Praxair Technology Helps ArcelorMittal Win AIST Award
11/11/2010 - Praxair, Inc. announced that its Dilute Oxygen Combustion (DOC) technology, installed at ArcelorMittal in Indiana, contributed to the steelmaker receiving the 2010 Energy Achievement Award from the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST).
Praxair, Inc. announced that its Dilute Oxygen Combustion (DOC) technology, installed at ArcelorMittal in Indiana, contributed to the steelmaker receiving the 2010 Energy Achievement Award from the Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST).
This award recognizes the company’s efforts to increase the energy efficiency of one of the steelmaker’s reheat furnaces at its 84-inch hot strip mill in East Chicago, Ind. By utilizing the DOC technology with the installation of a 145 MMBtu/hr. oxy-fuel system, the operation was able to reduce the fuel consumption by 0.26 million Btu per ton of steel (approximately 260,000 million Btu per year), according Praxair.
AIST, whose membership includes iron and steel producers, suppliers, and academics, presents this annual award to an individual or organization to recognize their deployment and use of innovative new technologies or practices that result in significant energy conservation improvements. To qualify, awardees must have operated and realized the energy benefits for at least two years to ensure that the solution is credible and sustainable.
“We are very pleased to work with ArcelorMittal on this large oxy-fuel conversion and to help them reduce fuel consumption and overall costs,” said Pravin Mathur, Market Director for Steel and Combustion, for Praxair’s North American Industrial Gases business unit. “Our DOC technology…has been implemented successfully in more than 150 installations worldwide involving a variety of industries.”
“We are honored to receive this recognition in collaboration with Praxair,” said Larry Fabina, USA Energy Team Coordinator and Manager, Continuous Improvement, ArcelorMittal. “This conversion will continue to deliver significant energy and cost savings. The reduction in natural gas from this single furnace conversion equates to the natural gas consumed by 1,945 homes for a year in the U.S.”
ArcelorMittal is the world's leading steel company, with operations in more than 60 countries. The company is a leader in all major global steel markets, including automotive, construction, household appliances, and packaging. With an industrial presence in more than 20 countries spanning four continents, the company covers all of the key steel markets, from emerging to mature. In 2009, ArcelorMittal had revenues of $65.1 billion and crude steel production of 73.2 million tonnes, representing approximately 8% of world steel output.
Praxair, Inc. is the largest industrial gases company in North and South America, and one of the largest worldwide, with 2009 sales of $9 billion. The company produces, sells, and distributes atmospheric, process, and specialty gases, as well as high-performance surface coatings. Its products, services, and technologies benefit a variety of industries, including aerospace, chemicals, food and beverage, electronics, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, metals, and others.
