The Swedish steel industry is currently striving to minimize its environmental impact and there is a constant search for emission sources. For Sandvik Materials Technology, one of the steps was to replace the lime used in the melting of scrap. From rotary kiln burnt to the shaft kiln burnt Ferrum S.

Equivalent to emissions from 2,000 cars
Then why is Ferrum S so good? Well, the shaft kiln burnt lime requires less energy in production at the same time as it works very well with the arc furnace, where the scrap is melted.
“Ferrum S has an optimal carbon content, reacts and melts out quickly and works excellently as a slag former,” explains Mikael Zackrisson, sales engineer at SMA Mineral.
As it takes less energy to manufacture this lime and the location of SMA Mineral means shorter transports, Sandvik has now managed to reduce CO2 emissions by a total of 5,800 tonnes per year. This corresponds to emissions from approximately 2,000 petrol-powered cars each year.

Several tests and analyses showed the way
It was a couple of years ago that Sandvik began to investigate whether a more energy-efficient lime could be used in the arc furnace. Several tests and analyses later they decided.
“We are constantly reviewing and evaluating the raw materials we buy, from both an environmental and an economic perspective. For us, it’s important to work with suppliers who take responsibility for the environment, their products and their employees,” says Mikhail Ternovski, purchaser at Sandvik Materials Technology.

Acknowledgement of Ferrum S
A big step for Sandvik – to test a brand new raw material – and a great acknowledgement of Ferrum S, says Mikael Zackrisson.
“Deciding to use a new product in this way is a big step that requires extensive testing and evaluation and therefore it has been a long process. The fact that Sandvik finally chose Ferrum S feels great!”

Why lime in steel? Therefore!
In the steel production at Sandvik, Ferrum S is used to form slag in the arc furnace, an electric furnace used for melting scrap. And the slag in turn, yes, it cleanses the steel from unwanted substances and particles and protects the furnaces’ refractory materials. Decisive, in other words.