The construction of gas purification on the sintering machine № 2 of the «Zaporizhstal» Steel Works is currently in an active phase, with significant progress already made.
This was told by Igor Chernjak, the Director for labour, industrial and technogenic safety of the «Zaporizhstal» Steel Works during the working meeting which took place at the construction site of gas purification for the sintering machine № 2: «The works on construction of gas purification at the sintering machine № 2 have begun one month ago, and at this stage one third is already done - works on foundation are finished, more than 300 tons of metal structures are mounted, erection of equipment for gas purification is going on».
Let's remind that in May 2013, the Steel Works put into operation sintering machine № 1 with highly technological gas purification and two electric precipitators (investments composed of 240 million UAH). In total, there are six sintering machines at the Steel Works, each of which is planned to be equipped with modern purification equipment. Construction of each new gas purification will allow reducing industrial emissions of the Steel Works by up to 10%. With the commissioning of gas purification on the sintering machine № 2, the emissions of the Steel Works will be reduced by 20% from the total emissions. Investments into the construction of gas purification for the sintering machine № 2 totaled 80 million UAH.
The principle of the new gas purification system for the sintering machine № 2 includes multistage flume cleaning: gas is cleaned in bag filters, and the trapped iron-containing dust from the bag filters is returned to the sintering production. The new gas purification equipment will ensure that at the sintering machine № 2, the air is cleaned from dust to levels of 20 mg/Nm3, and for sulphur dioxide content less than 400 mg/Nm3, which will correspond to the European normative standards of emissions. This equipment will also allow for a gradual reduction in the discharge of sludge waters from the water recycling system of the sintering plant.
Despite the challenging economic situation in Ukraine, the Steel Works continues to invest monetary funds into ecological upgrades. Since August 2012, the Steel Works has invested more than 250 million US dollars toward these purposes.