Metallurgical Complex Research Articles

ОСОБЕННОСТИ СТРУКТУРНОЙ ИДЕНТИФИКАЦИИ И КЛАССИФИКАЦИИ РЕГИОНАЛЬНЫХ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКИХ КЛАСТЕРОВ

Initiatives on developing regional economic clusters in modern conditions have great importance. To build efficient cluster policy in Russian regions it is necessary to renovate methodical approaches to processes of structural identification and classification of clusters. The paper highlights problems of structural identification and classification of regional economic clusters. Systemic features of clusters are distinguished from traditional integrated business structures that implement strategies for diversification and vertical integration. The approaches to the structural identification and classification of regional economic clusters, both in terms of industry affiliation, are included in their composition of enterprises, and the structure and scale of economic activity are systematized. Particular attention is paid to the application of the theory of fuzzy sets for the cluster identification. Within the framework of this approach, six basic features of the cluster are integrated in the formal membership function: the competition between the cluster members, territorial localization of the main elements of the cluster, entering the world markets, branch belonging, use of the common infrastructure of the region, presence of integration interaction. The process of identification of cluster structures in the metallurgical complex of the Volgograd region on the basis of a matrix composition was carried out. The applicability of the theory of fuzzy sets for different types of regional clusters, according to M. Enrait's classification is substantiated: workers, latent, potential, and also by structural classification: "frame" and "diffuse" clusters. Recommendations are given to bodies of state power and administration on the improvement of regional cluster policy.

Study of ultrasonic exposure effect on retaining ability of diesel fuel in ammonium nitrate

The economic situation in Ukraine depends to a large extent on the mining and metallurgical complex, and therefore the introduction of safe and effective explosives for mining of minerals through the abandonment of TNT and the use of granular BM, namely ammonium nitrate (AN), became relevant. The main advantage of explosives (BM) on the basis of AN is their low cost, also, they do not contain individual BM and are characterized by high energy explosion. 4–6 % of liquid fuel (diesel fuel, industrial oil) is added to the granular ammonium nitrate with agricultural purpose, after mixing a small part of the fuel remains on the surface of the granules and is not actually absorbed. Such a mixture is called igdanites. The main disadvantage of igdanites is the gradual drainage from the surface of granules of liquid fuel. Some time after the mixing of diesel fuel and ammonium nitrate, the content of the liquid component is reduced by 30–70 %, as the fuel flows into the lower part of the well (hole), which may lead to a decrease in the efficiency of the explosion or to a complete absence of detonation.The main objective of this study is to improve the retaining capacity of ammonium nitrate relative to liquid fuels. With this aim, the dependence of the retaining ability on the time of processing by ultrasound for dense and porous ammonium nitrate has been experimentally obtained. As a result of the study, it was found that time increasing of ultrasound exposure to ammonium nitrate increases its retaining ability. This is due to the fact that part of the granules collapses and increases the active area that holds diesel fuel. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that for the first time the effect of ultrasound radiation on the retaining capacity of ammonium nitrate relative to diesel fuel was investigated. This explosive substance, after ultrasound treatment, will have an even distribution of the liquid phase throughout the charge, and, consequently, stable explosive characteristics.For the first time, the dependence of the retaining capacity of ammonium nitrate after ultrasound treatment was determined and it was defined that for dense ammonium nitrate after 2, 4, 6 minutes of ultrasonic processing, the retaining ability increased by 28.8 %, 83.1 %, 62 % respectively, and for porous ammonia nitrate – 22.62 %, 45.5 %, 34.6 %. The greatest value of retaining ability is achieved after 4 minutes of ultrasound treatment.

