NLMK improves environmental performance of BF and BOF operations

NLMK Lipetsk, NLMK Group’s flagship production site, has completed performance testing of new air purification systems installed on facilities that underwent capital repairs in late 2019, namely Basic Oxygen Furnace No. 2, which has a capacity in excess of 3 million tonnes of steel per year and Blast Furnace No. 6, which has a capacity of 3.4 million tonnes of pig iron per year.

Gas exhaust ducts at Basic Oxygen Furnace No. 2 have been overhauled and a highly efficient system for the capture and purification of fugitive emissions has been installed at the BOF Shop. At the upgraded Blast Furnace No. 6 complex, new air purification systems have been integrated at feedstock supply and slag processing areas, and at the cast house. The new air purification systems can capture up to 99.9% of dust and are in line with best available technologies.

Measurements taken at the new gas purification systems have confirmed that their performance corresponds to design targets. The overall reduction in emissions of specified substances following implementation of the two projects amounted to 6700 tonnes, including 5500 tonnes of carbon monoxide (a 43% reduction at corresponding locations), 1200 tonnes of dust (-53%), 4.1 t of hydrogen sulphide (-51%), and 2 t of sulphur dioxide (-10%).

The corresponding target effects for reduced emissions of specified substances were included into the quadripartite agreement between the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, the Russian Federal Agency for Oversight of Natural Resource Usage, Lipetsk Region administration, and NLMK, signed in summer 2019. The agreement entails several upgrade and construction projects between 2019 and 2023. NLMK has already completed four out of nine projects included in the agreement, achieving the environmental targets set out for each project.

Nikita Vorobyev, NLMK Group Director of Environment, said:

“Leadership in sustainable development is one of the Company’s key strategic goals. In 2019-2023, NLMK Group’s investment in environmental protection will exceed RUB 20 billion. The integration of gas purification equipment in line with best available technologies at NLMK’s BF and BOF operations will enable them to almost eliminate dust emissions. Two more projects with significant environmental benefits are scheduled for 2020, namely overhauls of NLMK’s Blast Furnace No. 6 and Basic Oxygen Furnace No. 3.”

Source and Photo: NLMK Lipetsk