REDUCTION OF IRON CONSUMPTION IN STEEL PRODUCTION IN CONVERTER SHOPS: MODERN APPROACHES AND SOLUTIONS

The article examines modern approaches and technological solutions aimed at reducing the cost of iron in the production of steel in converter shops. One of the key issues in the metallurgical industry is the optimization of raw material costs while simultaneously improving the quality of final products. In the conditions of growing competition on the market and increasing the cost of raw materials, the issue of reducing iron consumption in the steel production process becomes especially important. The purpose of the study is to substantiate effective technological methods of reducing the cost of cast iron while maintaining high technical and operational characteristics of steel. The work considers several directions for achieving this goal, in particular: improvement of the quality of raw materials through preliminary processing of scrap metal, modernization of converter equipment, optimization of oxygen purging modes, use of technologies of secondary processing of scrap metal, as well as the use of various technological additives and slag-forming materials. Special attention is paid to the possibilities of reducing energy consumption and increasing production efficiency through the use of scrap metal heating technologies.During the study, examples of the introduction of modern technologies at leading metallurgical enterprises, such as ArcelorMittal, ThyssenKrupp, Voestalpine and others, were considered. These technologies help to reduce the costs of raw materials and energy resources, which has a positive effect on the environmental indicators of production and the overall sustainability of metallurgical enterprises. An analysis of the use of carbon-containing materials, both in lump and powder forms, was also carried out to reduce the consumption of cast iron and increase the proportion of metal scrap in the metal charge. The question of the influence of such additives on the chemical composition of steel is considered. It was determined that the use of carbon-containing materials allows to significantly reduce the consumption of cast iron, however, it is necessary to take into account the influence of such factors as the composition of raw materials, the temperature in the converter and the parameters of adding carbon-containing materials during oxygen purging.The given results can be useful for enterprises of the metallurgical industry seeking to increase the efficiency of their production processes. The study demonstrates that the introduction of new technologies and approaches can provide a significant reduction in pig iron costs, increase the quality of steel and reduce the negative impact on the environment. The described methods have the potential for wide use in metallurgy, which will increase the competitiveness of Ukrainian enterprises on the international market.