Self-reducing Arc Furnace Feedstock offering environmental, cost and quality advantages

PhD Fully-Funded Studentship
School of Science, Engineering and Design
Teesside University and Binding Solutions Ltd.

This PhD studentship opportunity is offered through the Intensive Industrial Innovation Programme (IIIP). The IIIP Programme is a collaboration between Northumbria, Durham, Newcastle and Teesside Universities, receiving up to £2,202,411 of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is the Managing Authority for ERDF. Established by the European Union, ERDF funds help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding

PhD topic: Self-reducing Arc Furnace Feedstock offering environmental, cost and quality advantages

Project Outline

Binding Solutions Ltd. (BSL) proprietary cold pelleting and briquetting technologies remove the need for large volumes of deleterious binding materials providing the opportunity to produce pure pellets with just c.0.5% binder. Pellets are made using proven and tested equipment and are adaptable to multiple sources of fines such as Manganese, Chrome, Nickel, Coal and Iron Ore.

BSL is currently developing, in conjunction with the Materials Processing Institute, a novel feedstock for the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) industry based around this proprietary binding technology. BSL’s Composite pellets provide their own energy source and self-reduce in the EAF, thus introducing fresh iron units into furnace bypasses current polluting and expensive processes. This would be the the first commercially viable, high-quality alternative feedstock to scrap, direct reduced iron and hot-briquetted iron.

This project will develop and empirically test composite pellets manufactured on a commercial scale plant. The project will involve binder formulation, pellet plant construction, composite pellet production, design and installation of EAF modifications to charge our pellets directly to the furnace through a series of large scale test melts.

Funding and Eligibility

Applications are welcome from strong UK, EU and International students. The studentship covers tuition fees at the Home/EU rate for three years and provides an annual tax-free stipend of £15,000 p.a. for three years, subject to satisfactory progress. Non-EU International students will be required to pay the difference between the Home/EU and International fee rate.

Entry Requirements

Applicants should hold or expect to obtain a relevant degree at 2.1 minimum, or an equivalent overseas degree in Mechanical/Materials Engineering or a closely related subject. International students would be subject to the standard entry criteria relating to Tier 4 visa procedures English language ability and ATAS certification.

About Teesside University

Teesside University is delighted to be able to offer a number of part funded industrial PhDs to eligible SMEs in the north east. This project is funded by the University and European Regional Development Funding and looks to support local firms with their research and development needs, developing new products and services in key sectors and creating high quality jobs in the local economy. North East England’s universities are joining forces under a £3.9m scheme, funded by the European Regional Development Fund, to connect the region’s businesses with research to encourage growth and job creation. The Intensive Industrial Innovation Programme (IIIP) will see Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria and Teesside universities work directly with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the region to develop new services and products for the market.

The School of Science Engineering & Design research and innovation platform covers both fundamental, applied and industry facing research. We have a particular focus on the bio-economy, Smart Energy Systems & Informatics, Digital Construction, Building Information Modelling, Decarbonisation of Engineering Processes and Creative Design. Our research is underpinned by industry standard facilities including the new National Horizons Centre, a new £22.3 million research, teaching and training facility set to drive growth in the bioscience industries.

About Binding Solutions Ltd

Binding Solutions Limited has developed and operates a disruptive technology that allows customers to produce clean, high-quality pellets from primary mine material; secondary waste material; fines stockpiles and steel mill waste. Using around 0.5% of organic binder, BSL's technology is a lower cost and more environmentally friendly alternative to existing sintering and induration processes, providing a significant value-add to the end user. The technology is the product of 8 years' R&D by chemists, mechanical engineers and steel industry professionals who were seeking to achieve zero waste within the steel industry. More than 1.2 million tonnes of high-value briquettes have been produced to date.

How to Apply

You can apply online for this opportunity (http://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/research/funding_opps.cfm); please use the Full Time Funded PhD full time online application form, and select “other” when asked for funding information using code “IIIP” to specify the funding route. Applications that do not include this code may not be considered for the funding.

Academic enquiries: Dr D Hughes - [Email Address Removed]

Closing Date 5pm 2nd August 2019. We envisage that interviews will take place in early August. The successful applicant must be prepared to start on 7 October 2019. The conditions of the funding do not permit for a later start date.