NLMK enhances efficiency of blast furnace operations

Three modern turbo compressors were launched at NLMK’s Heat and Power Plant as part of the project. They will supply air under high pressure first to the hot-air units and then to Blast Furnaces 3, 4 and 5. Hot testing of the third and final turbo compressor began in September.

“By upgrading our equipment, we are meeting a challenge we announced in Strategy 2017 – the consolidation of our leadership in terms of key indicators through enhanced efficiency of all production processes. Substituting obsolete equipment with high-performance modern equivalents increases operational stability and reduces energy consumption. Savings for each of the three units will exceed RUB 70 million per year.", Alexander Starchenko, NLMK Vice President for Energy, said.

Investment in the project of installing the three modern turbo compressors totals RUB 1.86 billion.

Over the last three years, NLMK Group has implemented a number of large investment projects aimed at increasing the energy efficiency of operations and increasing the share of electric energy generated using by-products. An example is the new 150 MW Recovery Co-generation Plant, built at the Lipetsk site. It was built together with a modern Electric Air-blowing Station installed to meet the needs of Blast Furnaces 6 and 7. NLMK also built a modern Air Separation Unit that produces 34,000 cubic meters of oxygen per hour.

VIZ-Steel (Yekaterinburg) launched an Air Separation Unit to produce nitrogen with a capacity of 8,000 cubic meters per hour.

The combined savings that these and other projects have provided for NLMK Group on the purchase of energy resources was over RUB 850 million in 2013 alone.