Metinvest Launches Revamp of BF at PJSC Azovstal Iron & Steel Works
06/02/2014 - Metinvest Group will invest around 1 billion UAH (US$85 million) in revamping the No. 4 blast furnace at PJSC Azovstal Iron & Steel Works in Ukraine.
On 15 May, the first upgrading and revamping activities were launched at the furnace.
Following the revamp, the blast furnace will meet the highest international environmental safety standards. Achievement of ambitious emission limit — up to 30 mg per air cubic meter — is in the planning stage. Dust emission into atmosphere will be reduced by 340 tons per annum.
Over the course of revamping activities, the cast house aspiration system will be dramatically changed; new bag filters with impulse regeneration will be assembled instead of the existing electrostatic precipitators. Nowadays it is the most innovative and efficient type of gas treatment units. Powerful degassing and dedusting system will be installed in the emission generation points, as well as iron runners and slag troughs will be covered. This will provide appreciable ecological effect.
The revamping will extend BF-4’s operation period by 15 years, the iron melting time will be reduced, and annual production in the long term will be increased up to 1.5 million tons of iron. Technological novelties will be introduced at the furnace. For instance, the hearth and bottom hearth will be lined with carbon blocks with ceramic cup installation. Such a structure will enhance the furnace’s energy performance, as heat losses and coke consumption will be decreased. The revamping will cover all monitor and control systems — the blast furnace will be equipped with up-to-date instrumentation and automation, process control system.
Currently, preparatory activities are being conducted, in which 100 people are engaged per day. At the peak of capital repairs, maintenance staff will be increased up to 2,000 people per day. A compressor station is being constructed which will serve for the new bag filter for gas treatment. The contractors started assembling the segments of new blast furnace stack, scrubber and demister, as well as activities at pumping and saturator stations.
Repair activities directly on the iron-melting facility will be launched in June. The blast furnace will be shut down then.
"Metallurgy is the foundation of Mariupol, regional and Ukrainian economy. For dozens of thousands of people our operation is a guarantee of stability and prosperity. Today we are suffering a serious political crisis, severe recession in production. But crisis will be over. We will not let the grass grow under our feet till its ending and we will spend the time well. When the competitors snap at the heels, world metallurgy is on a strong track, there is only one way out is to revamp and introduce innovations. The revamping of blast furnace No. 4 is a sunrise of large scale modernization of the entire BF shop", said Enver Tskitishvili, director general of PJSC Azovstal Iron & Steel Works.
Following the revamp, the blast furnace will meet the highest international environmental safety standards. Achievement of ambitious emission limit — up to 30 mg per air cubic meter — is in the planning stage. Dust emission into atmosphere will be reduced by 340 tons per annum.
Over the course of revamping activities, the cast house aspiration system will be dramatically changed; new bag filters with impulse regeneration will be assembled instead of the existing electrostatic precipitators. Nowadays it is the most innovative and efficient type of gas treatment units. Powerful degassing and dedusting system will be installed in the emission generation points, as well as iron runners and slag troughs will be covered. This will provide appreciable ecological effect.
The revamping will extend BF-4’s operation period by 15 years, the iron melting time will be reduced, and annual production in the long term will be increased up to 1.5 million tons of iron. Technological novelties will be introduced at the furnace. For instance, the hearth and bottom hearth will be lined with carbon blocks with ceramic cup installation. Such a structure will enhance the furnace’s energy performance, as heat losses and coke consumption will be decreased. The revamping will cover all monitor and control systems — the blast furnace will be equipped with up-to-date instrumentation and automation, process control system.
Currently, preparatory activities are being conducted, in which 100 people are engaged per day. At the peak of capital repairs, maintenance staff will be increased up to 2,000 people per day. A compressor station is being constructed which will serve for the new bag filter for gas treatment. The contractors started assembling the segments of new blast furnace stack, scrubber and demister, as well as activities at pumping and saturator stations.
Repair activities directly on the iron-melting facility will be launched in June. The blast furnace will be shut down then.
"Metallurgy is the foundation of Mariupol, regional and Ukrainian economy. For dozens of thousands of people our operation is a guarantee of stability and prosperity. Today we are suffering a serious political crisis, severe recession in production. But crisis will be over. We will not let the grass grow under our feet till its ending and we will spend the time well. When the competitors snap at the heels, world metallurgy is on a strong track, there is only one way out is to revamp and introduce innovations. The revamping of blast furnace No. 4 is a sunrise of large scale modernization of the entire BF shop", said Enver Tskitishvili, director general of PJSC Azovstal Iron & Steel Works.
