OREANDA-NEWS. April 13, 2012. Ilyich Iron & Steel Works of Mariupol (Ilyich Steel), the subsidiary of Metinvest, an international vertically integrated group of mining and metals company, is about to finish construction and erection works and installation of the power system to support the PCI plant. In early May, it is planned to test the facility, and in July – process tests with injection of the fuel in blast furnaces will be conducted.

All iron and steel works of Metinvest continue elaboration and implementation of the pulverized coal injection equipment (PCI facilities) to inject PCI fuel into the hearth of the blast furnaces. The project is implemented within the frames of the long-term (till 2020) technological strategy of the Group. Implementation of this large scale investment project will allow Metinvest to give up the use of natural gas in the blast furnace shops of the company almost completely. At the same time, one of Metinvest’s development priorities along with economic performance emphasizes environmental friendliness.

In particular, Ilyich Steel project foresees implementation of the dust suppression technology using nitrogen in the cast houses and modernization of the gas supply systems of the air stoves. These systems will be installed and launched simultaneously with the commissioning of the PCI plant. The design of the main building of the facility envisages fully sealed coal grinding tract, reloading points and coal dust feed to the blast furnaces, as well as equipment of the closed coal warehouse with the advanced de-dusting systems made by the leading Russian (CJSC SovPlim) and Polish (EKO INSTAL) manufacturers. All dust will be collected by several bag-house de-dusting units and supplied to the blast furnaces via special ducts. Recirculation of dust and leak-proofness of the unit are the major technical solutions of the project.

Total value of the project is over USD 150 mln. Currently, the construction and erection works and installation of the power system to service the PCI plant are underway to completion. In May 2012, it is planned to start testing the plant’s mechanisms, and technological trials with injection of the PCI fuel into blast furnaces will commence in July. The works are in progress fully per the project schedule approved by Metinvest Group in March 2011.

At EMZ of Metinvest the project is at the design stage. The erection works are to be started in 2H2012.

Preparation for the PCI implementation is in progress at Azovstal, as well. The project team started working on the Feasibility Study of the project which will complete by the end of 2012.