flox[control]

Gas Control Units

for the Steel Industry

G a s C o n t r o l U n i t s f o r t h e s t e e l i n d u s t r y | f l o x [ o o n t r o l ] | F C Te c h n i k | 1
 THE company flox[control] shows its strength

FC Technik is a company with headquarters in All Gas Contol Units of the flox[control] series are taylor made for the requirements and ther
Winterthur, Switzerland and activities all around the harsh conditions of the steel industry.
the world. We offer our customers the
In all phases of modern steel tions to handle gasflows easily, Heart of the flox[control] units
advantages which accrue from many
production, gases are used for with high efficiency an economy. are the mass flow controllers of
years of experience in gas measuring shielding, stirring or homogeni- flox[control]units are successfully the flox[on] series, developed by
and control technology. For over zing. As an alternative to the use tested in actual practice. They are engineeres of FC Technik and
twentyseven years, we have of singe mass flow controllers FC easy to install and maintanance well tested for years in the steel
specialized in serving the me- Techniks offers complete solu- free. industry.
tallurgic industry. FC Technik
develops and produces the
flox[on] mass flow controller.
Our company’s collective pas-
Successfully tested in Robust despite
sion is the control of flowing
actual practice fouling
gases.

In the tradition of legendary Swiss FC Technik offers quick and Our product portfolio includes
perfectionism we guarantee the responsive world-wide service gas control units for direct or
precision and robustness, as well to ensure that meeting the cus- indirect injection of inert gases. In
as the long and dependable opera- tomers’ needs is always the first the steel industry, our mass flow
ting lifetime of our machines. priority. Our qualified and compe- controllers are used primarily in Robust despite High energy
FC Technik has a wide range of
know-how in steel production as
tent employees develop innovative
solutions for innovative clients.
the areas of electric arc furnaces,
converters, ladles and continoues
extreme heat flox[on] B efficiency and economy

well as secondary metallurgy. And of course, we implement casting.

Our flox[on] series of mass flow special client-specific wishes
controllers has a long history of quickly and dependably.
successful application in these
fields.

Simple operation
Maintenance-free
in harsh environments

flox[on] S

Constant flow
Prompt reproduceability
regardless of
of processes
back-pressure

Changes gas medium

Long operating life without
switching surges

flox[on] J

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 Gas Control units for the steel industry Furnaces

Compact BOF EAF

A
Booster-Gas-Regulation-Unit Steel
for Ladle Purging

Secondary refining

VOD/VO RH

G RH Lift Gas Tuyeres C

Purging Plug check Valve
Test Unit

Combi Gas Regulation Unit for the E

Steel Industry

Ladle

Gas Control System for B Purge Plug Test Unit TST F

Ladle Purging

SAAC System for D Argon Recovery H

Ladle Shroud Shielding

Shroud argon-shielding Stopper

Prevents nitrogen aspiration from Prevents excesive clogging at the

surrounding air stopper tip Continous casting To further process

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 Compact Booster Gas reglation unit for ladle purging

The system is independent from the application in the ladle refining process.
It can be used as well as for soft-bubbling/alloying or temperature adjustment
etc..
Used gases are Argon or Nitrogen.

3 This new system enables the possibility of a continuous gas-flow. Our ther-
1 mal Mass-Flow-Controller are nowadays state of the art and setting up the
desired flows with the corresponding indicator. The quick transformation
from Set- to Real-Values increase the treatment speed. The new generation
of our MFC‘s is very stable in the gas flow at fluctuating back pressure. The
reproducibility is an essential advantage for the treatment cycle in the refi-
ning treatment.
2
Our electric, active working Booster-Unit characterizes particularly with re-
gard to the comparatively high capacity and the end-pressure. This yields a
4
very high availability of the purging elements and has a positiv effect to the
refractory material.

