The Ukrainian steelmaker Zaporizhstal has announced that it plans to start the cold testing of its new pulverized coal injection (PCI) plant in early April this year and to begin testing with raw coal and coal dust in early May.
Zaporizhstal has finished the main construction works at the PCI plant and the subcontractors have started the installation of mills and conveyors produced by German engineering company Küttner.
The installment of PCI technology at the mill will allow Zaporizhstal to combine substantial economic and environmental benefits, to switch completely from the use of expensive natural gas to coal dust and also to decrease the use of coke by 10 percent in blast furnace production.
Total investment in the plant is estimated at about UAH 840 million (approx. $105 million).
As SteelOrbis previously reported, the construction of the new PCI plant at Zaporizhstal was started in February 2008, while at the time cold testing was scheduled for December 2009.