K1-MET GmbH

On 3 December 2024, K1-MET took part in the „27. Erfahrungsaustauschrunde Horizon Europe – Erfolg braucht Innovation“ (“27th Horizon Europe Experience Exchange Round – Success Requires Innovation”) hosted by Primetals Technologies Austria GmbH. The ERFA offered an inspiring exchange on European R&D funding programmes for research and innovation and made it possible to look beyond one’s own horizon and gain valuable learnings. The participants were responsible for EU research funding projects in Upper Austrian small and medium-sized enterprises, large companies and R&D institutions. After a guided tour of the technical center, discussions were held with experienced experts on the topic of EU funding.   Christine Gruber, Management Area 3 Simulation & Data Analyses at K1-MET GmbH, and Norbert Bauernfeind, funding expert at Primetals Technologies Austria GmbH, provided insights into the topics of consortium formation and the application process and shared their experiences from the CFS audit. Other topics included current applications and lessons learned from rejected applications. Eva Martischnig, Senior Manager and Team Leader for Funding Consulting and Nina Giuliana Londer, Senior Consultant, Expert for EU Funding at BDO Consulting GmbH reported and discussed opportunities, challenges and potentials of European funding programs such as Horizon Europe, LIFE and IPCEI. Zuzana Lettner and Olivera Gracanin from the International Funding Team of Business Upper Austria presented current topics on Horizon Europe/FP 10 and gave an outlook on ERFA 2025. There was also plenty of time for stimulating discussions and intensive networking. top photo: Christine Gruber (first row, second from left), ©Primetals Technologies Austria GmbH photo below: Christine Gruber’s presentation, ©Business Upper Austria #K1MET #research #forschung #experienceexchange

K1-MET took part in the first of two dissemination workshops of the OpTwinFlow project. This project is funded by the FFG programme “Produktion und Material 2022” and aims at implementing a flow based digital twin for the RH plant. The presentations on the current status of the activities were accompanied by interesting discussions with the participants. Find out more information on the project: https://lnkd.in/eYF59YN9 We are already looking forward to the next workshop in this scope.   #K1MET #research #forschung #OpTwinFlow #workshop #digitaltwin

DiGreeS – Pioneering Digitalisation in Steelmaking We are excited to announce the successful kick-off meeting for the DiGreeS project, held in Saarbruecken, Germany. Our K1-MET team, including Christine Gruber, Klemens Winkler, and Florian Egger, gathered to set the stage for this ambitious initiative. DiGreeS aims to leverage digitalisation to drive the decarbonisation of steelmaking processes, striving to achieve an environmental footprint as close to zero as possible. The project will develop a user-friendly digital platform for networked production, utilizing novel and soft sensors, as well as advanced models. This platform will be demonstrated through three distinct use cases, each targeting different segments of the steel value chain. Key components of DiGreeS include the development of comprehensive digital twins to support efficient feedstock verification, real-time control of crude steel production with electric arc furnaces and to increase the process yield while improving the quality of intermediate and final steel products. By fully exploiting the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies, we aim to optimize process data usage and model various scenarios specific to each use case. Our goal is to enhance product quality, improve energy efficiency, and increase the circularity of the steel production process, ultimately reducing CO2 emissions. The positive attitude from all participants and entities at the meeting has set a strong foundation for implementing real solutions in steelmaking. We extend our gratitude to FRAUNHOFER IZFP and especially Madalina Rabung for their professional preparation and hosting of the meeting. Keep following us for more updates as we progress with this challenging project to transform European Steel Production. Co-funded by the European Union photo: DiGreeS consortium (K1-MET: Klemens Winkler 7th from right, Christine Gruber 9th from right, Florian Egger 12th from right; Fraunhofer IZFP: Madalina Rabung 11th from left); photo credit: Fraunhofer IZFP #K1MET #research #forschung #DiGreeS #digitalisation #decarbonisation #AI #ML #sustainability #industryinnovation #circulareconomy #CO2reduction

