CIVS projects and methodologies were presented at the 30th IEEE VR Conference, held in Shanghai, China, on March 25-29th. Senior Research Scientist John “Jack” Moreland presented a CIVS overview with emphasis on integrating numeric simulation and virtual reality visualization for industrial applications, during the Workshop on Immersive Visualization Laboratories – Past Present and Future. The workshop was attended by a wide variety of visualization researchers from around the world, and included a panel discussion on the Past, Present, and Future of Immersive Visualization Labs.

The Center for Innovation through Visualization and Simulation conducts a wide variety of sponsored research using an integrated approach that combines numeric simulation and sensor data with interactive 3D and immersive visualization to address industrial issues and real world applications. Successful projects that utilize immersive visualization include Virtual Blast Furnace, Steel Manufacturing Simulation and Visualization Consortium, Wind Turbine Troubleshooting and Safety Simulator, and Immersive 3D Lab Modules for Flood Modeling.

The goal of this workshop is to gather practitioners from immersive visualization laboratories to share their success stories, information about their hardware setups and the software they used and/or developed. Discussions can also include “not-so-successful” stories with lessons learned and workshop participants will also come together to discuss the future of large-scale immersive visualization labs. We also hope to bring visualization practitioners together to advance the way our field works with immersive visualization hardware and software frameworks for a sustainable immersive visualization laboratory.

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of IEEE VR. (Pronounced “Eye-Triple-E,” for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). Since 1993, IEEE VR has presented groundbreaking research and accomplishments by virtual reality pioneers: scientists, engineers, designers, and artists, paving the way for the future. The program consists of a balanced mix of keynote talks, paper presentations, and panel discussions.

 

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Approximately 20 Civil Engineering students used the CIVS virtual flood simulator in a Hydrology course lab in the CIVS Immersive Theater on March 7th & 9th. The virtual lab helped students learn about flood mitigation strategies by exploring an Interactive 3D flood of Northwest Indiana. The flood simulation was recreated using data collected from the 100-year flood event that occurred around the Little Calumet River in Northwest Indiana in 2008. This experiential learning takes place every year as a part of Hydrology Course CE342 taught by Prof. Subbarao Majety.

Some students also experienced a newly developed module that let them see what the flood was like on location at one of the affected areas. The new flood module combined 360-degree video recorded at various locations and simulates water levels rising based on the 2008 data, rising up around the viewers and eventually submerging them beneath the flood waters. The module was developed by recent CIVS graduate, James “Anthony” Dunlap in collaboration with Prof. Viswanathan and CIVS researcher John Moreland.

The Interactive 3D Flood Simulation was created by CIVS and Prof. Chandramouli Viswanathan as part of an NSF Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science Grant funded project in collaboration with several other universities. The simulation included both real data collected during the flood as well as simulated data to show how the flood would’ve been different using various remediation strategies. In this research, 6 undergraduate senior design groups and 3 graduate students participated in field data collections such as channel cross section surveys and modeling development. For flood modeling, Hydrologic modeling and Hydraulic modeling were developed initially.

Students measured data at different times during the flood and were able to see the impact of levees and sluice gate operation. The U.S. Corps of Army Engineers installed a series of levees at various points around Little Calumet River in response to the event to help deal with future flooding. Calibrated modeling results were taken to unity 3D game engine platform to develop immersive virtual 3D flood model for a real world system located in Northwest Indiana known as Little Calumet – Hart Ditch River system. Developed resources were used as lab modules in training students and a field resource for flood planning. He also developed education and outreach tools for northwest Indiana.

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CIVS graduate student John Rosser and Post Doc Researcher Orlando Ugarte represented Purdue Northwest at the AIST Scrap Supplements and Alternative Ironmaking Conference. John and Orlando presented their research and conducted Q&A sessions after their presentations.

John’s presentation “Development of a Material Flow Model for Pellet Feed Systems” highlights an advanced CFD platform used to model the dynamics of pellets in a real DRI hopper, and what conditions may lead to clogging of the system. Orlando’s presentation “CFD Modeling of Melting of HBI/DRI in an AC Electric Arc Furnace” addressed the conditions that makes the melting of HBI/scrap more efficient in Electric Arc Furnaces.

The AIST Scrap Supplements and Alternative Ironmaking was held from March 6th through March 8th at the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Disney Springs Resort Area in Orlando, FL. Attendees included steel industry managers, CEO’s of alternative ironmaking startups, other researchers, and various other company representatives.

This is the ninth in a series of symposia covering scrap substitutes and alternative ironmaking, which originated with a highly successful meeting in Myrtle Beach, S.C., USA, in 1993. This meeting was initiated by the Advanced Technology Committee, which belonged to the Process Technology Division of the Iron & Steel Society (an AIST predecessor). This symposium, which is international in scope and participation, is associated with a high level of activity in research, process and project development, plant construction, and start-up of direct reduction and alternative ironmaking processes. This symposium focuses on the following areas: successful projects/processes, the challenges of struggling processes, and those still under development including new approaches, and use of products.

