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Modern Teaching and Training in Metallurgical Engineering

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Special Interest

Modern Teaching and Training in Metallurgical Engineering

Alexander Babich, Konstantinos Mavrommatis, Dieter Senk, Heinrich Wilhelm Gudenau

Institut für Eisenhüttenkunde, RWTH Aachen, 52056 Aachen, Germany

This contribution deals with advanced educational technologies needed to equip customers from higher education institutions, research and
industry with efficient tools supporting their work and operating new skills-training methods. The challenges are reducing the training costs,
improving quality and increasing the number of graduates in engineering departments. The concept of a Virtual Lab based on the combi-
nation of various teaching methods and tools is presented. Principles of mathematisation in metallurgical education and training are dis-
cussed. An example of online course designed in the form of Virtual Lab is demonstrated.

Keywords: distance education, e-Learning, virtual laboratory, simulation, interactivity.

Introduction
Nowadays teaching in form of the classic university
based on classroom teaching can be extended. New forms
should complement it to raise the interest to technical pro-
fessions and to motivate young talents to study them, to en-
able flexible study and consequently to increase the number
of students in the engineering departments. Study of com-
plex technological processes using mathematical methods,
modelling and simulation supported by the newest comput-
er technologies and multimedia techniques for knowledge
transfer are of great importance in metallurgical education
and training. Up to now, hardly anybody has made full use
of the potential of the digital technology and the Internet for
a training environment.
A big project “Network of Excellence in Professional
Learning (PROLEARN)” funded by the EU Commission
has been started 2004 with the mission “to bring together
the most important research groups in the area of profes-
sional learning, as well as other key organisations and in-
dustrial participants, thus bridging the currently existing
gap between research and education at universities and sim-
ilar organisations and training and continuous education
that is provided for and within companies” [1]. The chal-
lenge for a consortium of 19 European universities and re-
search centres as well as more than 100 associated (mostly
industrial) partners is to integrate all European activities in
eLearning into a powerful and meaningful community in
order to establish Europe as a world leader in this field. One
of the activities is related to online laboratories, which are
of great importance especially for engineering education.
The Department of Ferrous Metallurgy at the RWTH
Aachen University participates in the project with the ap-
proach and background presented in this paper.
Traditional and new teaching methods
Traditional face-to-face education means that teacher and
learner are at the same time at the same place. Distance Ed-
ucation (DE) is the process by which students and teachers
can communicate through information technology (e.g. via
Internet or satellite connection). It allows courses to take
place without the necessity for the students and teachers to
physically be at same location [2]. It has to be emphasised
that the target of online education in engineering study, at
least in the medium term, is to enhance the traditional teach-
ing, not replace it. The characteristic features of the DE
tools to be developed should be:
– Replacement of expensive experiments by computer sim-
ulation
– Sharing lab equipment between universities by remote
access via the Internet
– Exchanging online learning recourses and courses be-
tween universities and share development expenses.
Virtual Lab concept
Conventional teaching method of complex technological
systems often consists of their artificial dissection into sep-
arate processes (chemical, physical, mechanical, hydrody-
namic etc.) and their consequent description as well as us-
ing “if-then” rules.
The concept of a Virtual Laboratory (VL) has been de-
veloped at the Department of Ferrous Metallurgy at the
RWTH Aachen University. Its main feature is using a tradi-
tional teaching method as a component by converting the
learning content into digital form using multimedia tech-
niques and complement it by interactive simulation models.
The components of the Generic VL are [3]
– Online book(s) and /or presentation(s)
Packaged lecture(s)
Vivid lecture(s)/seminar(s)/live discussions
Packaged simulations
Online simulations
Visual processing lab
Each VL can contain additional components or, on the
contrary, reduced number of the components.
Principles of mathematical modelling in met-
allurgical education and training
Modelling of complex technological processes, phenom-
ena and equipment is one of the important tools not only for
process investigation, automation and prediction but also

