MMK Reduces Dust Emissions from its Blast Furnace Shop
Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) has begun commissioning works on new dust suppression systems for the bin trestles of blast furnaces Nos. 1 and 2. The project is part of MMK’s environmental programme.
The dust suppression systems create a finely dispersed mist that traps dust particles and deposits them on the surface. The systems are used in the blast furnace shop during the unloading of raw materials from hoppers into the intake bunker, as well as during transportation through the stock house to the furnaces. A similar system was put into operation on the bin trestle of blast furnace No. 10 in 2021 and showed an efficiency rate of 83%, against a guaranteed rate of 80%.
In light of the positive results obtained, MMK plans to put similar dust suppression systems into operation on all blast furnace bin trestles on its premises. These were installed on the bin trestles of blast furnaces Nos. 1 and 2 at the end of summer 2022 and are currently undergoing commissioning works. The systems are equipped with high-pressure pumps that deliver water from the “zero” level to the bin trestle as well as to the skip winches in the stock house. Purified water is supplied through high-pressure hoses that are protected by two layers of metal. In turn, more than 1,500 spray nozzles, protected by a special casing, are mounted on the bin trestle itself.
The Company plans to install systems on the bin trestles of blast furnaces Nos. 6 and 9 in 2023, and on the bin trestles of blast furnaces Nos. 4, 7 and 8 in 2024.
The installation of dust suppression systems is an important element of MMK’s environmental programme, which is aimed at reducing the plant’s environmental impact. Projects to reduce dust suppression and secondary dust loss help reduce air pollution in Magnitogorsk and improve working conditions at the plant. MMK is currently operating eight such systems in the sinter mix preparation shop; four, in the coal preparation shop for coke production; and two, in sheet rolling shops Nos. 4 and 10. In July 2022, the dust suppression system for mill 170 in the long products shop reached its design capacity, demonstrating an efficiency rate of 82%, against a guaranteed rate of 80%.
To reduce secondary dust loss, MMK sprays and cleans maintenance roads on its territory and is paving over some areas in order to facilitate mechanised cleaning by specialised vehicles. In summer 2022, the plant purchased and commissioned two multipurpose road maintenance vehicles for cleaning the plant territory. In September, the Company purchased two multipurpose vacuum sweepers and will purchase six dust transport vehicles before the beginning of 2023, which will transport the dust captured through the gas cleaning systems in the oxygen converter shop and electric furnace steelmaking plant.
This year, the Company has already paved 1,600 square metres of the grounds around the electric furnace steelmaking plant. An additional 3,000 square metres of the grounds around the blast furnace shop has already been paved, with that area set to triple by the end of the year.