Ukrainian steel producer Ilyich Iron and Steel Works of Mariupol (Ilyich) has announced its intention to finish until 2010 the installation of the pulverized coal injection (PCI) technology at its blast furnace production facilities. The new PCI technology will allow the plant to minimize the usage of natural gas by 50,000 cubic meters per hour.
Currently, at Ilyich are operating four blast furnaces, two of its six open hearth furnaces, three converters, the reheating furnace of its mill 1700, its mill 3000, and its slabbing mill. Even so, the plant is consuming about 80,000 cubic meters of natural gas per hour.
Moreover, Ilyich is producing up to 900,000 cubic meters of blast furnace gas, which combined with natural gas, is used in its slabbing mill's heating technology, in the reheating furnaces of its rolling mills, and in its heating plants.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, the equipment for the PCI process will be supplied by China National Mineral Co. Ltd. The total value of contract, which was concluded between the companies in question on May 18, 2006, amounted to RMB 210 million ($27.1 million). However, due to the financial crisis the installation of PCI technology at Ilyich was slowed down.