428 steel research int. 75 (2004) No. 7


for educational purposes, in particular for creation of train-
ing systems for remote studies.
To realise the VL concept that is based on mathematical
modelling and online computer simulations, it is necessary
to identify the fundamentals of training of metallurgical en-
gineers and to link, respectively adapt them to the distance
learning environment. The first fundamental component is
thermodynamics, helping to find out the stable phase mod-
ifications in the metallurgical multiphase-multi-component
systems of high complexity. This is done by minimising the
free energy of formation of those phases, which derives
from the principle that in thermodynamic equilibrium the
energy of the system is a minimum. The fundamental rela-
tion is the expression for the free reaction enthalpy to be-
come a minimum. The principle of conservation of energy
provides the basis for formulating energy balances for met-
allurgical reactions. The second component is chemical ki-
netics, which allows to calculate the time behaviour of the
chemical components due to chemical reactions which take
place. The fundamental relation is the mass action law stat-
ing that in any chemical reaction the chemical equilibrium
is achieved only if the rate of production equals the rate of
destruction of species. The rates are usually calculated us-
ing Arrhenius kinetics.
By combining these two components the formation and
time behaviour of the phases and chemical components ex-
isting or created can be monitored and quantified.
Usually movement of the existing phase (liquid, solid,
gas) makes necessary the explicit presence and use of the
third component, the mechanics. The fundamental relation
used to quantify the motion of the system is the principle of
conservation of momentum, equivalent to Newton’s second
law, in general for fluids as the Navier-Stokes equations.
Combination of the above three components allows to
quantify the most essentials of metallurgical problems start-
ing from fundamentals.
A basic principle for adapting the learning content for
metallurgical engineering training to DE purposes, e.g. the
virtual laboratory concept, is to write down the equations in
strict causality relation between the physical and chemical
entities and the variables representing them in an agreed
causality direction.
The methodological principles for creating and using
mathematical models in DE technology are:
Reduction of number of facts
Replacing facts by rules
Replacing rules by laws
Replacing laws by principles
Methodologically, this is evidently a generic replacement
and a generic deduction. Modelling methods are most ef-
fective when included in a process plant simulation. Mod-
ern simulations allow the user to combine models for sev-
eral unit operations into a complete flow sheet and to cal-
culate the expected performance. Visual simulation models
are particularly beneficial for reflecting the logical and
quantitative relationship of complex technological process-
es and aggregates.
Visualisation of the simulation experiments is the next
component for set-up, thus adapting fundamental metallur-
gical content to DE technology.
steel research int. 75 (2004) No. 7
Special Interest
Forms of digital content and multimedial in-
ternet applications
DE can be based on learning material of two different
kinds: packaged contents and CSCW (Computer Supported
Cooperative Work) supported live contents. Packaged
courses are collections of learning material, put together
into a single package, which can be retrieved by the content
consumer. These systems provide self-study resources in
electronic format. Package course files could be hypertext
information, slides of a presentation, text files with supple-
mentary information, external references to live or on-de-
mand audio/video content, assessment data, etc.
Any student equipped with an internet connection and a
web browser can master theoretical descriptive material
available on a web site and carry out computer exercises
and experiments.
Web-based teaching materials may provide the opportu-
nity for interactive teaching. Interactivity implies that pos-
sibilities are given to affect the presentation form or con-
tent. For example, an interactive teaching has been intro-
duced using Matlab/Simulink software1[4]. There is a serv-
er application that is connected to Matlab as a client; exter-
nal internet clients access this machine as a server. In this
way a deeper understanding can be achieved but the student
in the lab only interacts with a computer system. This is so
called passive interaction where a teaching system offers “if
- then” commands to interact with it.
Active human interaction with a partner can be achieved
by CSCW educational activities. CSCW based learning
content supports mechanisms, that allow to synchronously
collaborate among geographically separated course partici-
pants, for example live lectures supported by video confer-
encing or chat rooms. This enables interactive forms of tel-
electures combining parallel transmission of audio-visual
streams and course material with the possibility to interact
with the lecturer as well as with other parts of the audience.
Such DE environments also supports real-time experiments,
simulations and case studies to enhance learning experi-
ence. The trainer is “synchronically” present via remote col-
laborative tools and the students or the teams can commu-
nicate effectively.
Digital content will undergo dramatic change in the next
decade [5]. It will evolve to “smart” content that is highly
interactive, clustered, predictive, contextual and will enable
a visual user experience.
Example of online teaching and learning of
ironmaking
Web-based course “Ironmaking” has been developed at
the Department of Ferrous Metallurgy at the RWTH Aachen
