December 2, 2020
PAO Severstal, one of the world’s largest vertically integrated steel and
mining companies, has launched coke battery No. 11, a new unit using coal
charge ramming technology, at the Cherepovets Steel Mill. The capacity of the
first block is 700 thousand tonnes of products per year. The new unit will
increase coke production to meet increasing cast iron output and, consequently,
higher steel production volumes.
Alexander Shevelev, CEO of Severstal, commented:
“We have invested more than 34 million rubles in the construction of coke
battery No. 11, a project that aligns with market trends and meets our
strategic priorities. We aim to be a cost leader, use our own raw materials
efficiently, and adapt flexibly and quickly depending on the economic
situation. Mastering coal charge ramming technology will enable us to use
low-value grades of coal without reducing the quality characteristics of coke.
In this way, we are increasing our stability and competitive advantage, while
also working towards our goal to produce green steel. With the launch of the
first block of the coke battery, we can confirm that Severstal’s major
investments in upgrading our technology chain are beginning to take
effect.”
Severstal is the first steel company in Russia to apply the innovative
developments of PAUL WURTH (Luxembourg) in the construction of a coke battery.
Modern solutions enable the quality of the coke to be maintained, even when
using raw materials with lower quality and cost. A key component of coke
battery No. 11 is a ramming loading and ejecting machine (TZVM). This machine,
when operating with the correct charge and required characteristics, provides
the ramming capability.
The quality of the coke will be assured, amongst other things, by a special
dry coke quenching unit. The technology guarantees high fuel quality for blast
furnaces, since it involves additional calcination and stabilization of the
entire coke volume. The USTK unit ensures the absence of moisture, undesirable
in the process of blast furnace melting, and increases the cold strength.
In a first for the Russian steel industry, all the unit’s machines are fully
automated. For example, the software module creates a signal when the door of
the coke pusher can be removed, eliminating the human factor and optimizing
staff efficiency. The minimum service life of the coke battery is 40 years.
The environmental advantage of the project is crucial; the system of
dust-free delivery of coke from the chamber will provide air quality of up to
10 mg/m3 – the level of the cleanest steel enterprises in the world. The
battery complex is equipped with smoke-free loading systems for coke batteries.
The design of the furnaces will allow the coke battery to operate with
virtually no unplanned releases of gas emissions. As a result of these
measures, the specific emissions from the coke battery No. 11 complex will be
20% lower compared to the total specific emissions of coke oven batteries No.
7-10.
The coke battery No. 11 project involves the construction of two blocks,
each consisting of 56 furnaces. The unit’s total capacity will be 1.4 million
tonnes per year. Construction work for the second battery block has already
commenced on-site, with the launch scheduled for 2021.
Further information:
Construction of the first block of the coke battery began in 2018. The
construction project received a positive appraisal from Glavgosexpertiza. The
general contractor for the development of design and working documentation is
OOO “Severstal-project”. The main technological equipment supplier is Paul
Wurth Italia S. p. A. The general construction contractor is JSC Trust
Koksokhimmontazh (Moscow).
Infrastructure facilities such as condensation, power and electricity
supply, water supply and sanitation, as well as inter – shop communications
were provided by INTECH CJSC (Saint Petersburg). The dry coke extinguishing
unit for the new unit is being built by JSC “Koksokhimmontazh-2”
(Cherepovets).
More information available –
https://www.severstal.com/rus/sustainable-development
