Desulfurization of Coke Plant at ArcelorMittal Ostrava Nearing Completion
06/10/2013 - ArcelorMittal Ostrava has launched the final stage of its coke oven gas desulphurization process optimization. By the end of the year the company plans to commission two new pieces of equipment at the coke plant that will reduce concentration of hydrogen sulfide in cleaned coke oven gas.
After the completion of the desulphurization worth 226 million crowns the concentration of hydrogen sulfide will be reduced to a volume lower than 300 mg/m3, which is a bottom level of the emission range established in the conclusions to the Best Available Techniques that will become mandatory in the EU only at the end of 2016. During the installation of the new pieces of equipment the mill will be producing coke without limitation of operation and in line with the effective emission limits.
The second stage follows after a successful increase of cooling capacity of coke oven gas cleaning which was built last autumn for 112 million crowns and which has been in full operation for more than six months already. Now the existing hydrogen sulfide scrubber will be replaced by a new scrubber with a higher capacity as well as efficiency. And at the same time the coke plant is carrying out building preparation for installation of mechanical cooling.
“We are replacing the existing scrubber under full operation which requires demanding technical and safety measures. We have successfully dismantled the 90-tonne old equipment and we are preparing the installation of a new and more efficient scrubber with a height of 31 meters and weight of 95 tonnes. Until the time the new scrubber is included to the hydrogen sulfide cleaning system it is substituted by the phenol scrubber. I am glad that everything goes according to the plan, without complications or impact on the environment,” said Václav Habura, the coke plant director in ArcelorMittal Ostrava when commenting on the complexities of the operations at the coke plant. The new scrubber will be able to reduce the hydrogen sulfide content in coke oven gas by 40%.
Right now the plant carries out also construction work and preparations for the installation of more powerful mechanical cooling that will be used for reducing the temperature of circulating water used for desulfurization and removal of ammonia from coke oven gas in the summer season. This enormous cooler will reduce the temperature of the cooling water from 21°C to 12°C, which will enable the reuse of water in production in a closed loop.
The desulphurization will improve the efficiency of coke oven gas cleaning, which takes place in hermetically closed chemical facilities. The main positive effect on the environment consists in the reduction of the emissions of sulfur dioxide, which is released into the air when burning the gaseous fuel.
“We want to complete the desulphurization of the coke oven plant by the end of the year so that it can be commissioned at the beginning of the next year. By this we will fulfil the EU requirements more than two years ahead of the time,” said Petr Baranek, the chief green officer in ArcelorMittal Ostrava.
ArcelorMittal Ostrava operates two types of coke oven batteries: two stamp-charged batteries and a large-capacity top-charged battery. Each year the company produces approximately 1.2 million tonnes of coke, which makes it the biggest producer of coke in the Czech Republic.
ArcelorMittal Ostrava a.s. is the largest steelmaker in the Czech Republic and part of the world’s largest steel and mining group ArcelorMittal. It has production capacity of 3 million tonnes of steel annually; about 50% of the output is exported to more than 60 countries worldwide. ArcelorMittal Ostrava and its subsidiaries employ more than 7500 people. Average income of its employees amounted to 34,213 CZK in 2012. ArcelorMittal Ostrava produces iron and steel in compliance with all environmental legislation. It already conforms to the EU best available techniques (BAT) emission limits that are to be binding only from 2016 onwards. The sole shareholder is ArcelorMittal Holdings A.G.
