Russian steelmaker NLMK has awarded Paul Wurth – part of the SMS group – the contract to re-line blast furnace number six at the company’s Lipetsk plant in Russia.
When ready, the new BF6 will have a nominal production capacity of 3.38Mt/yr.
The company will also be involved in improving the top gas cleaning system, energy recovery turbine and pulverised coal injection as well as plant for blast furnaces six and seven, which are currently ongoing.
The contract embraces many aspects of the project including equipment supply and technology and site supervision related to the furnace rebuild.
“Paul Wurth will adapt the basic engineering (delivered at an earlier stage) to the final technical solutions chosen with the customer, and will be further in charge of the overall engineering which will be executed in close collaboration with local design institute Lipetsk Gipromez,” according to a press release issued by Paul Wurth.
In terms of the scope of supply, Paul Wurth will provide the BF shell, hearth lining with super-microporous carbon and ceramic cup, all cooling elements (copper and cast iron staves, copper cooling boxes, tuyeres and tuyere coolers), low energy tuyere stocks and a new bustle pipe.
NLMK’s Bell Less Top, in operation since 1978, – Paul Wurth’s first ever reference in the former Soviet Union – will be replaced by a new, parallel hopper type charging system (60m3 volume) including pressure equalising and bleeder valves. The cooling water pump house, complete instrumentation, general electrical and control equipment will also be supplied.
TMT’s stockline recorders will support NLMK’s blast furnace control as well as SOMA acoustic temperature measurement and a 3DTopScan profilemeter.
For the casthouse, four sets of TMT’s fully hydraulic clay guns and tadpole drills plus radar level probes for torpedo ladles are all part of the order.
Erection and commissioning of the furnace will take 135 days starting February 2018. All hardware and equipment will be supplied by H2 2017.