Ural Steel (a part of Metalloinvest) has completed modernization of the vacuum degasser at the electric arc furnace shop (EAFS) increasing the unit’s capacity by 50%, to 1.8 million tons per year.
Total investments in the project amounted to 230 million rubles. The supplier of the equipment was Italian company Danieli. The upgrade of the vacuum degasser included installation of an additional steam ejector vacuum pump.
The upgraded vacuum degasser unit allows for higher production volumes of treated steel and hence increases the output of steel products. The upgrade was carried out as part of the modernization of the four-strand continuous casting machine (CCM No. 1) at Ural Steel. As part of the modernization, CCM No. 1 is adapted to produce 455 mm billets for railway wheels and square billets with section measurements of 300 x 330 mm for rail production.
Andrey Ugarov, COO of Management Company Metalloinvest, commented: “As Ural Steel introduces the production of new types of railway wheel billets and blooms, the company needs more vacuumed steel. The vacuum degasser upgrade allows us to significantly increase the output of high-quality steel products that are demanded by our customers.” (MetalInfo/Ukrainian metal)