The control of our Booster-Unit and the required additional equipment, star-
ter, 3-phase connection, valves and pressure sensor are the component parts
of the common controller.

flox[control] booster Advantages

• available max. pressure of the gas during the start phase of the refining process
Compact Booster-Gas-Regulation-Unit for Ladle Purging
1 Gas Regulation Unit
• blocked purging plugs opening at full pressure
2 Compressor Section
• Snorkel quality indicators over time
3 Pressure Vessel (capacity 500 l with available max. 34 bar pressure) • improvement of the purging process (independent of back pressure variation)
4 flox[on] S • different purging-profile options, easy input of the memory on
4 the program- and parameter-screen
• bonding of the measured datas for the documentation in existing systems
flox[on] S

The FC Technik flox[control] booster is The system consists in general of 3 main

unique in the world and can be used for components:
different applications in the ladle purging 1 the Gas-Regulation Unit
process. Our Gasregulation concept is desi- 2 the Compressor Section
gned for high pressure applications for the 3 and the Pressure Vessel (capacity 500 l
purging ladle bottom system with a max. (with available max. 34 bar pressure)
pressure of 34 bar.

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 Gas Control Unit for ladle purging

Application

The specification and functions of the gas control stations are designed to fit
for all ladle treatment applications:

• Purging at BOF tapping

• Purging at EAF tapping
• Ladle Furnace Purging
• VD and VOD Purging
• Purging at the RH Degaser

Functions and application can be combined in a single system to optimize in-

vestment costs and space requirement. Auxiliary systems like high pressure
booster and emergency gas supply systems can easily get connected to the
systems and are also part of our supply.

flox[control] LP

The FC Technik flox[control] LP is in- The gas control station and the ladle purging
dividualy and taylor-made designed for plug define the Ladle Purging System. The
differnt purging plug systems. The pic- gas control station provides all the required
ture above show three different designs of features and functions to design the purging
flox[control] LP depending on customers process. For the process design, reproducibi-
requirements. lity, functionality and dynamics are important
aspects, the design of the gas control system
has to unify all required aspects.
Our product range of gas control systems
is exactly what our customer want, because
we design them according to their require-
ments.
The specification of the flox[on] mass flow
controllers cover the full range of Ladle Pur-
ging applications. flox[on] mass flow control-
lers are specially designed to perform in the
challenging environment of the steel indus-
try.

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 RH Lift Gas Tuyeres Test Unit

Concept and Specification

The standard system is designed as a standalone and plug&play solution, the
concept of snorkel testing before using could be implemented in any of our
3
RH Lift Gas control systems.

Data
4 Power supply 100...250 VAC
Gas Supply 4....10 bar / ca. 1000Nl/min max.
Working gases Nitrogen (Comp. Air), Argon
Connections 1/2” FBSP, or any other

6
5 Advantages
• Numeric results (comparable indicators)
• Standardized testing procedure, independent from operator
• Snorkel quality indicators over time
• Increase of process reliability
1 2 • Increase of refractory performance
• Low operation costs
• Low investment costs
flox[control] RTU
RH Lift Gas Tuyeres Test Unit
1 gas-inlet
2 gas-outlet
3 flox[on] S
4 pneumatic ball valve
5 filter pressure controller
3 6 pressure controller

flox[on] S

Selective control and regulation of the lift One of our newest developments is our test
gas in each individual tuyere of the snorkel unit for lift gas, to proof the tightness and
guarantees an optimized process and a po- flow-rate of the tuyeres and piping of the
sitive effect on the durability of the refrac- snorkel assembly before it goes into operati-
tory material. on. Gas consumption, flow and pressure can
be measured and documented to guarantee
100 % availability and increased functionality
of each snorkel.

