Metalloinvest has completed the modernization of the electric arc furnaces (EAFs) at Ural Steel. The furnaces were launched after a reconstruction process using Flexible Modular Furnace (FMF) technology.
The furnaces were put into pilot operation in 2019, with EAF #1 launching in September 2019 followed by the launch of EAF #2 in February 2020. Since EAF #1’s launch, the furnaces have produced over 600,000mt of high-quality steel.
A furnance using FMF technology can use any charge components (hot metal, pig iron, HBI, scrap) with the possibility of increasing the share of hot metal in the charge to 85pc, since the technology allows the production of steel by using a converter method without electrodes or electric energy.
Metalloinvest, the first company in Russia and Europe to implement FMF technology, has invested almost RUB1.1bn ($13.5mn) into the modernization project. According to Andrey Varichev, chief executive officer, Metalloinvest, switching to the newest FMF technology is energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and cost effective.
Furthermore, the technology has already been used in steel plants in India and China, according to Andrea Lovato, chief executive officer, Tenova, the firm that provided the technology for the reconstruction of EAF #1 and EAF #2.
Ural Steel operates two coke plants, three blast furnaces, electric steel shop and four rolling mills at present. The plant employs about 9,000 people at its site in Novotroitsk.
($1=RUB74.13)