Metinvest Group is continuously modernizing production at the Ilyich and Azovstal Combines. Environmental projects remain a priority, in which US $ 82.6 million was invested in 2019.
Last year, the Ilyich Iron and Steel Works completed the reconstruction of the gas cleaning unit of Converter # 3. The reconstruction of the gas treatment facilities of the foundry yards and the bunker ramp of blast furnace No. 3 is in progress. Work continues on the construction of an aspiration unit for the mixing department. Also at the final stage is the most ambitious project of the current year - the modernization of the sinter plant.
“Metinvest Group pays priority attention to environmental projects. We are bringing the units with the highest emission rates to international standards, ”said Taras Shevchenko, General Director of the Ilyich Iron and Steel Works.
A number of environmental projects have also been implemented at the Azovstal metallurgical plant. After reconstruction, an aspiration unit for a crusher of ferroalloys was commissioned, the installation of a new gas cleaning unit for the desulfurization of cast iron was completed, where the smoke exhausters have already been connected and commissioning is being carried out. Reconstruction of the aspiration system of ladle furnaces No. 1 and No. 2 was also completed. Even now, new dust and gas cleaning installations provide dust content in emissions after cleaning in bag filters no more than 20 mg / m3. The construction works of the aspiration system of the mixing department of the converter shop are in the active phase.
The construction of a pumping station for purified circulating water for cooling blast furnace No. 3 was completed. This is part of a large-scale reconstruction of the furnace. The blast furnace will now be cooled without the use of seawater, making the industrial process more environmentally friendly.
In 2019, two blast furnaces were shut down: BF # 5 was taken out of operation, and BF # 6 will be overhauled. Blast-furnace production is being updated as part of the Technological Strategy - 2030, which includes the implementation of a number of environmental measures. Overhaul of blast furnace No. 6 will increase its efficiency, reduce production costs and reduce dust emissions by 55%. After construction of a pulverized coal injection unit at BF No.6, all blast furnaces at Azovstal will be equipped with this technology.
“While modernizing production equipment, our metallurgical plant pays special attention to the environmental component, investing millions of dollars in this direction annually,” said Enver Tskitishvili, general director of the Azovstal metallurgical plant.