ISSN 2594-357X
31º Seminário de Redução de Minério de Ferro e Matérias-Primas — Vol. 01 , num. 31 (2000)
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Abstract
Given the restraints imposed by today’s business environment, it is essential that capital expenditure on plant and infrastructure is kept to a minimum. This is particularly true in the case of blast furnaces where the cost of new units with maximum economy of scale can reach US$300,000,000. There is therefore a need to ensure that existing assets are upgraded and kept in efficient production for extended periods. Selective upgrading at plants has concentrated production into a small number of large furnaces whose campaign lives must be extended and outage periods minimised in order to maintain a continuous supply to the market. This has created new challenges for blast furnace technology and engineering. Voest-Alpine Industrialanlagenbau’s (VAI) blast furnace division at Stockton in the UK has developed a number of techniques for extending the campaign life of blast furnaces beyond original expectations. In addition, VAI has accumulated a great deal of experience incorporating new technologies into existing blast furnaces during inter-campaign rebuilds. Features such as improved charging, higher density cooling, improved furnace instrumentation and automation as well as modern cast-house equipment can all be now installed during short furnace outage periods. Together, this means furnace productivity and availability can be improved giving lower hot metal costs. The paper describes the new technologies and show examples of how technology has been used to maintain the competitiveness of blast furnace ironmaking
Given the restraints imposed by today’s business environment, it is essential that capital expenditure on plant and infrastructure is kept to a minimum. This is particularly true in the case of blast furnaces where the cost of new units with maximum economy of scale can reach US$300,000,000. There is therefore a need to ensure that existing assets are upgraded and kept in efficient production for extended periods. Selective upgrading at plants has concentrated production into a small number of large furnaces whose campaign lives must be extended and outage periods minimised in order to maintain a continuous supply to the market. This has created new challenges for blast furnace technology and engineering. Voest-Alpine Industrialanlagenbau’s (VAI) blast furnace division at Stockton in the UK has developed a number of techniques for extending the campaign life of blast furnaces beyond original expectations. In addition, VAI has accumulated a great deal of experience incorporating new technologies into existing blast furnaces during inter-campaign rebuilds. Features such as improved charging, higher density cooling, improved furnace instrumentation and automation as well as modern cast-house equipment can all be now installed during short furnace outage periods. Together, this means furnace productivity and availability can be improved giving lower hot metal costs. The paper describes the new technologies and show examples of how technology has been used to maintain the competitiveness of blast furnace ironmaking
Keywords
life extension, automation, rebuilding
life extension, automation, rebuilding
How to cite
Eden, M G; Doel, P J.
NEW FROM OLD: THE APPLICATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR COMPETITIVE BLAST FURNACE IRONMAKING,
p. 13-20.
In: 31º Seminário de Redução de Minério de Ferro e Matérias-Primas,
None,
2000.
ISSN: 2594-357X, DOI 10.5151/2594-357x-31Red-v1-13-20
