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Liberty Ostrava launches tender for hybrid furnace Liberty Ostrava has launched the public tender to procure two hybrid furnaces, Kallanish learns from the Czech steelmaker. The two hybrid furnaces will replace the plant’s existing four tandem furnaces by 2023, providing the same combined production capacity of 3.5 million tonnes/year „This is a major step in Ostrava’s journey of transformation towards new low-carbon technologies in line with the group’s overall target to become carbon neutral by 2030,“ said Sanjeev Gupta, executive chairman of Liberty Steel when announcing the tender in Ostrava on 10 November. According to Liberty, the two hybrid furnaces will be the first of their kind in Europe. The modern hybrid technology will have a significantly lower environmental footprint, reducing particulate emissions by 60% by 2023 due to a new dedusting plant. Once the 400kV electricity line is installed by 2025, carbon emissions will be reduced by 50% as the furnaces will be able to use 70% scrap. Full carbon neutrality will be achieved once the plant has transitioned to using 100% scrap or captures and recycles the CO2 from its primary units while offsetting residual carbon produced through GFG’s peat restoration project at JAHAMA Highland Estates in Scotland. Liberty plans to invest a total of €750 million in the development of its Ostrava steelworks over the course of the next ten years. In addition to the modernisation of the steel shop the transformation will also include an extensive modernisation of the steel rolling mills, which will improve the quality of steel and expand the product portfolio with high added value products.
Sources: Liberty Ostrava; NLMK Novolipetsk
NLMK Lipetsk launches anhydrous cooling system for blast furnace slag
The system will enable it to reduce hydrogen sulfide emissions in the corresponding area by 3.5x and keep the smell from this chemical compound to a minimum, the company states. The implementation of the complex marks the full transition of the mill’s blast furnace shop No. 1 (three blast furnaces) to dry slag cooling technology. The new system completely eliminates the need to use water. Advanced excavators will be used for slag handling and loading, capable of working in high temperatures and with increased productivity. Investment in the project exceeded RUB 2 billion ($26 million).