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Our research on “A Multi-Input & Output Model for Blast Furnace Operational Guidance Using a Pre-generated CFD Simulation Dataset” was presented by Professor Tyamo Okosun at the 2023 AIST Digital Transformation Forum for the Steel Industry on March 8th, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This research uses machine learning and a database of CFD modeling results to develop a Reduced-Order Model (ROM) for operators and engineers to quickly perform “what-if” calculations on their blast furnaces, which provides a useful tool for physics-based and data-driven quick decision making. This is a part of a large collaborative project to develop an Integrated Virtual Blast Furnace sponsored by the Department of Energy.

The 2023 Digital Transformation Forum was organized by AIST’s Digitalization Applications Technology Committee. The forum included papers, panel discussions, workshops and demonstrations of DT topics and projects. This event involves decision-makers and those with a technical background who are interested in learning more about how to make their areas smarter by utilizing digital transformation methods. Digital transformation is a critical component for steel companies’ future success.

In addition, the Digital Transformation Forum discusses the essential roles humans play in a successful digital transformation journey. Strategies and methods to efficiently manage the cultural change and human involvement are also explored through the high-quality presentations and panel discussion sessions.

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ArcelorMittal global research and development representatives visited CIVS on March 2nd, 2023. The goal of the visit was to discuss CIVS capabilities and ongoing/future collaborations with ArcelorMittal.
The ArcelorMittal Representatives joining CIVS staff for this visit:

Mark Nicholls, Director of Digital Manufacturing Portfolio, Global R&D – Hamilton, ON Canada
Ruben Perez Chust, Director of Digital Manufacturing Portfolio, Global R&D – Aviles, Spain
Bernard Chukwulebe, Ph.D, Manager of Process Technologies and Digitalization, Global R&D – East Chicago
Yanan Song, Research Engineer, ArcelorMittal – East Chicago
Sohrab Mokhtari, Research and Development Engineer, ArcelorMittal – East Chicago

ArcelorMittal is a charter member of the Steel Manufacturing Simulation and Visualization Consortium (SMSVC), a nationwide industry-led sustainable consortium founded by CIVS in 2016.

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Dr. Chenn Zhou was invited to be a panelist at the Workshop on the Broader Impacts of Smart Manufacturing on March 7th in Washington DC, organized by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. During the workshop, Dr. Zhou made a 15-minute presentation on “Impacts of Smart Manufacturing on Sustainability”, which highlighted her journey in Smart Manufacturing since 1995, as well as project examples and their impacts on energy efficiency, decarbonization, process operation and maintenance, and workforce development in steel and other industries. She concluded her talk by summarizing recommendations for developing and implementing Smart Manufacturing technologies from SMSVC board members. She also actively participated in the 75-minute Q&A session after her presentation.

The Workshop explored a wide range of impacts, including optimization, efficiency, decarbonization, improved U.S. competitiveness and supply chain resilience, opportunities to integrate product and process lifecycle, resource (energy, material, and water) productivity, and quicker development, deployment, and adoption of smart manufacturing technologies and processes. It is part of NAE’s study of “Options for a National Plan for Smart Manufacturing Development and Deployment” sponsored by the US Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office in response to the mandate in the Energy Act of 2020, Sec. 6006.

The study develops options for a national plan for smart manufacturing technology development and deployment. The final report will examine technical frameworks and processes, identify possible timelines and necessary resources, and explore policies and general roles for government, industry, and academia to address near-, medium-, and long-term challenges to improve the productivity and energy efficiency of the manufacturing sector of the United States and ensure U.S. competitiveness.

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CIVS Communications Intern, Charlene Benoit was recognized as an Outstanding Woman of PNW at The Women’s Leadership Luncheon as part of Purdue Northwest’s celebration of Women’s History Month. Charlene was recognized for her many leadership roles within student organizations and her current and previous student worker positions on campus. The Women’s Leadership Luncheon recognizes incredible examples of leadership among the women of PNW, and celebrates the inspirational careers of our student leaders in particular.

Charlene recently presented s student seminar entitled “Communicating and Presenting Research Findings” as part of the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Standard training. She was an integral part of the SMSVC Annual Meeting in November, and is serving in many support roles for the Research Experience for Teachers Summer Program, as well as serves as the web editor for both CIVS PNW pages and the SMSVC website.

Outside of CIVS, Charlene is a dedicated leader on campus in many positions including her position as the undergraduate student representative on the PRIDE Committee, officer of the Social Justice Club, member of Women in Business, member of S.H.I.N.E. and media assistant on many campus projects and programs including the Race Racism and Anti-Racism Series, Breaking Bread Conference, Northwest Indiana Writing Project, Community and College Collaboration Incubator, PNW Day of Giving campaign, and The Roundtable Perspective.