Are you looking for a sustainable career in the field of metallurgy? K1-MET is at the JKU Career Day in Linz on 27 November 2024 (9.30 a.m. – 4.00 p.m.). Visit us at the career fair and learn more about career opportunities at K1-MET GmbH directly at our booth. We are looking forward to answering all your questions and concerns! Find out more about the career fair at Johannes Kepler University Linz: https://lnkd.in/dHnyw26 photo: Michael Derntl and Mohammad karimi Zand, K1-MET GmbH #K1MET #research #forschung #event #careerfair #career #steelmaking #sustainability

“Hard-to-abate” industrial sectors in the energy system of the future! Last week the second consortium meeting of the ZEUS project – Zero Emissions through Sector Coupling – took place at voestalpine Steel Division in Linz. We had a great meeting with a voestalpine site visit and look back on a successful first project year! ZEUS focuses the development and cross-sectoral demonstration of climate-neutral process chains in the steel and cement industry – from electric grid balancing with green hydrogen production to the capture of CO2 from industrial exhaust gases and the conversion into valuable, storable hydrocarbon products. Thanks a lot for the good cooperation, we are looking forward to the second project year: K1-MET GmbH, Energieinstitut an der JKU Linz, GIG Karasek GmbH - A Member of Dr. Aichhorn Group, Johannes Kepler Universität Linz, Montanuniversität Leoben, Rohrdorfer, Technische Universität Wien, VERBUND, WIVA P&G, voestalpine Steel Division This project is funded by the Climate and Energy Fund and is carried out as part of the Energy Research Programme 2022 (https://lnkd.in/dcKZDha2). photo: ZEUS project consortium #K1MET #research #forschung #decarbonisation #climateneutrality

 #FACESofResearch im UAR Innovation Network – Spitzenforschung braucht die besten Talente! Melanie Leitner ist Wissenschaftlerin bei K1-MET GmbH und forscht im Bereich Metallurgical Process Efficiency and Circularity. Ihre Arbeit konzentriert sich darauf, die Effizienz in der Metallherstellung und -verarbeitung zu steigern und gleichzeitig die Kreislauffähigkeit von Materialien zu verbessern. Was ganz oben auf ihrer Bucket-List steht und welchen inspirierenden Rat sie Frauen gibt, die eine Karriere in der Forschung anstreben, erfahrt ihr in den Slides. 👏 #ResearchMoves #UARInnovationNetwork #UAR #UpperAustrianResearch #UpperAustria #Research #Science #Technology #Innovation #Sustainability #Excellence #Future #People #Diversity

K1-MET at the “Multiphase Flows – Simulation, Experiment and Application: The  20th Multiphase Flow Workshop – Conference and Short Course (MPF2024)” in Dresden, Germany from 11 – 15 November 2024 Multiphase flows are of great interest to a large variety of industries. The power generation, nuclear reactor technology, food production, chemical process, aerospace and automotive industries are all driving forces in this complex field. The goal of the workshop was to bring together experimental and numerical practitioners, and to foster discussion and exchange of knowledge. Mohammad karimi Zand gave a presentation on behalf of K1-MET entitled “A new approach toward a universal lift force model for freely-rising bubbles (+sheared flows)”. This presentation, which mostly pondered on the influence of the lift force on lateral distribution of bubbles rising in plumes, provided a deeper understanding on the role of vorticity generation by the bubble due to surface tension forces in the emergence of lift force. The results illustrated a strong physical interconnection between the vorticity generation rate due to surface tension forces, and the lateral forces imposed on the bubble. The present findings could contribute to development of a new universal lift model in the context of Eulerian-Lagrangian simulations, which are used in industrial applications. Find out more about the conference: https://lnkd.in/dVcdKV_r #K1MET #research #forschung #event #multiphaseflows

