ae377887-56a1-4110-a0c7-30e3f31fff95Stainless steel white hot rolled coil (430)annealed and pickled, grade 430, ferritic, electric arc furnace routeproduction mix, at plant17% chromium17 stainlessProcessesIndustry dataEuroferThe data set covers all relevant process steps / technologies over the supply chain of the represented cradle-to-gate inventory with a high overall data quality. Data was collected on site by stainless steel industry experts in accordance with the EUROFER (as well as worldsteel) methodology. A detailed internal quality check was carried out by PE International. In addition an independent external review carried out in accordance with the ISO 14040 series to ensure the correct and consistent application of the methodology for Life Cycle Assessment.76The data set represents cradle-to-gate data based on average site-specific data (gate-to-gate) of European stainless steel producers. The electricity grid mix is representing the country specific grid situation. Other upstream data (e.g. chromium, nickel or molybdenum) are based on global averages from the specific industrial associations.Stainless steels are manufactured from mixtures of stainless scrap, carbon steel scrap and ferro-alloys of Cr, Ni and Mo. The proportions of these raw materials can vary greatly, depending upon the steel grade and other factors.
Initially, the raw materials are melted in an electric arc furnace (EAF); the liquid metal is then transferred to a decarburising vessel (usually "argon oxygen decarburising", AOD) where it is refined by blowing with various mixes of argon, oxygen, nitrogen. The liquid steel is then finished in a ladle furnace (LF), where the chemistry is fine-tuned and the temperature is optimised for subsequent processing.
The liquid steel is transformed into a solid product by continuous casting. For flat product production the section is rectangular, known as "slab".
Slabs are converted into rectangular (quarto) plates or long coils by reheating and hot-rolling. Subsequent heat treatment (annealing), acid cleaning (pickling) and flattening produces finished quarto plate or white hot rolled coil products.
Alternatively, the white hot rolled coil is used as the feedstock for producing thinner coil products, by cold rolling. The white hot rolled coil is cold rolled; then it is softened & acid pickled or bright annealed, and flattened (skinpass rolled) to form the Cold Rolled Coil product.
The background system is addressed as follows:
Electricity, Thermal energy: The electricity (and thermal energy as by-product) used is modelled according to the individual country-specific situation. The country-specific modelling is achieved on multiple levels. Firstly the individual power plants in service are modelled according to the current national grid. This includes net losses and imported electricity. Second, the national emission and efficiency standards of the power plants are modelled. Third, the country-specific fuel supply (share of resources used, by import and / or domestic supply) including the country-specific properties (e.g. element and energy contents) are accounted for. Fourth, the import, transport, mining and exploration processes for the energy carrier supply chain are modelled according to the specific situation of each power-producing country. The different mining and exploration techniques (emissions and efficiencies) in the different exploration countries are accounted for according to current engineering knowledge and information.
Steam: The steam supply is modelled according to the individual country-specific situation with regard to the technology efficiencies and energy carriers used. Efficiencies range from 84% to 94% in relation to the representative energy carrier (gas, oil, coal). Coal, crude oil and natural gas used for the generation of steam are modelled according to the specific import situation (see electricity).
Transports: All relevant and known transport processes used are included. Overseas transport including rail and truck transport to and from major ports for imported bulk resources are included. Furthermore all relevant and known pipeline and / or tanker transport of gases and oil imports are included.
Energy carriers: Coal, crude oil, natural gas and uranium are modelled according to the specific import situation (see electricity).
