FOSK – Fossil-free ladle preheating and heat treatment in iron and steel foundries
Swedish iron and steel foundries are striving to become completely fossil-free. Large parts of the production are already electrified, but preheating of ladles and heat treatment of cast components still often rely on propane gas. The project investigates innovative fossil-free alternatives and how the transition to fossil-free and sustainable resource use is affected by systemic barriers and challenges throughout the value chain. This will provide a basis for investment decisions. A range of solutions will be evaluated in terms of work environment, performance, cost-effectiveness, and resilience to external disruptions. Studies of technical solutions will be carried out at the foundries. The conditions for implementation will be assessed, as well as potential impacts on the cast component, long-term availability of energy sources and materials, and investment and operational costs. Finally, the total climate footprint of the entire value chain will be analyzed under different scenarios.