Kametstal has completed the overhaul of ladle furnace No. 1

The upgrade of the unit is expected to reduce the risk of downtime and improve the stability of steel production

The Kametstal steel Plant has completed a major overhaul of ladle furnace No. 1 in the converter shop. The unit has already resumed operations and is operating in a rotating cycle with unit No. 2, according to a press release.

The ladle furnace is a crucial part of the steelmaking process, where steel undergoes final adjustment of its chemical composition and temperature before being cast on continuous casting machines. It is at this stage that the quality of the finished product is largely determined.

The key task of the repair was the replacement of the unit’s water-cooled dome. This assembly protects the metal from secondary oxidation during heating and inert gas purging, and also prevents possible slag or molten metal spills from the ladle during processing. Its stable operation directly affects both safety and the quality characteristics of the steel.

Specialists from the metallurgical equipment repair shop restored the assembly by replacing worn-out components. The final stage of the work, including equipment installation, mounting of hydraulic cylinders, alignment, and connection of utilities, was carried out by the converter shop’s services. Following this, the unit underwent a series of hot test runs.

In addition to the major overhaul, specialists replaced 960 filter elements in the gas cleaning system and performed partial restoration of the steel structures. The program also included an inspection of electrical equipment, maintenance of the 35 kV furnace transformer, and repairs to the electric drives of the hydraulic systems, water treatment system, and bulk material feed system. A new vacuum circuit breaker was installed to improve network safety.

The company notes that the work carried out should increase the operational reliability of the facility, reduce the risks of emergency shutdowns and unscheduled downtime, and ensure the stability of the steelmaking cycle. This is important for Kametstal given the need to maintain steady production and product quality under conditions of high load on key units.

As a reminder, Kametstal previously launched a program of major overhauls of its main production equipment for 2026. The first major phase was the overhaul of converter No. 2 in the converter shop.