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Elkem Fiskaa: Technology & Research and Innovation at Kristiansand

R&D has been a driving force at Fiskaa, a peninsula and district of the city of Kristiansand situated in Norway, for over 100 years. The development of Søderberg technology was the foundation not only of Elkem's business, but of the entire metallurgical industry. Even today, R&D is at the forefront, with over 10,000 square meters of pilot test facilities, laboratories and workshops playing a key role in the development of Elkem's future technologies.

Elkem Technology

Elkem Technology

Services are offered to all Elkem divisions and plants. Services include the development and qualification of advanced materials and specialized products, the qualification of new production technologies and the digitization of processes, as well as the provision of project resources and expertise.

About the environment

Elkem Technology conducts research and development activities to meet Elkem's medium- and long-term climate objectives, qualifying new raw materials and processes with low environmental impact right from the production stage.

Advanced Facilities and Specialized Laboratories Overview

  • ~100 R&D Scientists and Lab Engineers
  • 10,000 Square meters with specialized facilities and laboratories

Fostering strong partnerships with renowned institutes, universities and public funding programs in Norway and Europe, we are an active partner in the Future Materials Norwegian Catapult initiative.

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Adress

Fiskaaveien 100
4621 Kristiansand
Norway

Elkem Silicon Product

Elkem Silicon Products (ESP) - The Elkem Materials Innovation

For more than 100 years, ESP R&D has been a driving force at Fiskaa. In the early 70s, Elkem with the Elkem Materials Innovation developed first filters to separate Microsilica from the furnace off-gases. The collected Microsilica resulted in a huge waste handling challenge, which was solved by initiation on an extensive R&D program with the Elkem Materials Innovation Research Center including offices, laboratories and pilot facilities. Today Microsilica is a profitable business and sold into Oilfield, Construction, Refractories and Polymer.

What is silica fume?

Silica fume, also known as condensed silica fume or microsilica, is a spherical sub-micron amorphous silicon dioxide used in many applications.

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In addition of our Microsilica including Sidistar®, we have Micromax® a sourced product and Microdense®, a fine milled ilmenite, produced in collaboration with Titania.

Elkem Materials Innovation provides research and development support to ensure that the resulting Microsilica after execution of Elkem biocarbon strategy still can be used in existing applications.

Facts about Elkem Materials Innovation Facility in Fiskaa

  • 7 R&D Scientists
  • ~16 Lab Engineers

Elkem Carbon Products

Elkem Carbon Services (ECS)

ECS R&I at Fiskaa has been in this site for over 100 years. It was in this location that the Søderberg self-flowing electrode was developed and patented in 1919, and it is from this location that the business of ECS has grown to be a global industry supplying the pyrometallurgical industry.

ECS R&I has a focus on further developing and improving current product ranges and investigating innovative, circular and sustainable solutions aligned with customer and strategic requirements.

Equipment and products

Søderberg Paste

Electrode paste, also known as Søderberg electrode paste, is a carbon-based material produced in the form of cylinders or briquettes.

Monolithic furnace linings

The ELMON® furnace lining materials are used in furnaces producing silicon, ferrosilicon, silicomanganese and calcium carbide.

Tap hole pastes

Since the 1980s, Elkem has been a major supplying taphole products for furnaces producing silicon, ferrosilicon, silicomanganese, calcium carbide, ferrochrome and ferromanganese.

Cathode ramming pastes

Ramming paste is used to seal the cathode part of aluminium reduction cells, and so avoid metal leakage during operation

Recarburizers

Recarburizers are used to accurately adjust carbon content at the early and late stages of the melting process, but the poor consistency of some recarburizers on the market can cause problems for iron foundries. 

Prebaked electrodes

Carbon electrodes, also known as prebaked electrodes, are today primarily used in submerged arc furnaces for the production of high-purity silicon, but also as an operationally easy option for the smelting of metal alloys in general.

About sustainability

The vision of ECS R&I is to “Develop INNOVATIVE,Circular & Sustainable solutions for ECS and its customers.” To achieve this the R&I team is actively investigating replacements for fossile raw materials in the products of ECS.

Facts

  • 10 R&D Scientists and Lab Engineers
  • 3 nationalopen innovation research projects on Bio Materials
  • 1 national proposal on circular materials
  • 1 EU Horizon 2050 proposal on Bio materials

 

Adress :

Elkem Carbon Solutions
Fiskaaveien 100,
Fiskaatangen,
Kristiansand,
Norway,
NO-4675

About Katapult

Elkem, an active partner in the Future Materials Norwegian Catapult initiative

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Sustainability at Elkem

To learn more about our sustainability initiatives, check our webpage.

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