Research

The Primary Metallurgy Research Group is led by Associate Professor Ville-Valtteri Visuri and studies melting and refining processes in steelmaking, particularly electric arc furnaces (EAFs) and converters. Recently, we have extended our activities to hydrogen plasma smelting reduction (HPSR), a novel one-step process for reduction, melting, and refining. Through experimentation, simulation, and comprehensive analysis of process fundamentals, we seek to develop efficient CO₂-lean operating practices in collaboration with leading companies in the steel industry.

Our current efforts focus on sustainable steelmaking practices, with particular emphasis on the use of CO₂-free direct reduced iron (DRI) in EAFs and smelters, as well as on the use of HPSR to reduce iron ores and chromite. For converters, we have extensive experience in argon-oxygen decarburisation (AOD) and basic oxygen furnaces (BOFs). Our research also covers hot metal desulphurisation (HMD) prior to BOF processing. Methodologically, we have particular expertise in developing dynamic mathematical models, applying computational thermodynamics, conducting high-temperature experiments, and characterising and modifying metallurgical slags.

The group consists of around 15 full-time personnel and collaborates with various leading research groups. Our work is supported by a broad funding base, including projects funded by the European Union, Business Finland, the Research Council of Finland, industrial companies, and several foundations. We also welcome visiting researchers who are interested in contributing to developments in primary metallurgy and sustainable steel production.

Research lines

1. Electric steelmaking: electric arc furnaces and electric smelting furnaces
2. Oxygen steelmaking: argon-oxygen decarburisation and basic oxygen furnaces, including hot metal pretreatments
3. Hydrogen plasma smelting reduction

Research tools

• Reaction kinetics: thermodynamic-kinetic reaction models, data-driven models, process models, high-temperature experiments (metal-slag, metal-refractory, metal-gas).
• Reaction equilibria: computational thermodynamics (FactSage, Thermo-Calc, HSC Chemistry), thermogravimetry (DSC-TGA).
• Fluid flows: computational fluid dynamics (Fluent, COMSOL), physical modelling (DPIV, pH measurements, electrical conductivity, high-speed camera).
• Characterization: FE-SEM/EDS, XRF, XRD, OES, DSC-TGA, EPMA.

Ongoing research projects

International funding bodies

• Adoption of Hydrogen Metallurgy in the Climate-neutral Production of Steel (HELIOS)
  European Union, Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network
• Decarbonized Steel Production with Novel Processes (ZEROSTEEL)
  European Union, Horizon Europe
• Digital twins for green hydrogen transition in steel industry (TWINGHY)
  European Union, Research Fund for Coal and Steel
• Hydrogen Plasma Reduction for Steelmaking and Circular Economy (H2PlasmaRed)
  European Union, Horizon Europe
• Sustainable digitalized metallurgy for a climate neutral and resource efficient planet (SusMet4Planet)
  Austrian Research Promotion Agency

Domestic funding bodies

• Carbon-free steelmaking by hydrogen use (H2IRON)
  Tiina and Antti Herlin Foundation
• Towards Carbon Neutral Metals 2 (TOCANEM 2)
  Business Finland
• Towards Fossil-Free Steel 2 (FFS 2)
  Business Finland
• Towards CO2-lean electric arc furnace steelmaking through fundamental and data-driven mathematical modeling (LEAF)
  Research Council of Finland

Research portfolio

Ironmaking and hot metal pretreatments

• blast furnace (BF)
• hot metal desulphurisation (HMD)

Primary steelmaking

• argon-oxygen decarburisation (AOD)
• basic oxygen furnace (BOF)
• electric arc furnace (EAF)
• hydrogen plasma smelting reduction (HPSR)

Secondary steelmaking

• composition adjustment by sealed argon bubbling - oxygen blowing (CAS-OB)
• gas-stirred ladles
• inclusion metallurgy
• vacuum tank degassing (VTD)

Casting

• continuous casting (CC)

Ferrochrome production

• direct reduction (DR)
• submerged arc furnace (SAF)
• ferrochrome converter (CRC)

Current and past collaboration partners

• Aalto University — Espoo, Finland
• Bandung Institute of Technology — Bandung, Indonesia
• Betker Oy — Ylivieska, Finland
• Casim Consulting Oy — Espoo, Finland
• CELSA — Castellbisbal, Spain
• Cybernetica AS — Trondheim, Norway
• Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing — Berlin, Germany
• Idener — Sevilla, Spain
• Indalgo Oy — Oulu, Finland
• KU Leuven — Leuven, Belgium
• K1-Met GmbH — Leoben, Austria
• Luleå University of Technology — Luleå, Sweden
• Luxmet Oy — Oulu, Finland
• Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials — Düsseldorf, Germany
• Montanuniversität Leoben — Leoben, Austria
• Northeastern University — Shenyang, China
• Norwegian University of Science and Technology — Trondheim, Norway
• Outokumpu Stainless Oy — Tornio, Finland
• RWTH Aachen University — Aachen, Germany
• Sapotech Oy — Oulu, Finland
• SSAB Europe Oy — Raahe, Finland
• TU Bergakademie Freiberg — Freiberg, Germany
• University of Salento — Lecce, Italy
• VDEh Betriebsforschungsinstitut GmbH — Düsseldorf, Germany
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland — Espoo, Finland
• Weierstrass Institute for Applied Analysis and Stochastics — Berlin, Germany