Title

REDUCTION OF STRUCTURAL DAMAGES AT TORPEDO CARS SHELL AT ARCELORMITTAL MONLEVADE

REDUCTION OF STRUCTURAL DAMAGES AT TORPEDO CARS SHELL AT ARCELORMITTAL MONLEVADE

Authorship

Andrade, Fabiano Cristeli de; Gomes., Carlos Roberto

Andrade, Fabiano Cristeli de

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Gomes., Carlos Roberto

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DOI

10.5151/2594-357X-22428

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Abstract

ArcelorMittal Monlevade has six 200 ton torpedo cars working as follows: 04 in operation (normal situation working from blast furnace to steelshop); 01 stand by under heating; 01 under refractory maintenance. From 2008 to 2009 a premature and extreme wear phenomenon was detected around the mouth of the torpedo cars, damaging their refractory lining and shell. This wear phenomenon caused a seriously impact in the availability of the torpedo cars leading an increase on average time to repair them, as well as, a sharp increase in maintenance costs (workforce and material). This scenario put the plant in an operational risk due a possibility of lack of torpedo cars in enough number to transport all hot metal produced in the blast furnace to steelshop. By using some tools of the PDCA methodology, it was possible to identify quickly the root causes of this phenomenon and take different blocking actions to prevent premature degradation of the refractory profile, as well as the impact on the torpedo car shell. The new management philosophy of torpedo cars at ArcelorMittal Monlevade implemented after that, as well as the results reached with implementation of the action plan are showed.

ArcelorMittal Monlevade has six 200 ton torpedo cars working as follows: 04 in operation (normal situation working from blast furnace to steelshop); 01 stand by under heating; 01 under refractory maintenance. From 2008 to 2009 a premature and extreme wear phenomenon was detected around the mouth of the torpedo cars, damaging their refractory lining and shell. This wear phenomenon caused a seriously impact in the availability of the torpedo cars leading an increase on average time to repair them, as well as, a sharp increase in maintenance costs (workforce and material). This scenario put the plant in an operational risk due a possibility of lack of torpedo cars in enough number to transport all hot metal produced in the blast furnace to steelshop. By using some tools of the PDCA methodology, it was possible to identify quickly the root causes of this phenomenon and take different blocking actions to prevent premature degradation of the refractory profile, as well as the impact on the torpedo car shell. The new management philosophy of torpedo cars at ArcelorMittal Monlevade implemented after that, as well as the results reached with implementation of the action plan are showed.

Keywords

Torpedo car; Refractory; Shell; Damage.

Torpedo car; Refractory; Shell; Damage.