Metallurgical complex of Ukraine: dynamics and development prospects

The conducted research reveals the role of the metallurgical complex of Ukraine in world production and export of steel. Its development indicates inertia and is in a pre-crisis condition. But, at the same time, there are prospects for the development of the enterprises of the metallurgical complex of Ukraine, which appears to be the purpose of the study along with an assessment of the dynamics of the development of the metallurgical complex of Ukraine regarding the internal and external factors of influence on it. Therefore, the object of the research is the current state of development of the metallurgical complex of Ukraine. For this purpose, the main methods of steel processing and fuel consumption for their melting are determined, which, thus, emphasizes the extraordinary energy intensity and cost structure of steel production in Ukraine due to 21.4% of processing in open-hearth furnaces. As a result, on the basis of the comparative analysis, the structure of production was characterized by the degree of steel processing, which indicated the inertia of the development of the industry on the principle of total exploitation of available resources. Through systematic structural analysis, the types of economic activity, the results of the enterprises, which were taken into account in the research of the development of the metallurgical complex of Ukraine and identified their implementation under the imperative incremental destructive factors of the internal and external environment, were identified. With the help of empirical research, in the institutional environment instability of normative legal provision, regulatory restrictions on FDI inflow and investment protectionism in metallurgy were revealed. The critical dependence of the industry on demand in foreign markets based on the export orientation of raw materials is established. For example, it has been determined that at the expense of products below the average technological capacity, almost a quarter of the export basket of Ukraine was formed. It was found that metallurgical production is a zone of interests of powerful industrial and banking private business groups of residents and non-residents. The absence of a state-owned joint-stock company or a holding company in Ukraine with a main type of activity in the investigated industries is emphasized.

COMPENSATION OF THE ABRUPTLY VARIABLE CURRENT OF ARMATURE OF HIGH-POWER SYNCHRONOUS DRIVES BY MEANS OF AUTOMATIC EXCITATION SYSTEM WITH SPECIFIC CONTROL ALGORITHM

Purpose . Development of the automatic excitation system with non-standard algorithm for controlling powerful synchronous drives of the mechanisms of the mining and metallurgical complex, which are characterized by periodic shock loads. Methodology. The positions of theory of electric machines, methods of automatic systems synthesis, mathematical modeling in the package Matlab were used for conducting researches. Findings. A variant of the model of the synchronous motor for cases of frequency control is proposed, on the basis of which the structure of the system of the automatic excitation control is synthesized, a correction coefficient for the calculation of the gain of the regulator integral part is obtained, and the algorithm of rational control of the synchronous motor is tested, the improved neutralization of the forces of destruction of the conductors insulation of the armature coils of the motor is provided. Originality. The original version of the dynamical model of the synchronous motor is proposed, which allows using the classical method of synthesis of the armature longitudinal current regulator stabilized by the magnetic flux of excitation, as well as the requirements for the implementation of a non-standard excitation control algorithm providing a significant reduction of the dynamic current of the armature at the moment of peak load action. Practical value. The use of the proposed methodology will allow the creation of an automatic system for exciting high-power synchronous motors, which can prevent accidents in the armature circuit of the motor and increase the inter-repair interval of the synchronous drive.

Design Engineering of Refractory Components for Use in Refining Continuous-Cast Steel

We perform physical and mathematical modeling of tundish hydrodynamic processes in the 4-strand continuous bloom casting machine at the EVRAZWest Siberian Metallurgical Complex. Aphysical model of the tundish is used for qualitative assessment of melt mixing processes. A qualitative assessment of nonmetallic inclusion removal efficiency in the tundish is provided for models that employ refractory components in a variety of different configurations. We develop recommended design parameters for full-height refractory dividers in the tundish.

STATUS AND PROSPECTS OF DEVELOPMENT OF METALLURGICAL PRODUCTION IN BELARUS

A brief analysis of the status and prospects of development of metallurgical complex of the Belarus Republic is given in the article. Statistics of the structure of manufacturing sector by types of economic activities, including metallurgical production, in the Republic of Belarus as a whole and by regions is provided. It was noted that the largest share in the regional scale – 15.6% of metallurgy exists in Gomel region, due to the location of the main flagship of the Belarusian industry – the Belarusian steel works in Zhlobin city of Gomel region. Thanks to the systematic reconstruction and upgrading of existing equipment, introduction of advanced development in the field of metallurgical equipment and technologies OJSC «BSW – management company of holding «BMC» is dynamically developing in the coming years and it is planned to overcome the 3-million milestone in steel production and a threefold boost in productivity. The large-scale project of building a new bar mill with the capacity of 700 thousand tons of rolled products per year was completed in 2015. This production eliminated the strategic imbalance between the capacity of the steelmaking complex and related industries.The most important projects of the holding companies and the perspectives of further development of the holding «BMC» were described. The year of the science -2017began to JSC «BSW» with very significant event: OJSC «BSW – management company of holding «BMC» for the first time was awarded a Certificate of accreditation as a scientific organization.

