22 June 2012
At the PJSC “Ilyich Iron and Steel Works” Metinvest is finishing a great building of the pulverized coal injection unit. A delivery contract with the Chinese company MinMetals was signed by the combinat`s direction in 2006, but because of the crisis in 2008 it`s realization was stopped. After joining the group of Metinvest in 2010 the building was recommenced.
The idle run is being practiced at the pulverized coal injection unit at the moment. Basic processes connected with the end of the building and commissioning are being held parallel. In June a step-by-step activation of the power system units was began. After trial run is over an adjustment of equipment in complex with the monitoring instruments and automatics system with the participation of Siemens and MinMetals experts will begin. At the present point in time an adjustment of the automated control systems by means of technological processes at the main auxiliary equipment of the pulverized coal injection unit with all units and systems is carried out from the central supervisory console. In July specialists are intended to proceed to full operation tests of the pulverized coal injection unit.
Taking into account high prices for natural gas and it`s deficit and the fact that it is needed in great amounts for blast-furnace production, the necessity of introduction of the pulverized coal injection technology in the blast-furnaces at our enterprise is extremely urgent, - underlined Vladimyr Boyko, the general manager of the PJSC “Ilyich Iron and Steel Works”. The introduction of the pulverized coal injection unit into the power system of our enterprise is planned to be accomplished till the end of the 2012. The amount of investments makes up today about 150$ million, but we hope that due to this technology we will be able fully to refuse from the use of natural gas in blast furnaces and also to shorten elementary discharge of coke for every generated ton of cast iron, that fully justifies the costs.
The project foresees the introduction dust suppression technology by nitrogen at the casting beds and modernization of the control system of gas supply to the air heaters – these systems will be activated at the same time with the introduction into operation of the pulverized coal injection unit. The main part of enclosure -directly installation- foresees an airtight circuit of breakage of coal and the supply of pulverized coal into blast furnaces and also the equipping of coal mills, pick-and-place assembly units, bunkers of the closed coal storage with the modern aspiration systems from the leading manufactures from Russia ( close corporation «SovPlim») and Poland («EKO INSTAL»).