University to provide a deep understanding of the complex
blast furnace process, related and alternative technologies
1 Matlab is a mathematical computing and visualisation software. Simulink
is an interactive tool for modelling, simulating, and analysing dynamic
systems.
429
Special Interest
as well as the role of ironmaking in the steel industry using
self-directed, directed and collaborative learning methods [
6]. The course is designed as a Virtual Lab, which is built
up of multiple components that are complementary and to
some extent interchangeable. It reflects the concept of a VL
presented in the previous chapter but realised now to a cer-
tain extent.
Various learning techniques and tools are used in differ-
ent components to enable either asynchronous or synchro-
nous use. Asynchronous or packaged material makes learn-
ing more flexible and independent from time and place.
Synchronous or live material on the other hand makes
learning really interactive. The course allows to:
– Understand the place and role of primary metal produc-
tion in steel industry and in the modern society;
– Estimate efficiency and prospects of different methods of
hot metal production from the technical, economic and
environmental points of view;
– Acquire practical skills of correct choice of burden and
blast parameters as well as technological conditions of
the blast furnace operation;
– Learn to master the use of modern modelling techniques
for blast furnace operations;
– Learn how to put this knowledge to work in practical en-
gineering situations using the Visual Model of Blast Fur-
nace.
– Get recommended literature and other information for
further self-study of selected units.
The course includes a set of following logically related
components:
Video lecture “Ferrous Metallurgy – state of the art and
prospects”. The brief, focused lecture gives an overview to
the development of the production and use of iron and steel
and analyses different ways of steel production. The lecture
is delivered as streaming video.
Online lecture textbook consists of three main parts that
are available in PDF and HTML versions. The first part
“Raw Materials and Their Preparation” covers the topics of
iron ores and their agglomeration, coals, cokemaking and
environment related to the sinter and coke production. Each
chapter has a separate list of references. To facilitate and en-
courage deepening of knowledge on certain subjects this
course unit has an extra list of recommended literature in
various languages and web resources.
The second part “Blast Furnace Process” covers all im-
portant physical and chemical processes that take place in
the blast furnace. It takes a closer look at the following three
subjects:
– Fundamental processes of blast furnace ironmaking such
as reduction and oxidation.
– Technologies which ensure competitiveness of the blast
furnace ironmaking like cokemaking, injection technolo-
gies and measures for coke saving.
– Topical problems related to sustainable development, en-
vironment, waste recycling and energy saving.
The structure of references, recommended literature and
links is the same as in the previous unit.
The presentation “Direct and Smelting Reduction
430
Processes” (third part of the textbook) is devoted to the al-
ternative methods of primary metal production. About 50
slides present fundamentals (definition of terms, classifica-
tion, general analysis of DR processes) and figures for DRI
production, characteristics and status for different process-
es, schemas and brief descriptions for some of them as well
as references and WWW resources.
Compendium “Blast Furnace Ironmaking”. The target is
flexible study of the fundamentals of the iron manufacture.
A very brief text gives basic knowledge about blast furnace
ironmaking. Step by step learning into the depth from gen-
eral concepts down to desired level of detail including de-
scription of accompanying processes (like cokemaking, sin-
tering, and palletising) is possible by clicking on keywords.
Processing lab for investigation of process parameters in
the raceway. This zone is a vital region of the furnace that
supplies the process with heat and reducing agents. Gas vol-
ume and composition as well as adiabatic flame tempera-
ture can be calculated directly using this processing lab pro-
gram. Effect of different parameters (blast temperature, hu-
midity, oxygen concentration as well as consumption and
composition of injected reductants) on the above mentioned
values can be investigated quantitatively. The exercise is
based on a program which is an Microsoft-Windows appli-
cation that can be downloaded.
Visual simulation model “Blast Furnace”. This compo-
nent is based on a mathematical balance model of the blast
furnace process [7-9]. It processes entered parameters and
outputs both operating and learning results (figure 1, 2).
The model reflects dynamics of the process (delay in the
change of output parameters after conducting the control
actions). It also simulates the sinter and pellets plant opera-
tion as well as work of heat stoves.
The course tutor is equipped with visual software to moni-
tor the activity of the students, answer their questions, and
analyse the learning results. Student-tutor and student-stu-
dent communication is text-based with the use of a message
board. The tutor can support students not only by means of
this tool but he can also open each student’s session and
help the student directly. Students on geographically dis-
persed sites can collaboratively “charge” and “operate” the
same blast furnace and view the results simultaneously. To
better analyse students’ work, the tutor can view the com-
puter log of their actions.
Figure 1. Simplified scheme of visual simulation model “Blast Fur-
nace”.
steel research int. 75 (2004) No. 7
 Special Interest

