Evraz ZSMK, a Siberian steel division of steel and mining group Evraz, has announced that has launched a pulverised coal injection unit for two of its blast furnaces. The unit's productive capacity amounts to 160 mt of pulverised coal fuel per hour, or about 1.3 million mt annually. Investment for this project has exceeded RUB 7 billion ($199.6 million).
Construction of the PCI unit at EVRAZ ZSMK started in 2011, and was followed by the installation and commissioning of equipment in spring of the current year.
Pulverised coal injection ensures substantial cost savings on natural gas consumed for hot iron production, and results in the reduction of coke consumption by 15-20 percent. At the same time, blast furnace productivity improves by approximately by five percent. In addition, the new technology is good for the environment as it reduces emissions of greenhouse gasses.