ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih completes repair of blast furnace No. 6

PJSC ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih has completed an extended category 2 overhaul of blast furnace No. 6. The work lasted 296 days and took place in difficult military conditions. This is stated in the report of Metallurg newspaper.

The second category repair at blast furnace No. 6 was carried out for the first time since 2015, when the unit was reconstructed and environmental protection measures were implemented. In 2015-2023, only a few third-category repairs were carried out at the blast furnace, due to the replacement of the backfill apparatus and minor maintenance work.

The main stages of these repairs included the removal of residual charge materials and spent refractory lining, replacement of the charging apparatus, design lining of the blast furnace shaft, which used about 980 tons of refractory bricks, restoration of the hearth, and replacement of the cooling plates of the furnace shaft cooling system. The specialists also renewed more than half of the cooling plates – 364 units.

Additionally, BF No. 6 repaired hydraulic equipment in the casting yard, the charge feeding system, and the furnace grate. At the same time, the first category repair of the air heater No. 2 was carried out. This will allow the blast furnace to maintain the required thermal conditions with maximum coke savings during operation.

A significant amount of work was done to repair the electrical equipment and automation of BF No. 6. The blast furnace’s aspiration units have been repaired to capture harmful emissions and help improve the environment.

The unit is currently awaiting a commissioning order, and the relevant documents are being processed.

«The work performed will increase the reliability of the furnace equipment, reduce operating costs, save energy, and help reduce the industrial burden on the environment,» the company said.

The work was carried out by contractors and the company’s repair departments, including LMZ LLC and Steel Service PE.

As GMK Center reported earlier, in 2023, ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih produced 1 million tons of steel, 1.5 million tons of pig iron and 0.9 million tons of commercial rolled products despite the difficulties of doing business in a full-scale war. In 2024, the company plans to increase capacity utilization from 25% to 50%. In particular, the company plans to maximize the utilization of its mining division and launch two blast furnaces in the metallurgical division in April 2024.

ArcelorMittal Kryvyi Rih is a full-cycle steelmaking enterprise in Ukraine. Its production facilities are designed to produce over 6 million tons of steel, 5 million tons of rolled products and 5.5 million tons of pig iron annually. The company employs over 20 thousand people.