Who Should Miners’ Trade Unions Negotiate with?

The article considers the issue of workers’ insecurity in Russian private mining enterprises. The authors reflect on the problem of nominal property and ultimate beneficiaries. A case of JSC Razrez Inskoy in Belovo (Kemerovo Oblast) is described. The authors focus on the fact that in spite of a significant number of trade unions miners have to directly address the state when problems occur. The mining and metallurgical complex of the Russian Federation occupies one of the leading places in the country's economy in terms of industry and foreign currency revenues. The official statistical fact that the mining and metallurgical complex determines the rating of the most profitable companies in Siberia is discussed in the paper. The authors emphasize that eenterprises of the mining and metallurgical complex are city-forming. The authors consider that solution of the key economic problem of nominal or ultimate beneficiaries’ is critically important for trade unions to be able to solve a wide range of modern problems in the frameworks of sustainable development.

Promising Areas of Chemical and Microbiological Treatment of Nonferrous and Precious Metal Mineral Resources

The contemporary state and main problems of chemical and microbiological technology for processing mineral resources are analyzed. The main problems are given for the use of technogenic raw material. Results are analyzed for pilot plant work using physicochemical geotechnology for opening up deposits of hard economic minerals. Promising areas are considered for development of technology using achievements of chemistry and microbiology for innovative development of the mining and metallurgical complex in the 21st century.

A Method for Steam Boilers Load Optimization

Abstract A method for energy efficiency improvement of power stations equipment for metallurgical complexes is proposed. The method is intended for load optimization of steam boilers equipment. Several optimization criteria are considered: (1) minimum of natural gas consumption by a group of steam boilers with the restrictions for steam generation, consumption of secondary energy resources and mode parameters; (2) maximum of efficiency factor; (3) combined criterion for minimum of natural gas consumption and maximum of efficiency factor. The optimization problem solution is based on steam boiler process models. The process models represent power characteristics of the equipment. The process models use optimal energy characteristics of equipment operational data as well as normal data. An example for load optimization of boiler equipment at the power station of a metallurgical complex was given to illustrate the proposed method. The results show that the optimization method allows to decrease the consumption of natural gas to 5%.

Impact of air granulation on the ferrochrome value chain in metallurgical smelter complexes

Impact of air granulation on the ferrochrome value chain in metallurgical smelter complexes

РИЗИКИ І ВИКЛИКИ, ЩО СТОЯТЬ ПЕРЕД ЧОРНОЮ МЕТАЛУРГІЄЮ УКРАЇНИ

The aim of the study is to identify risks and challenges that may be a threat to the development of the mining and metallurgical complex of Ukraine (MMC). It is shown that the excess steel-making capacity in the world increases the risks of the steel producers, may lead to an excess of offers, trade disputes; low prices and low yield. It is noted that the Ukrainian ferrous metallurgy works in the harsh conditions of the world market, the hallmark of which is the uncontrolled and unpredictable growth of world prices. This leads to unstable operation of the MMC, especially in recent years. The factors that determine the potential risks in the metallurgical sector of Ukraine are given. The most influential risk factors include the following: threats to the impact of environmental factors on the future; threats of influence of the political situation in the world; the instability of the supply of raw materials and prices for finished products; change in existing trade flows of raw materials and finished products; global trade restrictions; the lag of the technical level of metallurgical production from the world; insufficient state influence on the industry; lack of industrial development strategy of Ukraine and the metallurgical industry. It is shown that the main direction of the target setting for the development of Ukrainian metallurgy in the medium term should be the development of a strategy that binds together raw materials, energy potential, steelmaking equipment, casting and rolling technologies, as well as the state and market prospects.

Logical and probabilistic analysis of the reliability of the metallurgical complex electric supply

The paper deals with the problem of choosing the preferable electric supply scheme of the metallurgical complex from the reliability problem of view. The algorithm of solving this problem using the logical probabilistic approach is presented. The structural, logical and probabilistic models of the system's reliability have been developed for three power supply connection options. Computational studies have been conducted, and the contributions of the elements into the reliability of the system have been determined.

