Liberty Galaţi announced the completion of a €13.5mn ($16.5mn) upgrade to its hot stove #1 which is connected to the steelworks’ blast furnace module #5 (BF5), according to a statement released by the company on Dec 22.
The company expects the upgrade will increase the performance and reduce the costs of the plant. The hot stove ensures the preheating of air to a temperature of about 1,200 degrees Celsius before it is then blown into the blast furnace to support the smelting process.
The new equipment is currently undergoing the final hot tests and was introduced into the flow process, after a successful ramp-up. The stove uses “state-of-the-art technology” which will ensure a “significantly higher operational performance” from BF5.
Liberty Galaţi’s CEO, Bogdan Grecu said, “This complex project is an essential and extensive upgrade which will ensure the continuity of our hot flow, improve our efficiency and reduce our costs.”
The company’s fully integrated Romanian steelworks has an annual steelmaking capacity of 2mn mt and has the ability to produce a wide range of flat products, including plates, coils, galvanized sheets & coils, organic coated products, and welded tubular products.