CALDERON COKEMAKING PROCESS/DEMONSTRATION PROJECT

This project deals with the demonstration of a coking process using proprietary technology of Calderon, with the following objectives geared to facilitate commercialization: (i) making coke of such quality as to be suitable for use in hard-driving, large blast furnaces; (ii) providing proof that such process is continuous and environmentally closed to prevent emissions; (iii) demonstrating that high-coking-pressure (non-traditional) coal blends which cannot be safely charged into conventional by-product coke ovens can be used in the Calderon process; (iv) conducting a blast furnace test to demonstrate the compatibility of the coke produced; (v) demonstrating that coke can be produced economically, at a level competitive with coke imports; and (vi) applying the Calderon technology to making additional iron units. The activities of the past quarter were focused on the following: (1) Bethlehem Steel's withdrawal and efforts expended to substitute U.S. Steel for Bethlehem; (2) Assessment work performed with U.S. Steel to show that the Calderon Technology has merit and would add to U.S. Steel's economic benefit by being involved in it, including for making additional iron units; (3) Addressing material selection and heat input capacity to increase heat input into the processing reactor by actual modeling of such approach; (4) Construction of two full size courses of heating tiles to verify the manufacturing and the fitting of the tiles with one another; (5) Making available equipment to test carbon deposition on sorbent; and (6) Permitting issues