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 Saac System for Ladle Shroud ShieldinD
flox[control] SAAC
The SAAC system provides shielding gas The shielding effect is used to protect the
to the ladle shroud gasket. steel from air contact. Oxygen from ambi-
ent air may cause unwanted oxidic inclusi-
ons. Ambient air may cause also nitrogen
enrichment, which may have a negative in-
fluence on some steel properties.
To protect the steel stream inside the lad-
le shroud the FC Technik AG SAAC system
provides different functions. The adequate
function can be selected by operator inter-
action or by predefined system algorithm.
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Functions
Pressure Control Mode:
In the Pressure Control Mode the SAAC system will regulate the positive
pressure at the gasket according to process parameter.
The Pressure Control Mode will be activated as long as the flow is within its
limits. This is the standard operation mode when conditions are normal at
the gasket.
Flow Control Mode:
In the Flow Control Mode the SAAC System maintains a constant flow rate
according to the parameters. This mode of operation should be activated
when the conditions at the gasket are unstable and undefined as well as when
the flow rate required to maintain the predefined pressure exeeds certain
limitations.
Anti Splash Mode:
The Anti Splash Mode can be activated manual, if the bath agitation is too
high.
In the Anti Splash-Mode the SAAC system regulates the flow to a predefined
safe state flow rate. If the back pressure returns within its between the limits,
the Regulation Mode will automatic change back to Pressure Control Mode.
3 lamps show the status indication:
Green: The actual pressure is between a predefined upper and
lower limit > the ladle shroud gasket is in good working
condition! No interaction is required.
Orange: The actual pressure is below the predefined lower limit >
there could be a leakage in the piping or the ladle shroud
connection (gasket)!
Red: The actual pressure is above the predefined upper limit >
the ladle shroud connection is blocked! No shielding effect
provided.
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 Combi gas regulation unit

Functions

Ladle Purging (see B flox[control] LP)

All the required datas and parameters for the purching process are stored in
the Gas Control Unit. This programm regulates the wohle process. The process
parameters can be considered by the customer and adjusted individually.
1 The functional diversity and a reliable reproducibility of the process are the
I 1 highlights of flox[control] Combi.
II flox[on] S
2
II 2 Casting
3
During the casting the empty ladle can be filled with argon. The gas amounts fit
II
4 then to the bath level of the ladle. The required inputs could be transmitted to
the Combi Gas control Unit by a down tilt sensor.
4
Shielding
I flox[on] B
The shielding unit prevents the contact of the liquid steel with air coming from
the atmosphere. It protects against unwanted oxide inclusions. The risk of nit-
rogen increase will be avoided to prevent a quality reduction of the steel grade.
flox[control] Combi
Test Unit (TST) (see F flox[control] TST)

The test unit TST is designed to test the purging plugs in the ladle preparation
The Combi Gas Control Unit Combi Gas Control Unit flox[control] Combi area. This is to avoid purging failures in the following heat and to prevent the
flox[control] Combi comprised all relevant I flox[on] B purging plug from unnecessary excessive cleaning (burning, torching) with oxy-
purging- shielding- and control-functions. II flox[on] S gen.
Following processes can be determined: 1 Outlet CLP for Ar
Argon, Nitrogen or compressed air are used as test media. It‘s not allowed to
2 Outlet Shielding
use natural gas or any other inflammable gas.
• Controlled Ladle Purging (CLP) 3 Outlet TST
4 Inlet Ar and compressed air
• Regulation of the gas amount
during casting at the ingots
• Shielding at the collector
nozzle of the ladle
• Testing of the purging plug (TST)
at the ladle preparation area

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 purge plug test unit tst

Test Functions

Plug Test:
The plug test function generates an indication about the porous plug condi-
tion. At a predefined pressure setting the actual flow rate is measured. The
actual flow rate defines the condition of the plug. Three levels are defined:
Green: The actual flow rate is between a predefined upper and
lower limit > the porous plug is in good working condi-
tion.
Orange:
The actual flow rate is above the higher limit > there
could be a leakage in the piping.
Red:
The actual flow rate is below the lower limit > the plug
is blocked or partly blocked, oxygen washing could be
required (depending on the plug type)

Oxygen washing support (Bypass):

During the washing procedure with an oxygen lance, a continuous pressure
through the plug is produced. The flow rate is monitored continuously, as
soon as the flow rate exceeds a predefined limitation an indication is genera-
ted to stop further oxygen washing.
flox[control] TST
Advantages
The flox[control] TST test unit is designed To improve the cleaning procedure the TST ●
reproducibility and reliability, through numeric test result

●
to test the purging plugs in the ladle prepa- Bypass function gives a continuous feedback
ration area. on the porous plug condition during the cle- reduction of porous plug consumption, through optimized oxygen washing

