MMK Upgrades Gas Treatment Facility at Oxygen Converter Shop
PJSC Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works has completed the construction of gas treatment facilities at its oxygen converter shop, which will improve the efficiency of secondary emissions recovery at the plant’s converter section. The launch of the complex on 15 July was attended by Valentina Matvienko, Chair of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation.
MMK implemented a project to reconstruct the dust and gas recovery systems and gas discharge ducts at converters No. 1, 2, and 3 and at the pig-iron overflow section of its oxygen converter shop. The ceremonial launch of the complex, including pressing the symbolic “start” button, was carried out by Valentina Matvienko; Vladimir Yakushev, Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Ural Federal District; Aleksey Teksler, Governor of Chelyabinsk Region; and Viktor Rashnikov, Chairman of the Board of Directors at MMK, who said that the launch of the new environmental protection facility brought MMK even closer to achieving ‘Clean City’ status for Magnitogorsk, a goal stated in the Company’s strategy. This strategic initiative is being implemented in line with the aims and objectives of the Federal ‘Clean Air’ project.
The contract for supplying basic engineering and equipment for reconstructing gas treatment facilities at the oxygen converter shop’s converter section was concluded in February 2020. The general contractor was Prokatmontazh. Total investment in the project was RUB 3.5 billion.
In addition to constructing gas treatment systems for converters No. 2 and 3, MMK commissioned an in-house pig-iron overflow station as part of the project. Gas treatment systems for the top covers are planned for December 2022, while the previous central gas treatment station now serves converter No. 1.
The reconstruction will result in more efficient dust and gas purification, as well as the complete elimination of fugitive emissions from the converters in all operating modes. Gross dust emissions from the oxygen converter shop will be reduced by a minimum of 500 tonnes per year. The total system capacity will be 7.4 m3/hour, while residual dust content will not exceed 10 mg/m3, which is in line with the best available technologies.
The project will not only help to address environmental issues but will also enable the use of recovered dust in production. It will be recycled at the sinter preparation plant for mining and enrichment, and will then be used to smelt metal.