, automatic positioning and application of the counterweights, and vehicle wheel set monitoring - tread wear, drift angles and run-out unbalance. Those tests are performed by on-wheel axis measurements with laser distance meters. The impact tester enables dropping of weights from a defined height onto a wheel. Test criteria are the loss of pressure of the tire and generation of cracks in the wheel without direct impact of the falling weights. In the present paper, a set up composed of three accelerometers, a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor is examined as the base of a wheel tester. The sensor set-up configuration, on-line diagnostic and signal transmission are discussed.

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the application of a reflective diffraction grating and a MWIR thermographic camera for gas identification and its concentration estimation. For this purpose a special setup was built using an infrared camera, a diffraction grating, a black body as infrared source and an air-tight tube that was filled with different mixtures of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Both ends of the tube were closed using infrared transmission windows, allowing the radiation from the blackbody to pass through the tube and be measured with the camera. After spectral calibration of the setup, it was used for the detection, identification and concentration measurements of different gas mixtures.

MEMS actuators are currently widely used in the industry. Micro-heaters, being a prime example, attracted much attention in recent years due to their good operating parameters and low cost fabrication process. This paper focuses on a design and development of a micro-heater to be used as an actuator in a multiparametric capillary sensor. The micro-heater is an evolution of a previous design and uses a 200nm-thick thin film of 80/20 NiCr alloy as a heating layer. The paper presents results of fabrication and testing of the micro-heater, including temperature distribution and resistance changes during the heating cycle. Additionally, is presented a PWM based control system providing the stability of power and temperature distribution.

Today, methane sensors find applications mostly in safety alarm installations, gas parameters detection and air pollution classification. Such sensors and sensors elements exists for industry and home use. Under development area of methane sensors application is dedicated to ground gases monitoring. Proper monitoring of soil gases requires reliable and maintenance-free semi-constant and longtime examination at relatively low cost of equipment. The sensors for soil monitoring have to work on soil probe. Therefore, sensor is exposed to environment conditions, as a wide range of temperatures and a full scale of humidity changes, as well as rain, snow and wind, that are not specified for classical methane sensors. Development of such sensor is presented in this paper. The presented sensor construction consists of five commercial non dispersive infra-red (NDIR) methane sensing units, a set of temperature and humidity sensing units, a gas chamber equipped with a micro-fan, automated gas valves and also a microcontroller that controls the measuring procedure. The electronics part of sensor was installed into customized 3D printed housing equipped with self-developed gas valves. The main development of proposed sensor is on the side of experimental evaluation of construction reliability and results of data processing included safety procedures and function for hardware error correction. Redundant methane sensor units are used providing measurement error correction as well as improved measurement accuracy. The humidity and temperature sensors are used for internal compensation of methane measurements as well as for cutting-off the sensor from the environment when the conditions exceed allowable parameters. Results obtained during environment sensing prove that the gas concentration readings are not sensitive to gas chamber vertical or horizontal position. It is important as vertical sensor installation on soil probe is simpler that horizontal one. Data acquired during six month of environment monitoring prove that error correction of methane sensing units was essential for maintenance free sensor operation, despite used safety procedures.

Large area SiC photodiodes find applications in optoelectronic sensors working at special conditions. These conditions include detection of UV radiation in harsh environment. Moreover, the mentioned sensors have to be selective and resistant to unwanted signals. For this purpose, the modulation of light at source unit and the rejection of constant current and low frequency component of signal at detector unit are used. The popular frequency used for modulation in such sensor is 1kHz. The large area photodiodes are characterized by a large capacitance and low shunt resistance that varies with polarization of the photodiode and can significantly modify the conditions of signal pre-amplification. In this paper two pre-amplifiers topology are analyzed: the transimpedance amplifier and the non-inverting voltage to voltage amplifier with negative feedback. The feedback loops of both pre-amplifiers are equipped with elements used for initial constant current and low frequency signals rejections. Both circuits are analyzed and compared using simulation and experimental approaches.

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the application of reflective diffraction grating and MWIR thermal camera for identification of gas and estimation of its concentration. For this purpose a special rig was created with airtight tube that was filled with different mixtures of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Thanks to infrared windows at both sides of this tube, the radiation from blackbody could pass through it and diffract at the reflective diffraction grating to finally reach the camera. After spectral calibration this rig may be used to identify gas in a tube, because different gases have different absorption bands. Measuring signal in the absorption band one can estimate the concentration of gas in a tube.

Local liquid sample heating is used in multiparametric sensors of liquid type classification and in sensors of liquid flow. In such applications, the heating of the liquid is done by micro-heaters, with the liquid separated from the micro-heater. The presented paper concentrates on the physical conditions of liquid sample heating used in capillary sensors. In such devices the repeatable transfer of heat is required. The basic measurements include time of liquid to vapor phase transitions and local transfer of heat. In the work were used experimental and simulation techniques. The obtained results show that in the capillary sensor repeatable local heat transfer conditions can be easier achieved than repeatable time of liquid to vapor phase transitions. In the analyzed case, the local heating depends mostly on the capillary to micro-heater distance. The liquid to vapor transition times, beside of the liquid type, depend on the powers used for micro-heater heating and on capillary cross-section parameters, such as the inner and outer diameter values. By increasing the power to the micro-heater the transition time variability is reduced.