●
aning process. This may increase the porous
This is to avoid purging failures in the follo- plug life and reduce the costs of cleaning. safety due to less burning/washing procedures
wing heat and to prevent the purging plug To improve the overall effect even more a
from unnecessary excessive cleaning (bur- second test after the cleaning can give a ● time savings
ning, torching) with oxygen. comparable result about the porous plug
condition.
Nitrogen or compressed air is used as test The TST is independent from the volumetric capacity, corresponding metal
media. It‘s not allowed to use natural gas or level and the amount of plugs installed in the ladle bottom.
any other inflammable gas. It is essential for the purging process to know, if the porous plug is in wor-
king condition or if oxygen cleaning is required. For this purpose the plug
test function of the TST delivers a fast, reliable and numerical result. For
the operators the system delivers a signal not requiring further interpreta-
tion, only the three indications. For the records a number (the flow rate) is
available, the number gives the opportunity for additional classification of
the result.

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 purge plug Check valvE Argon Recovery

G H

flox[control] LCV 34 flox[control] ArRecover

To prevent infiltration at the ladle purging plug a check valve could be installed in the The flox[control] Argon Recovery reduces Argon consumption with Argon recovery
supply piping. The check valve maintains the immediate pressure at the plug in case system for Ladle Purging. It can collect up to 95% of the Argon which discharges at
the supply line discharges. the end of the purging process. A combination of receiver, compressor and pressure
The LCV34 is in a stainless steel housing with a spring suitable for higher tempera- vessel can save the Argon for the start of the next treatment process.
tures. Due to the spring forced closing of the valve it functions in any mounting orien-
tation.
The amount of saved gas depends on many aspects like, size and length of the pipes,
number of plugs in the ladle and also the conditions of the purging plug. For typical in-
Purging Plug Check Valve flox[control] LCV34 stallations 3000 to 9000 m3 Argon per year can be reused.
Connection 3/4 FBSP or FNPT
The recovery system is part of our ladle purging system and seamless integrated into
Length mm 70
the purging process control system.
Normal Pressure PN40
Operating Temperatur °C 450 (contious)
Operating Pressure psi 1.5 The main benefits of the system in combination with the ladle purging system are:
Nominal Diameter mm 13
Housing Material SS304 – reduced Argon consumption
Spring Material Inconel 90 – increased safety due to less discharged Argon into the facility
Operator Material Brass Alloy – reduced ladle treatment costs
– no direct influence to the purging process

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 customers - worldwide

flox[control] Gas Control Units from FC Technik are

already in use in almost all parts of the world. The
following is an excerpt from our list of references.
Obviously, this list will continue to expand in the
future. The unique quality of our products will see to
that.

