Russia-based leading global iron ore and hot briquetted iron (HBI) producer Metalloinvest has stated that it is implementing a program for increasing commercial pig iron production at Ural Steel, which includes modernisation of the pig iron smelting facilities at the blast furnace plant. The program will allow Ural Steel to increase its merchant pig iron production by 40 percent to 1.9 million mt a year.
In particular, in order to improve ladle turnaround and boost smelting plant productivity, a new type of equipment was purchased: a cleaver machine to remove accretions from pig iron ladles. The new machine can clear ladle openings within 15-20 minutes, which is up to 16 times faster than the three to four hours it took the hydraulic manipulator.
To improve maintenance processes at the liquid pig iron casting machines Nos. 1 and 2, new overhead cranes and a frequency converter have been installed, and 11 ladles with trolleys were purchased. Transportation has been optimized with the installation of new switches near the casting machines.
Pig iron is one of the most popular metal products on the market at the moment. Increasing pig iron production capacities would allow Ural Steel to satisfy the customers' growing needs for this material.