Refinery products: Diesel, gasoline, technical gases, fuel oils, basic oils and residues such as bitumen are modelled via a country-specific, refinery parameterized model. The refinery model represents the current national standard in refinery techniques (e.g. emission level, internal energy consumption,...) as well as the individual country-specific product output spectrum, which can be quite different from country to country. Hence the refinery products used show the individual country-specific use of resources. The supply of crude oil is modelled, again, according to the country-specific crude oil situation with the respective properties of the resources.The stainless steel product may be used in a wide range of industrial sectors including automotive, construction, packaging, chemicals plant and equipment, food and drinks preparation and storage, kitchen appliances and utensils.Flow Chart Stainless Steel Making.jpgLCI resultAttributionalNoneAllocation - market valueAllocation - net calorific valueAllocation - exergetic contentAllocation - massSubstitution - average, no correctionNoneAll data used in the calculation of the LCI results refer to net calorific value.NoneThe following cut-off criteria are applied:
a) Mass: If a flow is less than 1% of the cumulative mass of all the inputs and outputs of the stainless steel system, it may be excluded, providing its environmental relevance or energy relevance is not a concern.
b) Energy: If a flow is less than 1% of the cumulative energy of all the inputs and outputs of the stainless steel system, it may be excluded, providing its environmental relevance or mass relevance is not a concern.
c) Environmental relevance: If a flow meets the above criteria for exclusion, yet is thought to have a potentially significant environmental impact, it will be included. As a general rule, all measured environmental releases should be included.
The sum of the excluded material flows (upstream flows) must not exceed 5% of mass, energy or environmental relevance.NoneData on stainless steel making unit processes was collected on site. Upstream data (e.g. electricity grid mix representing the country specific grid situation) was takenout of the GaBi databases 2006. Other upstream data (e.g. chromium, nickel or molybdenum) are based on global averages from the specific industrial associations.NoneIn the case of missing data being of relevance to obtain reliable LCI results an average default value was calculated out of the delivered input or output data of all other sites related to the production amount per unit process. For missing data on CO2 and CH4, values were calculated on the basis of the carbon containing inputs and outputs.NoneGaBi databases 200650.04The data set represents a cradle-to-gate inventory of the respective stainless steel product. It can be used to characterise the supply chain situation in a representative manner.
Combination with individual unit processes enables the generation of user-specific (product) LCAs.
The data set does not include the burden and credit associated with the recycling of steel scrap during stainless steel production, manufacturing and End-of-Life. For the methodological approach to account for the recycling of stainless steel please contact the European Confederation of Iron and Steel Industries, Eurofer (European data): www.eurofer.org.All relevant flows quantifiedFor details please contact the European Confederation of Iron and Steel Industries, Eurofer (European data): www.eurofer.org.For details please contact the European Confederation of Iron and Steel Industries, Eurofer (European data): www.eurofer.org.ILCD Data Network - Entry-levelNot definedNot compliantFully compliantFully compliantFully compliantNot definedEUROFERLife Cycle Inventory Study on Stainless Steel Production in the EU, November 2009The global steel sector (worldsteel Association) was an early mover within industry, identifying the need to quantify the environmental effects of steelmaking and, in 2000, EUROFER reported a Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) study of stainless steel coil production. As a result of changes in manufacturing technology, improved efficiencies and rationalisation, EUROFER has decided to generate a new LCI database for the production of stainless steels as well as to enlarge the coverage of product forms.
The data set represents a cradle-to-gate inventory. It can be used to characterise the supply chain situation of the respective commodity in a representative manner. Combination with individual unit processes using this commodity enables the generation of user-specific (product) LCAs. The data set does not necessarily fit for any possible specific supply situation - especially if significantly different technology routes exist - but is representative for a common supply chain situation.PE INTERNATIONAL2014-12-01T00:00:00+01:00ILCD format 1.1EUROFER2014-12-01T00:00:00+01:0009.00.000Data set finalised; entirely publishedEUROFERtrueOtherEurofer has provided PE International the permission to include the LCI information (cradle-to-gate) on stainless steel products as well as the LCI information (cradle-to-gate) describing the value of stainless steel scrap into the GaBi databases.
The data sets can be used free of charge by anybody to perform LCA studies. Any use of the LCI data outside of the GaBi software and databases should not considered before having received any written permission from Eurofer.
Please note also, that any modifications/omissions of the data set results in invalidity of any existing 'Official approval of data set by producer/operator'. The impression must be avoided that this would still be a complete Eurofer data set.Stainless steel white hot rolled coil (430)Output100010000.000Mixed primary / secondaryUnknown derivation