Customer Country Place Product

ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG Germany Bruckhausen Stopper Gas Control Unit
Saarstahl AG Germany Völklingen Various Gas Units
Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH Germany Salzgitter Tundish Shielding Unit
Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH Germany Salzgitter Test Unit for Ladle Purging Plug (TST)
Salzgitter Flachstahl GmbH Germany Salzgitter MFC’s for Converter MHP
Peine Träger GmbH Germany Peine Ladle Purging (CLP)
ArcelorMittal Germany Ruhrort Stopper Gas Control Unit
ArcelorMittal Germany Bremen Various Gas Units
ArcelorMittal Germany Eisenhüttenstadt Test Unit for Ladle Purging Plug (TST)
ArcelorMittal Germany Eisenhüttenstadt Shroud Anti Aspiration Control (SAAC)
ArcelorMittal Germany Hamburg Test Unit for Ladle Purging Plug (TST)
ArcelorMittal Bosnia Zenica Converter Bottom Purging
ArcelorMittal South Africa Newcastle Lift-Gas Control Unit RH
ArcelorMittal USA Indiana Habour Converter Bottom Purging
ArcelorMittal Mexico Lazaro Cardenas Shroud Anti Aspiration Control (SAAC)
Benteler Stahl/Rohr GmbH Germany Lingen Ladle Purging (CLP)
BGH Edelstahlwerke GmbH Germany Freital Various Gas Units
BGH Edelstahlwerke GmbH Germany Siegen Various Gas Units
DEW Siegen Germany Siegen Sliding Gate Shielding/TST
Elbe Edelstahlwerke Feralpi GmbH Germany Stade Test Unit for Ladle Purging Plug (TST)
Brandenburger Elektrostahlwerke GmbH Germany Brandenburg EAF Bottom Purging
Hennigsdorfer Elektrostahlwerke GmbH Germany Hennigsdorf Ladle Purging (CLP Booster)
Kind & Co Germany Biehl/Weilstein Ladle Purging (CLP); TST; SAAC
Buderus Edelstahl GmbH Germany Buderus Ladle Purging (CLP)
Hertwig GmbH Germany Hückeswagen RH-Test Unit Liftgas for Up-Snorkel
Friederich Wilhelms-Hütte Germany Mülheim a. d. Ruhr Converter Bottom Purging
SMS Mevac GmbH Germany Essen Various Gas Units
Treibacher Industrie AG Austria Althofen EAF Bottom Purging
Tata Steel UK Scounthorpe Ladle Purging (CLP)
Tata Steel UK Port Talbot Ladle Purging (CLP Booster)
A.B.S. Acciairie Bertoli Safau s.p.a. Italy Udine Ladle Purging (CLP)
Acciairie Venete Italy Sarezo Ladle Purging (CLP)
Verona Steel Italy Verona Ladle Purging (CLP)
Nunki Steel s.p.a. Italy San Giorgio Di Nogaro Ladle Purging (CLP)
Yolbulan Bastug Turkey Osmaniye Ladle Purging (CLP)
Isdemir Turkey Iskenderun Tundish Gas Control Unit
Izmir Demir Celik Sanayi A.S. Turkey Izmir Ladle Purging (CLP)
Kardemir A.S. Turkey Karabük Ladle Purging (CLP)
Erdemir Turkey Iregli Tundish Gas Control Unit
Metamin A. S. Turkey Istanbul Test Unit for Purg Plug Production (TST)
Gerdasu Sidenor Spain Basauri Various Gas Systems
CMC Sisak Croatia Sisak Various Gas Systems
Mechel Romania Otelu Rosu EAF Bottom Purging
Mobarakeh Steel Company Iran Esfahan Tundish Gas Control Unit
Novokurznezk Ukraine Donetsk EAF Bottom Purging
Taganrog Metallurgical Works Russia Tanrog Ladle Purging (CLP)
TMK Seversky Tube Works Russia Sverdlovsk Ladle Purging (CLP)
Saudi Basic Industries (Hadeed) Saudi Arabia Jubail EAF Bottom Purging
Ovako Hofors AB Finland Hofors Tundish Gas Control Unit
Outokumpu General Stainless Finland Tornio SAAC, Stopper Gas Control Unit
Nucor Corporation USA Memphis EAF TLS-System
Nucor Yamato Steel Company USA Blytheville EAF Bottom Purging
Gerdau Ameristeel USA Wilton EAF Bottom Purging
CMC Steel Texas USA Seguin Ladle Purging (CLP)
Essar Steel Algoma Canada Sault Ste Marie Ladle Purging (CLP)
Gerdau Sidertul Mexico D.F. Mexico Ladle Purging (CLP)
Ahmsa Mexico Monclova Converter Bottom Purging
Aceros San Luis Potosi Mexico S.L. Potosi Tundish Gas Control Unit
Ternium Mexico Monterrey Various Gas Systems
Böhler Uddeholm Villares Metals Netherlands Dodrecht Ladle Purging (CLP)
Posco China Zhangjiagang EAF Bottom Purging
SEAH Besteel Corporation South-Korea Goonsan Tundish Gas Control Unit

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 FC Technik AG
St. Gallerstrasse 340 Tel. +41 (0) 52 238 01 75 www.fc-technik.ch
CH-8409 Winterthur Fax +41 (0) 52 238 01 77 info@fc-technik.ch

Version 6.0
2 2 | F C Te c h n i k | f l o x [ c o n t r o l ] | G a s C o n t r o l U n i t s f o r t h e s t e e l i n d u s t r y May 2020