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Tyamo Okosun, Ph.D. Research Associate Professor and Kyle Toth, Senior Research Engineer attended the 2023 Digital Transformation Forum for the Steel Industry on March 7th and 8th, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dr. Okosun’s presentation “A Multi-Input & Output Model for Blast Furnace Operational Guidance Using a Pre-generated CFD Simulation Dataset”, showcased the current development of the IVBF rapid-prediction module. This process uses a database of CFD modeling results to train a Reduced-Order Model (ROM) for operators and engineers to quickly perform “what-if” calculations on their blast furnace.

The collaborative nature of the Digital Transformation Forum encourages presenters to share ideas with experts in the fields of digitalization and smart manufacturing across the iron and steel industry as well as introduce new concepts that could potentially be applied to their processes in the future.

The 2023 Digital Transformation Forum was organized by AIST’s Digitalization Applications Technology Committee. The forum included papers, panel discussions, workshops, and demonstrations of DT topics and projects. It invited decision-makers and those with a technical background interested in learning more about how to make their areas smarter by utilizing digital transformation methods. Digital transformation is a critical component for steel companies’ future success. In addition, the Digital Transformation Forum discussed the essential roles humans play in a successful digital transformation journey. Strategies and methods to efficiently manage cultural change and human involvement were also explored through high-quality presentations and panel discussion sessions.

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On February 15th, a total of 24 CIVS undergraduate and graduate research students along with faculty mentors attended the AIST Midwest Member Chapter Dinner at the Avalon Manor in Merrillville.

The keynote presentation was given by Keith Howell, Chief Operating Officer of ArcelorMittal North America and AIST President 2022–2023. ArcelorMittal along with collaborating members of the AIST Midwest Chapter remains committed to decarbonization and reaching net zero by 2050.

ArcelorMittal is a charter member of the Steel Manufacturing Simulation and Visualization Consortium (SMSVC), a nationwide industry-led sustainable consortium founded by CIVS in 2016.

Attendees also received a preview of AISTech 2023 which takes place in May of this year in Detroit, Michigan. AISTech welcomes over 7,000 industry professionals from more than 40 countries. It is an opportunity for research students to showcase their findings and contribute their knowledge to their field of study.

“It was great to hear the speaker mention some prominent females in the field. It’s a great reminder that women are making significant contributions to engineering and the steel industry. Encouraging and supporting women like Professor Zhou, in these fields is essential to promote diversity and inclusivity, and I hope to be a part of this movement myself.” -Dianzhi Meng, CIVS graduate research student.

These monthly dinners provide PNW students opportunities to learn about the steel industry and gain practical knowledge through keynotes and networking with over 300 attendees from numerous local and regional steel producers and suppliers.

“Each time, the keynote presentation is about the work that a company is doing and ideas the company is implementing. This is beneficial for everybody, as we can learn from this work and keep up to date from direct sources.” -Orland Ougarte, CIVS Postdoctoral Researcher.

The Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST) is a non-profit organization with 15,500 members from more than 70 countries. With 30 Technology Committees and 22 Local Members Chapters, AIST represents an incomparable network of steel industry knowledge and expertise. Its mission is to advance the technical development, production, processing, and application of iron and steel.

The Midwest Member Chapter is the largest AIST member chapter with more than 1,600 members and includes North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Northern Indiana, and a small portion of Northwestern Illinois.

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On February 15th, the AIST Energy & Utilities Technology Committee (EUTC) members visited CIVS to have its Spring 2023 meeting and to tour CIVS facility. The committee meeting topics included the planning of the AIST Steel Mill Combustion and Thermal Systems (https://www.aist.org/conference-expositions/technology-training/steel-mill-combustion-and-thermal-systems) and AISTech2023.

During the tour, CIVS director and technical staff gave an overview of CIVS & SMSVC and demonstrated various projects and technologies. Examples included Hydrogen Utilization in Blast Furnaces, Reheating Furnaces, and Boilers; Virtua Safety Training Simulators; and Virtual Tours of Steel Plants.

During the committee meeting, Mrs. Kelly Dallas presented the “Burns Harbor Walking Beam Furnace Project”, which received the 2023 AIST EUTC Energy Achievement Award. Kelly is the Director of Engineering, Cleveland-Cliffs, and a Mechanical Engineering Alumna, at Purdue University Northwest.

The mission of the AIST Energy & Utilities Technology Committee is to promote safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible energy, utilities, and carbon capture & utilization technologies in the production and processing of iron and steel through the facilitation of training, technical presentations, and the exchange of information. The current Chair of the Committee is Mr. Larry Fabina, Cleveland Cliffs. CIVS director is a committee member. (https://www.aist.org/technology-committees/find-a-committee/energy-utilities/).

The AIST Energy and Utilities Committee Meeting was followed by the Midwest Chapter February Dinner Meeting with Keynote Presenter, Mr. Keith Howell-Chief Operating Officer, ArcelorMittal North America and AIST President 2022–2023.

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