Your claim that quality alloys cannot be made in an electric furnace, shows that you know nothing about steel making. So... some education.... the scrap load into an electric furnace differs from ore smelted in a blast furnace (obsolete) or BOF, in that it already contains alloying elements... CR, VN, CO, etc depending upon the scrap source. Samples of the melt are taken and assayed via Electro floursence spectroscopy to determine composition. Then additions are made to create a melt with the desired composition. Once that occurs, the melt is poured into ingots, or direct casting machine(s). A skilled mill wright can create steels of the desired characteristics, in an electric furnace. Only issue... volume... generally electric furnaces are found in smaller, mini-mills. So, the real issue... is the UK is now out of the mega-tonnage steel business... But... not mentioned... is DRI... Direct Reduced Iron.. using natural gas... INDY
That I know little about steel making should be quite evident, relying on journalistic sources can have its drawbacks! So thankyou for the tutorial. Given the high cost of natural gas in Europe and the UK it may not make sense to use DRI there, as NG is much cheaper in the US, Russia and China etc.
Very nice synopsis. I knew almost nothing about the attempted color revolution in Serbia, but it's certainly no surprise. The Houthis are the most interesting to me at the moment.
The fact that, so far, the US Empire has not directly attacked them is significant. It tells me the Houthis must have shore-to-surface missiles that really can shut down shipping in the Red Sea, and that the Empire knows it can't do much about them.
King Gizzard are always spot on. One of the only artists that consistently addresses climate change and environmental issues in there work! I think it has something to do with being Australian. Must be built into their ethos.
The North Sea produces, and will continue to produce an increasing share of Natural Gas, as the liquids
exhaust. Please note the very large Norwegian NG production and export. With the pits closed during Thatcher's time, the UK must be short on coking coal, anthracite, or heavies to make petroleum coke with. The available alternative is NG and DRI. In steelmaking high NG prices are not a deterrent, given the UK is determined to be autarkic in steel production. You correctly mention the loss of critical skills, of major importance to the UK is ship building. Given the abonible state of UK DD propulsion, as mentioned in many quarters, it is evident the UK gave up large ship propulsion systems upon the transition from steam turbine to diesel, to MAN of Germany.
This has import for NATO strategies in the event of war. Neither the UK nor the US has significant merchant shipmakiing tonnage anymore. Neither make very large > 10,000 hp diesel engines essential for merchant ships today. I agree the US makes very large marine gas turbines, but those thirsty things are ill suited to merchant ship propulsion. The US still makes steam turbines, mostly for power plants, which could be marinized, however. Big problem... lack of personnel to man those engine rooms.
Your claim that quality alloys cannot be made in an electric furnace, shows that you know nothing about steel making. So... some education.... the scrap load into an electric furnace differs from ore smelted in a blast furnace (obsolete) or BOF, in that it already contains alloying elements... CR, VN, CO, etc depending upon the scrap source. Samples of the melt are taken and assayed via Electro floursence spectroscopy to determine composition. Then additions are made to create a melt with the desired composition. Once that occurs, the melt is poured into ingots, or direct casting machine(s). A skilled mill wright can create steels of the desired characteristics, in an electric furnace. Only issue... volume... generally electric furnaces are found in smaller, mini-mills. So, the real issue... is the UK is now out of the mega-tonnage steel business... But... not mentioned... is DRI... Direct Reduced Iron.. using natural gas... INDY
That I know little about steel making should be quite evident, relying on journalistic sources can have its drawbacks! So thankyou for the tutorial. Given the high cost of natural gas in Europe and the UK it may not make sense to use DRI there, as NG is much cheaper in the US, Russia and China etc.
Very nice synopsis. I knew almost nothing about the attempted color revolution in Serbia, but it's certainly no surprise. The Houthis are the most interesting to me at the moment.
The fact that, so far, the US Empire has not directly attacked them is significant. It tells me the Houthis must have shore-to-surface missiles that really can shut down shipping in the Red Sea, and that the Empire knows it can't do much about them.
King Gizzard are always spot on. One of the only artists that consistently addresses climate change and environmental issues in there work! I think it has something to do with being Australian. Must be built into their ethos.
Hi,
The North Sea produces, and will continue to produce an increasing share of Natural Gas, as the liquids
exhaust. Please note the very large Norwegian NG production and export. With the pits closed during Thatcher's time, the UK must be short on coking coal, anthracite, or heavies to make petroleum coke with. The available alternative is NG and DRI. In steelmaking high NG prices are not a deterrent, given the UK is determined to be autarkic in steel production. You correctly mention the loss of critical skills, of major importance to the UK is ship building. Given the abonible state of UK DD propulsion, as mentioned in many quarters, it is evident the UK gave up large ship propulsion systems upon the transition from steam turbine to diesel, to MAN of Germany.
This has import for NATO strategies in the event of war. Neither the UK nor the US has significant merchant shipmakiing tonnage anymore. Neither make very large > 10,000 hp diesel engines essential for merchant ships today. I agree the US makes very large marine gas turbines, but those thirsty things are ill suited to merchant ship propulsion. The US still makes steam turbines, mostly for power plants, which could be marinized, however. Big problem... lack of personnel to man those engine rooms.
There is more to this you may wish to explore.
INDY