A Chinese steel producer has tasked Primetals Technologies with the upgrade of its five-strand bloom caster in eastern China.
The project includes a new withdrawal straightening unit that will provide 200 tons of reduction force per inch roll, an increase from the previous 130 tons.
Primetals highlighted that this change will result in better internal strand containment and improved quality.
The project will also increase the number of pinch rolls from nine to 11, further enhancing strand containment, soft-reduction accuracy, and internal bloom quality.
Another component of the upgrade is the supply of a new secondary cooling concept, supplied by Primetals and designed to support a wider speed range, boosting production flexibility.
Following the upgrade, the caster will deliver improved performance when producing high-value-added products, especially demanding steel grades such as bearing steel, high-strength spring steel, and high-carbon wire rod.
The upgraded caster will have a capacity of 1.2 million tons per year, with start-up scheduled for the end of the year.
