The Finnish steel producer Ruukki Metals Oy is converting its blast furnaces at the Raahe site (Finland) from oil injectors to more cost-efficient pulverised coal injection (PCI). The new injection system is supplied by Claudius Peters Projects GmbH. Two LOESCHE mills LM 23.2 D will be installed to handle the coal grinding.
In steel production it is common sense to reduce the consumption of expensive coke in the blast furnace by the injection of more cost-effective reducing agent. Pulverised coal is a significantly more economical alternative to oil here, but without a negative effect on the CO2 balance. With the conversion to a cost-efficient PCI solution, Ruukki is boosting its competitiveness on the price-sensitive world market.
Two LOESCHE mills type LM 23.2 D are part of the new plants. The production rate of the mills is 33t/h at a fineness of 20% > 0.09mm and a gearbox capacity of 460kW. A variety of special customer wishes was considered when engineering the plants. However, LOESCHE GmbH managed delivery within the ambitious time schedule. The plants are expected to go into operation in the third quarter of 2015 with a delivery period of eight months.
Claudius Peters Projects GmbH, a specialist in processing engineering in the cement, coal, aluminium, gypsum and bulk produce industry, has long-standing business relations with LOESCHE GmbH. The company is both a customer and a supplier for components like dust pumps, silos and silo systems or two-way gates.
As earlier as 2008, a mill type LM 28.3 D was already ordered for the PCI plant at the ILVA steelworks in Taranto (Italy). Thanks to the positive experience with technology and price performance ratio, Claudius Peters has opted for a solution from LOESCHE this time as well, a choice that meets the product preference of the end customer, Ruukki.