Title

STRATEGIC HEARTH CAMPAIGN EXTENSION STRATEGIES USING PARTIAL REPAIRS

STRATEGIC HEARTH CAMPAIGN EXTENSION STRATEGIES USING PARTIAL REPAIRS

Authorship

CARREAU, JESSE; LAAR, FLORIS VAN; PETRUCCELLI, ANGELO; MACHADO, ARNALDO; IWAMURA, MAXIMILIANO

CARREAU, JESSE

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LAAR, FLORIS VAN

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PETRUCCELLI, ANGELO

I am this author

MACHADO, ARNALDO

I am this author

IWAMURA, MAXIMILIANO

I am this author

DOI

10.5151/2594-357X-41826

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Abstract

The blast furnace campaign duration is limited mainly by the performance of the hearth area. Full repairs to a blast furnace hearth require a significant amount of capital, long scheduled shutdowns, and replacement of slabs. Monitoring the condition of the hearth and taking actions throughout the campaign allows for the safe operation of the blast furnace to the targeted end of campaign. Partial repairs can be utilized by doing a thorough hearth assessment, resulting in a lower cost repair and shorter shutdown duration. These repairs can be carried out in parallel with other work that needs to be executed in the blast furnace such as shotcreting of the stack, repairs to staves, charging system upgrades, et cetera. This paper will cover the methodology to monitor and identify areas of concern in the hearth and the repairs carried out to ensure the furnace continues to operate safely to meet or to exceed campaign target life.

THE BLAST FURNACE CAMPAIGN DURATION IS LIMITED MAINLY BY THE PERFORMANCE OF THE HEARTH AREA. FULL REPAIRS TO A BLAST FURNACE HEARTH REQUIRE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF CAPITAL, LONG SCHEDULED SHUTDOWNS, AND REPLACEMENT OF SLABS. MONITORING THE CONDITION OF THE HEARTH AND TAKING ACTIONS THROUGHOUT THE CAMPAIGN ALLOWS FOR THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE BLAST FURNACE TO THE TARGETED END OF CAMPAIGN. PARTIAL REPAIRS CAN BE UTILIZED BY DOING A THOROUGH HEARTH ASSESSMENT, RESULTING IN A LOWER COST REPAIR AND SHORTER SHUTDOWN DURATION. THESE REPAIRS CAN BE CARRIED OUT IN PARALLEL WITH OTHER WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE EXECUTED IN THE BLAST FURNACE SUCH AS SHOTCRETING OF THE STACK, REPAIRS TO STAVES, CHARGING SYSTEM UPGRADES, ET CETERA. THIS PAPER WILL COVER THE METHODOLOGY TO MONITOR AND IDENTIFY AREAS OF CONCERN IN THE HEARTH AND THE REPAIRS CARRIED OUT TO ENSURE THE FURNACE CONTINUES TO OPERATE SAFELY TO MEET OR TO EXCEED CAMPAIGN TARGET LIFE.

Keywords

Blast furnace, Hearth, Campaign extension, Partial repairs.

Blast furnace, Hearth, Campaign extension, Partial repairs