The Russian steelmaker Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) has announced that it is continuing the construction of its 3.4 million mt capacity blast furnace (BF) No. 7, which is the first to be built in Russia for 20 years. The total investment in the project amounts to Ruble 21.6 billion (approx. $641.7 million).
Currently, NLMK has begun the assembly of the BF's steel structures, while the foundation is almost complete. By the end of current year NLMK plans to install the furnace shell, refractories, casthouse steel structures with hoisting gear, blast furnace burden supply systems, gas cleaning equipment, main pipelines and power supply systems. The stoves, exhaust air cleaning systems and other equipment will be partially constructed.
The new BF No. 7, which is part of the second phase of NLMK's technical upgrade program, is scheduled to be commissioned in late 2012.
The design of the BF No.7 incorporates the most advanced technical solutions for high performance, resource saving and largely automated pig iron production. The impressive economic and environmental characteristics of this project are achieved by implementing new technologies, such as the pulverized coal injection system, high-efficiency dedusting systems, and closed water and sludge removal circuits. The slag generated in the production of the pig iron will be processed into raw materials for construction.
For the construction of the new BF NLMK will use about 75,000 mt of steel structures, 25,000 mt of refractories, and 40,000 mt of process equipment, supplied by Luxemburg-based BF builder Paul Wurth, and by the leading heavy machine building company in Russia, Uralmash Machine-Building Corporation. Some equipment will be manufactured by NLMK's repair and maintenance service.