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The shortage of iron ore has forced metallurgists to look for alternative source of raw material and its preservation from the waste to narrow down the demand – supply gap. Dr R H Tupkary, former professor and head of Metallurgical Engineering at Visvesvaraya Regional College of Engineering (VRCE), Nagpur, has developed an innovative technology which can improve steel production by 0.5-1.5%.
Known as Tupkary technology, this technological breakthrough has already been successfully demonstrated at JSW’s Vijayanagar steel plant.
“When iron ore mining growth is already negative - win whatever iron is going as waste Amidst all pervasive gloom and set-backs to metal and mining sector, here is the invention, which is all set to enhance production, productivity and profit of every steel plant, for a pittance,” said Tupkary who authored two metallurgical books, ‘Modern Steel-making’ and ‘Modern Iron-making’.
“This technology, outcome of five years long research, can improve steel production by 0.5-1.5% annually and in simple terms when iron ore mining is in trouble, the steel producers across the world can earn a total additional Rs 15,000 - 25,000 crores using Tupkary technology which separates and recovers iron from slag when both are in molten condition, without losing any iron by way of oxidation.”
In the traditional method steel, equivalent to 5 to 15% of slag weight, is lost in slag and existing magnetic process is costly, uneconomical and spreads pollution. Through extensive trials at JSW’s Vijayanagar Plant it has been industrially proved to be not only viable but economically very advantageous as an alternative to magnetic processing of molten slag. It is cost effective, viable and eco-friendly, said Tupkary,
Patent application has already been filed for this technology in India. For international patenting PCT search was asked for and has obtained certification that it is a ‘novelty’, not in existence before, ‘inventive’ as has been not thought of in any form before and has direct ‘industrial applicability’. It will make the patenting in overseas countries as well very easy.
At the present level of world steel production of over 1400 million tonne per annum, adoption of Tupkary technology means value addition of anything in the range of Rs 10,000 – Rs 25,000 crores (USD 2,000- 4,000 million) with attendant saving of equivalent natural resources of iron and efforts in the direction of making steel plants more green and decreasing electric power consumption thereby claiming tremendous amount of carbon credit. Lot of land will be freed in the plant for other uses. The left-over slag is more suitable for cement-making, asserts Dr Tupkary who was pained by extent of wastage and decided to utilise every grain of slag using his expertise, he added.
