LU 7:

Published by the EPRl Center for Metals Production

THE CHALLENGE: To Meet Environmental Standards, Competitive Pressures and the Need for Furnace Control and Flexibility Bell City Foundry, Brantford, Ontario, Canada, had been functioning with two, aging, coke-fired cupolas. Emissions problems: low output, start-up delays and restricted operating control made it clear that a survival challenge existed. Accord- ing to Richard Kostuk, president of the foundry located near Hamilton, “If you don’t modernize, you can’t compete.” To accomplish this modernization, a deci- sion was made to remove the cupolas ’

L’ “We never even ‘priced-out’ updating the and install new induction melting furnaces.

existing equipment,” says Mr. Kostuk, ”. . .our system was so old total replace- ment would have been required at a completely unrealistic expense.” “Instead,” he continued, “at a much reduced cost we could both eliminate the environmental problems and face the competitive chal- lenge head on.”

In summary, the conversion would: 0 Increase operating flexibility and prod- uct yield e Open new markets. e Solve environmental problems caused by atmospheric pollution and hazardous waste

f The Old Way The old coke-fired cupolas created a num- ber of environmental problems, including atmospheric pollution, hazardous waste resulting from high-lead-content scrap, and noisy operation.

In addition, startup time to reach work- ing temperatures was slow. This slow startup, along with less efficient, less con- trolled melting, meant operations took considerably longer than they should have.

and decreased productivity. Also, melting capacity and scrap

choice were limited. Richard Kostuk pointed out that “only three tons per hour could be melted with the old cupola

6. The result was increased operating costs

Bell City Foundry, Branfford, Ontario, increased output and operatin flexibility with its two 2,500 kw 'three-ton coreless induction furnaces manufactured by lnductotferm Corporation.

system-about 40% of our current daily average.”

The New Way The key to the foundry’s revitalization was two variable frequency, 2,500 kW, three- ton capacity coreless induction furnaces manufactured by lnductotherm Corpora- tion, Rancocas, New Jersey. A single power supply serves the two furnaces and provides excellent efficiency-ne fur- nace melts while the other is being tapped.

Coreless melting furnaces consist of a refractory chamber which holds the metal, surrounded by an electric heating coil and refractory insulation. The fur- naces operate on the transformer principle,

with the charge acting as a single second- ary turn, producing heat when the power is applied to a multiturn primary coil.

The Results: Pollution-Free, More Flexible and Productive Operation Pollution control is major problem facing foundries everywhere. Bell City Foundry’s coke-fired cupolas, dating to the early 1950s, would have required total replace- ment plus the necessary pollution con- trol equipment. And, even with a com- pletely new cupola system, hazardous waste generation would have remained a problem.

The Results: Pollution-Free, More Flexible and Productive Operation (cant.)

Because electric heating has no need for combustion air, pollution,,problems are practically eliminated. Scrubbers,’ 07’’ other gas cleaning devices, are normally not needed.

In addition, the variety of scrap that can be melted in induction furnaces al- lows the avoidance of high cost pig iron. With 100% metal-charge electric melting, the problem of potentially hazardous sludges and slags is eliminated. Also, scrap feed flexibility allows best-cost buys. According to Bell City, at the time of conversion, the pig iron it required was selling for twice the cost of the scrap it can now use.

Beyond cost and air quality advan- tages, the elimination of coke is also a m e plus for the foundry site and rqdoyees as well. The plant environ-

quieter, cleaner (without coke and handling) and more modem

I?rurce. IMbg to Mr. Kostuk, the new I ftmaces gave Bell City a tre- m krease in output and operating ky. “Before,” he says, “we only

abls to melt about 24-25 tons per iry. Now we can handle as much as 15 tons, with an average of about 40. Also, we’ve eliminated startup delays, as well as timing and control problems that ’ were routine with the old system.”

Further Advantages of Induction Furnaces Include: Rd *up from cokl. Full power is mailable m seconds, significantly reduc- hg the^ tkne it takes to reach working knpsr.krre. Odd~wlthIknlt.drcrrrp.Nomdte~n nwtd is mrclwsary with variable-frequency lndueBkn mdling. Induction furnaces oper-

Wfilwllng Uma Eflkient, controlled h.rting m u k in one-to-two hour melt olrckg far farder operations and easier, mom emdent scheduling. Auloc#Llc opomth. Predse control of adid-state power with modern controls rrquires lwnace afhdance only for charg- ing end metallurgical measurements. Thwe controls also contribute to im-

rb reliay m repeated cold starts.

PIOved ptoduct quaw bng nhrctoy m. variawe-frequency fumaces require minimum maintenance due to greatty reduced lining erosion. Qui# opmtkn. Induction furnaces run steadily end quietly, minimizing noise polkrtion.

As Richard b t u k summarizes, “Mtchtng to electric furnaces is an area whue modem~aeion can be achieved f W y mWy. And it’s a very mt-dective twue: our payback will be realized just thm years after the conversion.”

Q ~ 1 w e b r k r P m d u a t b n

The Bottom Line: A More Profitable Operation Today . . . Survival Tomorrow “The technology conversion at Bell City has put us in our strongest position in years . . . more than competitive with the , m

best in the area,” Mr. Kostuk is proud to announce.

Costs in all major facets of the melt- ing process have been reduced signifi- cantly: charge materials, down 24%; energy, 14%; labor, 34%; and refractories, 52%. In dollars, the per-ton cost advan- tage is $25-50 (Canadian), depending on the specific materials and procedures involved.

The fact that Bell City had not had significant prior experience with major elec- tric equipment was no drawback. The furnace supplier, Inductotherm, provided a turnkey servicefrom design of plant modification through furnace commission- ing. A significant additional advantage of electric melting is the ease with which operators can be trained, The induction system is a true “science”yk$thout the high degrcie of “art” and y e h ofaxperi- ence that cupola operations reqOir~.

Says Mr. Kostuk, “With the move to induction melting, Bell City solved its

environmental problems, lowered operat- ing costs, improved quality, and gained tighter temperature control as well as the flexibility to process a wide range of alloys.”

“Originally,” he continues, “we didn’t even look too’closely at ‘OperatifTg-Bst; benefits, since these other advantages, plus attractive financial tax write-offs on the purchase of major new equipment, were more than sufficient to justify the conversion decision.”

And further down the road? Mr. Kostuk says Bell City is planning to purchase an induction holding fumace/auto‘pour sys- tem (to even further improve productivity and flexibility) . . . and, possibly, a third 2500 kW furnace.

Other Applications of Induction Melting Furnaces Induction melting furnaces are used in a variety of applications. Some include: 0 In foundrie$ for melting aluminum, brass and bronze, zinc, and other nonferrous metals 0 Holding furnaces for the casting industry 0 Melting and superheating of steel for subsequent refining in basic oxygen furnaces.

Bell City Foundry-located 20 miles west of Hamilton and 55 miles south- west of Toront- was founded in 1947 by Richard Kostuk’s father, William, and an uncle, Joseph Kunvah. In its early years, Bell City produced, pri- marily, castings for the agricultural market. The firm has since devel- oped into one of the premier gray iron foundries in Ontario with annual ship- ments approaching 7,000 tons.

Bell City supplies a large range of castings-hubs, pulleys, valve closers, brake drums, cultivator parts, etc.-for the automotive after-market, processing plants, refineries, and utilities.

Bell City employs 65. Richard Kostuk, President, Bell City Foundry, modernized the found7 to boost production, cut cost and improve /ex/b//rty.

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