Open / Close Advertisement

Dofasco Completes Blast Furnace Rebuild

07/11/2005 - Dofasco announced the successful start-up of its No. 2 Blast Furnace, which was completely rebuilt over the last year to incorporate the world's most advanced ironmaking technology.

Dofasco announced the successful start-up of its No. 2 Blast Furnace, which was completely rebuilt over the last year to incorporate the world's most advanced ironmaking technology.

An Uninterrupted
Supply of Iron

Dofasco chose to rebuild its No. 2 Blast Furnace — which had been decommissioned in 1994 following closure of an older, obsolete steelmaking operation — instead of shutting down and relining the company's No. 3 Blast Furnace.

Dofasco’s unprecedented strategy allowed the company to maintain an uninterrupted supply of iron while No. 2 Furnace was under construction. Continuity of iron supply also saved Dofasco from the usual production and customer service setbacks associated with blast furnace relines.

Dofasco credits employees with the success, largely because of their commitment to maintaining the No. 3 Furnace at full production well beyond its planned campaign life. No. 3 Blast Furnace, which entered service in 1960, will be idled in the wake of commissioning the rebuilt No. 2 Blast Furnace.

Dofasco's rebuilt blast furnace features several advancements over earlier designs that make it one of the safest and most efficient furnaces in North America.

Specific improvements include creation of a freestanding furnace and re-designed casthouse floor that allows for greater access to the vessel itself, greater freedom of movement for employees and equipment, and improved employee safety. Covered iron and slag troughs with localized fume and dust collection have been added, helping to improve environmental protection.

The number of tuyeres has been increased to 15 (from the previous 12), increasing the furnace's throughput. A new top-charging system will facilitate increased raw material charging control and distribution, and will also help to reduce the furnace's energy consumption. A new closed-loop cooling system helps to reduce baywater cooling requirements, and a newly automated stockhouse also helps to streamline raw material charging control. Automated drills and mud guns have been added, which will facilitate consistent tapping of the furnace and thus help extend the furnace's campaign life.

Initially scheduled for a 16-year campaign with a mid-campaign repair, the technological advancements incorporated into the furnace will likely make the mid-campaign repair unnecessary.

Dofasco President and CEO Don Pether said the rebuild of No. 2 Blast Furnace is part of an investment in the company's Hamilton operations that totals more than $1 billion, and includes a five-year, $700 million project to upgrade facilities throughout the company's Finishing Division.

Dofasco's primary manufacturing facilities include one of the world's most advanced oxygen steelmaking furnaces that feeds a twin strand continuous slab caster. The company also operates a low-cost Electric Arc Furnace, ladle metallurgy station and a single-strand continuous slab caster. The blast furnace rebuild also comes on the heels of a $138 million project that made significant improvements to the company's hot rolling operations.

Dofasco is a leading North American steel solutions provider. Product lines include hot rolled, cold rolled, galvanized, Extragal(TM), Galvalume(TM) and tinplate flat rolled steels, as well as tubular products, laser welded blanks and Zyplex(TM), a proprietary laminate. Dofasco's wide range of steel products is sold to customers in the automotive, construction, energy, manufacturing, pipe and tube, appliance, packaging and steel distribution industries.