Figure 2. Visual Simulation Model “Blast Furnace”, operating and learning results.

The software “Visual Model” is implemented in Java and
therefore able to run on nearly any platform making use of
the Remote Method Invocation mechanism for communica-
tion via the Internet. The simplified architecture of Visual
Simulation Model is shown in figure 3. The framework of
the program is kept quite general, so that on the one hand
the underlying model or the user interface can be safely
changed, and on the other hand models of entirely different
processes can be easily added and integrated, given the con-
formity of the programming interface.
Interactive assessment tests. This test consists of 85
questions divided into 10 sessions that cover corresponding
chapters, course units and the whole course content.
Figure 4 shows a questin extracted from an assessment ses-
sion. The assessment test is also a distributed Java applica-
tion and runs synchronously at specified times. This soft-
ware operates in a way similar to the Simulation Model.
The course tutor or teacher is provided with visual software
to monitor the activity of the students and analyse the learn-
ing results.
Live video conference sessions are broadcasted via the
Internet to support learning activities by live interactive col-
laboration (figure 5).
Practice and experience. The course was held firstly as
a two-month Simulation Trial within the scope of an EU
IST Project “Universal Exchange for Pan-European Higher
Education” [6]. Four European higher education and re-
search institutions took part in the trial. A fifth institution,
Swiss university ETH Zürich, participated as a trial evalua-

Server
Logic

Model
interaction
Chat Tutor
User 3
Internet
Monitoring
user´s actions
Chat

Model
interaction
Chat Model
interaction
User 2 Chat

User 1

Figure 3. Simplified architecture of Visual Model Figure 4. Example of interactive questions

steel research int. 75 (2004) No. 7 431

Special Interest
Figure 5. Live broadcasting of a demo session using the Isabel
video conferencing system for four partners: RWTH Aachen
(provider), UPM Madrid, CENIM Madrid, WUT Warsaw.
tor. Altogether, there were 37 participants, including 25 un-
dergraduates and postgraduates, 7 faculty members, and 5
expert reviewers. Student participants who met certain pre-
requisites were granted a course certificate. Pedagogical
scenarios as well as the assessment procedure and results
have been discussed in [10]. The students were generally
satisfied with the course having new learning experiences,
especially the collaboration with international partners.
Simulation visual model “Blast Furnace“ has been recog-
nised as the most innovative course component.
Presently the visual model is included in the practical
course in the metallurgical education at the Dept. of Ferrous
Metallurgy, RWTH Aachen University. Beyond this more
than 80 external users have booked separate course units via
the EducaNext portal (http://www.educanext.org/ubp) or
our web site (http://meveus.iehk.rwth-aachen.de/).
At the moment the visual model “Blast Furnace“ is being
further developed. Additionally other modules are under de-
velopment too.
432
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Acknowledgement
The authors wish to express thanks to the EU Commis-
sion for financial support of the simulation trial (IST Project
No. 1999-11747) and providing a network for integration of
online experiments (IST Project No. 507310).
Contact: Dr. Alexander Babich
Institut für Eisenhüttenkunde(Dept. of Ferrous Metallurgy)
RWTH Aachen University
52056 Aachen Germany
http://www.iehk.rwth-aachen.de
babich@iehk.rwth-aachen.de
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