Logical and probabilistic analysis of the reliability of the metallurgical complex electric supply

Logical and probabilistic analysis of the reliability of the metallurgical complex electric supply

История решений по созданию ядерно-металлургического комплекса на базе Кольской атомной электростанции

История решений по созданию ядерно-металлургического комплекса на базе Кольской атомной электростанции

Monitoring SO2emission trends and residents\u2019 perceived health risks from PGM smelting at Selous Metallurgical Complex in Zimbabwe

BackgroundPersistently high sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions from platinum group metal (PGM) smelting pose a major threat to communities located around smelters. This paper examined SO2 emission trends, emission regulations and residents’ perceived health risks from exposures to such emissions at Selous Metallurgical Complex (SMC) PGM smelting facility in Zimbabwe.MethodsSO2 data from roof monitoring sites at the smelter furnace were aggregated into annual, quarterly and monthly emission trends from 2008 to 2015. The regulatory regime’s ability to protect human health from SO2 pollution in communities located around the smelter was examined. Questionnaire responses to perceived health risks from SO2exposure from 40 purposively sampled residents were assessed. The relationships between SO2 emission trends and residents’ self-reported health risks from exposure to SO2emissions were explored using STATA version 11. Descriptive statistics were used to illustrate SO2 emission trends and residents’ self-reported health risks from exposure to SO2.ResultsBetween 2008 and 2015, annual SO2emissions increased from 7951 to 2500 tonnes. Emissions exceeded the recommended standard limit of 50 mg/Nm3, presenting considerable adverse health risks to local residents. Concerns relating to inefficient environmental impact assessment (EIA) licensing system, poor monitoring and auditing by the environmental management agency, as well as non-deterring SO2emission exceedance penalties were identified as major drivers of emission increase. Thirty-two (80%) of the forty respondents perceived exposure to SO2 emissions as adverse and the cause of their illnesses, with coughing, nasal congestion and shortness of breath the most frequently self-reported symptoms.ConclusionA set of legally-binding SO2emission standards supported by stringent EIA licensing arrangements for smelting industries are suggested for development and enforcement to reduce the SO2emission problem. Community participation in SO2emissions monitoring is also proposed as a core part of sustainable environmental management in communities located around smelters.

Внутрішній ринок як фактор розвитку металургійної галузі України

The article considers the preconditions for the transformation of Ukraine's metallurgical industry into a global producer and exporter of metal products. It is shown that this process began in the early 90's of the 20th century, after inheritance, from the former USSR, of a powerful mining and metallurgical complex representing an integrate technological system from extraction and processing of iron ore to the production of finished rolled metal and pipes. An additional factor contributing to the development of the industry's foreign economic activities was its resource potential based on the presence of national highly skilled personnel, domestic raw material base and numerous production facilities able not only to fully satisfy the needs of the domestic market but also provide significant volumes of exports. The authors prove that, due to its export orientation, Ukrainian metallurgical industry of Ukraine has become a hostage to the foreign economic situation, which in adverse periods negatively affects its development. It is shown that this negative influence is manifested, first of all in the decrease of domestic output and exports of metal products, lower profitability of the metallurgical enterprises, and reduction of production personnel. In order to reduce the negative impact of the foreign trade situation on the development of domestic metallurgical industry, the authors have analyzed the experience of the largest steel producing countries. It is proved that the main outlets of these countries are their domestic markets. In particular, the share of domestic consumption of metal products in the five largest steel producing countries in their total metal output in 2015 ranged from 64.5% in Japan to almost 99.1% in Germany, while in Ukraine the share of domestic consumption of metal products in 2015 was only 16.6%. Based on the results of the research, the authors develop and propose guidelines for the reorientation of domestic metal producers to the priority satisfaction of domestic demand through intensive development of domestic metal consumption. In particular, they prove that increasing the domestic consumption of metal products can be achieved through the development and implementation of national programs in industry, especially in construction, engineering, transport, energy and housing and public utilities. Also, the research has proved that expansion of the domestic metal market is only possible with increase in the output of deeply processed metal products and creation of their new types, improved quality and competitiveness, reduced resource intensity of the sector, as well as with innovation based upgrade of machinery and technology for the production of metal products; and reduced environmental hazards. It is impossible to achieve these goals without a radical modernization of the metallurgical enterprises.

