Selina R. studied raw materials engineering at the University of Leoben and has been working as a research engineer in Donawitz since 2018. She discovered her passion for research and various analytical methods while working as a student assistant in the Department of Metallurgy.
Her studies focused on building materials and ceramics and this is where the circle closes: Selina R.’s current focus includes the development of recycled materials from electric arc furnace (EAF) slag. Here, she draws on her knowledge from both the worlds of steel and building materials. Her other areas of responsibility include the characterization and industrial development of casting powders, as well as the optimization of refractory and isostatic products for continuous casting. The challenge is to meet three requirements simultaneously: process stability, product quality, and cost-effectiveness must all be maximized. To achieve this, all components must be coordinated, and every cog must mesh seamlessly.
Selina R. particularly remembers a project involving an isostatic product – an immersion nozzle (ETA): “Using a new technology, we gained insights that allowed us to reduce clogging and significantly increase productivity,” the researcher recalls. Clogging refers to the blockage of the immersion nozzle during continuous casting and can lead to casting interruptions in steel production. Another highlight project for Selina was the revision of the casting powder incoming inspection process. Using differential thermal analysis (DTA), a thermal method for material analysis, new parameters were established to gather even more information about the casting powders and thus understand them more precisely. Selina R. is convinced that close teamwork was also crucial to the success of these research projects:
And Selina R. will continue to devote herself to numerous research topics in the near future. In particular, she will continue to focus intensively on the development of valuable materials from EAF slag. To unwind, Selina R. can be found horseback riding almost every day in her free time. She is a big fan of American Quarter Horses. When she has a little more time, Selina enjoys hiking in the mountains – preferably with her dog.
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