The Russian steelmaker Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) has announced that it has started the final stage of reconstruction of gas exhaust ducts at its basic oxygen furnace (BOF) shop No. 1, which is one of the key ecological projects at its main production site in Lipetsk. The total investment in the project will amount to over Ruble 6.6 billion (about $225 million).
Accordingly, advanced technical solutions, including a system for collecting secondary emissions during the charging and tapping processes, will reduce the BOF shop's dust emissions by 59 percent and will significantly improve working conditions.
Since the beginning of the project in 2009, two of NLMK's three BOFs have been reconstructed, and an aspiration system for the bulk materials supply tract has been installed. During the final reconstruction stage, over 1,500 mt of steel structures will be assembled at BOF No. 3, its shell will be replaced and a new gas cleaning system will be put into operation over a 120-day period.
The project is being implemented in cooperation with engineering company Siemens VAI as part of the second stage of NLMK's technical upgrade program.
The reconstruction of the off-gas ducts is a part of NLMK's project aimed at expanding the steelmaking capacity at the main production site in Lipetsk to up to 12.4 million mt, which is to be completed with the commissioning of its new 3.4 million mt capacity blast furnace No. 7 by 2012.
In 2009, NLMK spent about Ruble 4 billion (about $136 million) on environmental protection projects implemented at its main production site in Lipetsk.