K1-MET at the Recy & DepoTech (Waste Management and Recycling Conference) from 13 to 15 November 2024 in Leoben, Austria K1-MET was represented at a joint stand with voestalpine High Performance Metals GmbH and presented the FuLIBatteR Module and the ReMFra project. ReMFra is about recovering metals and mineral fraction from steelmaking residues. The FuLIBatteR Module deals with the recovery of critical raw materials and valuable metals from lithium-ion batteries. Bettina Rutrecht gave a lecture about the limits of the recycling efficiency calculation of lithium-ion batteries regarding the new European battery regulation and she was the speaker in the GTV & BMK Connecting workshop. For the ReMFra project, Wolfgang Reiter gave a lecture on “ReMFra – Recovering metals and mineral fraction from steelmaking residues”. Johannes Rieger was the chairperson for the “Recycling of metals” session and Rebeka Frueholz presented her poster “Metallurgical dust recycling applying bioleaching and bioelectrochemical technology”. Together with Josephine Müller from voestalpine High Performance Metals GmbH and Nicos Tsioutsios from voestalpine BÖHLER Edelstahl GmbH & Co KG, Rebeka Frueholz, Bettina Rutrecht, Johannes Rieger and Lukas Schmidt presented the FuLIBatteR project at a stand. The FuLIBatteR Module is supported by COMET (Competence Center for Excellent Technologies), the Austrian programme for competence centres. COMET is funded by the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology, the Federal Ministry for Labour and Economy, the Federal States of Upper Austria and Styria as well as the Styrian Business Promotion Agency (SFG). Furthermore, Upper Austrian Research GmbH continuously supports the module. Besides the public funding from COMET, this research project is partially financed by the company partners Audi, BRAIN Biotech, Ebner Industrieofenbau, RHI Magnesita, Saubermacher, TUEV SUED Landesgesellschaft Oesterreich, VTU Engineering, and voestalpine High Performance Metals, and the scientific partners acib, Coventry University, Montanuniversitaet Leoben, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, and UVR-FIA. photo from left to right: Johannes Rieger, Josephine Mueller (voestalpine), Lukas Schmidt, Nicos Tsioutsios (voestalpine), Bettina Rutrecht, Rebeka Frueholz, Wolfgang Reiter #K1MET #research #forschung #event #recycling #batteries #LIB #steelmakingdusts

K1-MET also visited Wuhan, connecting with the Wuhan University of Science and Technology (WUST). Christine Gruber and Gerold Huemer met colleagues from the Wuhan University of Science and Technology (WUST) and shared key findings from previously published research on the modelling of metallurgical processes. The connection to WUST was facilitated via Prof. Jin Shengli, previously a senior researcher and lecturer at the Chair of Ceramics at Montanuniversität Leoben, and now a professor in Wuhan. With WUST, also a Letter of Intent was signed at the opening of the Hubei Sino-Austria (EU) Center for Innovation in Science, Technology and Education, taking place last week as well. Based on this Letter of Intent, we will explore possible cooperations on research. photo top left (from left to right) Christine Gruber, Lei Fengyun (Former Advisor for Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China), Gerold Huemer, Ni Hongwei (President of WUST), Lü Yong (Vice President of WUST), Shengli Jin #K1MET #forschung #research #exchange #networking

Last week, K1-MET followed an invitation from the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB) to get to know each other and exchange on some selected research activities. Christine Gruber and Gerold Huemer represented K1-MET, presenting some relevant (previously published) results on the modelling of metallurgical processes. The contact to USTB was established via our colleague Xiaomeng Zhang to a research group on continuous casting and refining, led by Prof. Jiaquan Zhang and Prof. Haiyan Tang at USTB. We are looking forward to strengthening our ties with USTB and continuing to explore innovative research areas together! photo top left: Christine Gruber and Prof. Zhang Jiaquan photo bottom left: talk in front of students and faculty members of the Department of Metallurgy at University for Science and Technology Beijing photo right (from left to right): Wang Pu, Gerold Huemer, Tang Haiyan, Christine Gruber, Zhang Jiaquan, Lan Peng #K1MET #forschung #research #exchange #networking