ArcelorMittal Kriviy Rih has applied an innovative method of coke oven batteries Nos. 1-2 repair. It is based on ceramic welding of deep cracks with subsequent injection of powder mixtures to seal small cracks in the refractory brickwork of coke ovens.
Such a method to reduce emissions is already being used in Europe, but in Ukraine it is implemented for the first time. In July at the meeting in the President Office the company’s representatives presented this project to Volodymyr Zelenskyi along with the preliminary results of the experiment.
ArcelorMittal Kriviy Rih offered to Research and Development Enterprise Mac Ukraine to conduct the experiment at the battery. After treatment of several coke ovens and positive results, the metallurgical plant signed an agreement with Mac Ukraine. In July repairs began at the first battery. The contractor performed repairs using a special device for sealing joints. Moreover, it can be done at any depth of the oven without decommissioning for a long time.
At first, ceramic welding is done at each coke oven and then powder mixtures are injected. It takes 2 to 4 days to treat one oven. There are 118 ovens at COBs Nos. 1 and 2 – 59 ovens at each battery. Currently, more than a third part – 40 ovens – has already been treated. By the end of the year, the plant is going to complete works at COB No. 1 and next year- to continue them at COB No. 2.
Vladislav Goncharov, Director of coke plant, ArcelorMittal Kriviy Rih: “We get environmental effect due to the compaction of refractory brickwork – sealing of small cracks with powder mixtures. Thanks to this, leaks of raw coke gas into the heating system are reduced and, accordingly, emissions of harmful emissions are reduced”.
This project relates to short-term actions of the company to decrease the industrial load on the environment. In summer these actions were presented to the President Office. In addition to short-term measures, ArcelorMittal Kriviy Rih also presented its five-year investment program on production upgrading to the amount of $1.8 billion. (AMKR/Ukrainian metal)