Biography of a polar city: population flows and urban identity in Norilsk

ABSTRACTThis paper aims to contribute to the discussion on Arctic migration and urban sustainability by exploring the case of Norilsk, the first sizeable circumpolar city in the world entirely built on permafrost. Norilsk represents an archetypal model of mobility flows managed by a ‘big business’ firm. Indeed, between the 1960s and 1980s, the city's metallurgical complex promoted massive in-migration, followed by massive out-migration in the post-Soviet decades, with several projects of ‘managed decline’. The rich research done on mobility patterns in Russia's North still lacks detailed case studies of demographic evolutions at the urban level, a gap in knowledge that this paper hopes to address by looking at the evolution of Norilsk's population over the longue durée, from the Soviet era to contemporary in-migration flows. This paper also aims to enrich the literature on Arctic identities by investigating the paradoxes of Norilsk urban identity as it is lived by several generations of inhabitants.

Characteristics of the manifestation of transboundary pollutants transfer on the territory of Altai

A rationale is given to the current importance of studying the consequences of the longterm pollutants transfer from industrial centers of East Kazakhstan. Available data on the pollution of the environmental components by elements of polymetallic ores are presented. An additional study was made of the characteristics of the distribution of 50 chemical elements in the snow cover and in the leaves of black poplar on the territory of Altai neighboring the East Kazakhstan region. A weak acid character of atmospheric precipitation, caused by increased sulfur content, is revealed. Annual flows of sulfur and nitrogen are estimated for the territory of the region. Distribution trends for chemical composition parameters of snowmelt and dust on the territory of Altai are determined. Two main groups of chemical elements in the natural environments studied are identified, namely the rock group represented by rock-forming elements, and the ore group dominated by polymetallic ores. It is found that the territory of the region polluted by these elements looks like a tongue-shaped halo with the area of 30 thou km2 extended along the northeastern direction over more than 400 km, with an average width of 100–120 km. Within the halo there is an increase in content of all the elements under study when approaching the territory of the East Kazakhstan region. It was also found that the chemical composition of snow dust on the territory of Altai is similar to the composition in the emissions from Kazzinc Metallurgical Complex in Ust’-Kamenogorsk which is supposedly one of the main sources of pollutants transferred to Altai.

The Desired Image of the Future Economy of the Industrial Region: Development Trends and Evaluation Methodology

In the article, the authors emphasize that industrial regions play an important role in the increasing of technological independence of Russia. We show that the decline in the share of processing industries in the gross regional product can not be treated as a negative de-industrialization of the economy. The article proves that the increase in the speed of changements, instability of socio-economic systems, the diverse risks predetermine the need to develop new methodological approaches to predictive research. The studies aimed at developing a technology for the design of the desired image of the future and the methodology for its evaluation are of high importance. For the initial stage of the research, the authors propose the methodological approach for assessing the desired image of the future of metallurgy as one of the most important industry of the region. We propose the term of «technological image of the regional metallurgy». We show that repositioning the image of the regional metallurgical complex is quite a long process. This have determined the need to define the stages of repositioning. The proposed methodology of the evaluation of desired future includes the methodological provisions to quantify the characteristics of goals achieved at the respective stages of the repositioning of the metallurgy. The methodological approach to the design of the desired image of the future implies the following stages: the identification of the priority areas of the technological development of regional metallurgy on the basis of bibliometric and patent analysis; the evaluation of dynamics of the development of the structure of metal products domestic consumption based on comparative analysis and relevant analytical methods as well as its forecasting; the design of the factor model, allowing to identify the parameters quantifying the technological image of the regional metallurgy based on the principal components method,; systematization of predicted values of the parameters defining the stages of repositioning and designing the new technological image of the regional metallurgy; the development of mathematical model for the recognition of the technological image of a regional metallurgy on the basis of neural networks.

Change in the quality of atmospheric air under the influence of chemical enterprises in the Sverdlovsk Region cities

In this article, we investigated the gaseous emission dynamics of Sverdlovsk region chemical complex from 2011 to 2015. We have analyzed the dynamics of changes in the atmospheric air state in cities where the big chemical enterprises are located. Our main attention is paid to gases emissions such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide. We also looked at the volume of purified gas emissions in all gaseous emissions from the chemical industry enterprises. The contribution of emissions from chemical industry is relatively low and accounts for approximately 4 % of emissions from all manufacturing industries, including metallurgical complexes. There is a general tendency to reduce emissions of pollutants in connection with the implementation of environmental measures. Reducing the gaseous substances emission can be achieved both by improving the production technology, and by installing new more sophisticated equipment which catches harmful substances emissions.