Process Heat Equipment in Steel Mills

The impact of steel throughout time in our society has been immense. Today, Basic Oxygen Furnace

(BOF) and Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) are the two most popular and widely used methods in the

production of steel. While BOF is dedicated to refining iron into steel, EAF produces steel by recycling

scrap metal.

Regardless of how the steel is produced, the molten steel is

refined and processed for strength and quality during the

“Secondary Steelmaking Stage”, as seen above. This stage uses

ladle furnaces. During this stage, gas bubbles and fluid

impurities are also eliminated.

From the “Secondary Steelmaking Stage”, the molten steel is

the transferred from the ladle to the steel tundish, as seen in

the picture to the right. This stage is called the “Continuous

Casting Stage” because is here the molten steel is casted in the

form blooms, billets and slabs. After this stage, the blooms,

billets or slabs are then sent to rolling mills to shape more

detailed steel products.

Since the rate of cooling is important for the strength of the steel, the steel ladles and tundishes often

feature preheaters, dryers, or a combination of the two. Ladle and tundish dryers promote fast and even

drying at lower temperatures; whereas, preheaters are designed to achieve high preheat temperatures.

The combination of the two, dryer-preheaters, are designed to achieve both functions.

Combustion burners are involved in many stages of the steel making process. In order to run at optimal

capacity, combustion burner services are imperative. These services include preventative maintenance,

which covers NFPA accreditation checks, scheduled burner and pilot maintenance/tuning, leak tests,

operaperation/efficiency tests, ect.

For more information on ladle and tundish preheaters/ dryers/ dryer-preheaters contact Stelter & Brinck

at 513-367-9300 or www.stelterbrinck.com

Source: www.emtindia.net