Siemens VAI to Supply Twin-Ladle Furnace to ArcelorMittal Bremen
02/11/2011 - ArcelorMittal Bremen GmbH has placed an order with Siemens VAI Metals Technologies to supply a 300-tonne twin-ladle furnace.
ArcelorMittal Bremen GmbH has placed an order with Siemens VAI Metals Technologies to supply a 300-tonne twin-ladle furnace.
The plant will replace the two conditioning stands currently used for treating liquid steel, which will help to substantially reduce steel treatment costs. The project has a volume of several million euros.
The twin-ladle furnace will be installed directly downstream of ArcelorMittal Bremen’s LD converter. It will be designed to ensure the best possible logistic links to other parts of the plant and minimize crane movements. A cross-transfer ladle car will link up to the existing RH vacuum treatment unit. In addition, an ingot casting plant for producing special products will be served via a transverse track.
In the future, the plant intends to use the ladle furnace to treat as many melts as possible – some 3.5 million tonnes of crude steel per annum. Its main task will be to heat the melt, achieving a heating rate of 4 °C per minute for a 30-minute period of treatment. Optimum control of the electrodes will be ensured by the Simelt AC electrode control system. The tapping temperature on the LD converter can be reduced by between 40 °C and 60 °C, which will lower the consumption of refractory material in the converter.
The ladle furnace will increase the efficiency of the ladle treatment facility, and reduce operating costs. The ladle furnace will also be able handle fine alloying work and blowing operations, which had previously taken place in the conditioning stands. The equipment supplied for this purpose will include two six-track wire feeding machines.
The new ladle furnace is scheduled to come into operation in February 2012.
ArcelorMittal Bremen GmbH is a flat steel producer. It employs an integrated blast furnace / converter system to produce high-quality steel grades, primarily for the automotive and construction industries. It also intends to increase the production of tube steel grades in future.
The Siemens Industry Sector (Erlangen, Germany) is a leading international supplier of environmentally friendly production, transportation, building and lighting technologies. The Sector comprises six divisions: Building Technologies, Drive Technologies, Industry Automation, Industry Solutions, Mobility and Osram. With around 204,000 employees worldwide (September 30), Siemens Industry achieved in fiscal year 2010 total sales of approximately €34.9 billion.
The Siemens Industry Solutions Division (Erlangen, Germany) is one of the world's leading solution and service providers for industrial and infrastructure facilities comprising the business activities of Siemens VAI Metals Technologies, Water Technologies and Industrial Technologies. Activities include engineering and installation, operation and service for the entire life cycle. With around 29,000 employees worldwide (September 30), Siemens Industry Solutions posted sales of €6.0 billion in fiscal year 2010.
