At the Northern Iron Ore Enrichment Works, specialists carried out a complex multi-stage set of works on equipment modernization. Thanks to systematic repairs, which took place in several stages in the pellet production shop No. 2, the workers of Northern GOK updated the LURGI 552A induration machine and roller screen.
The function of the screen of raw pellets is to sift out and return to the cup pelletizer a small class of pellets. As part of the modernization last year, an upper deck was installed on the screen for screening out a large fraction of raw pellets, and the rollers of the upper deck were replaced with design ones, which made it possible to increase the average hourly productivity of the firing machine from 460 tons to 463 tons per hour.
During the quarterly repair, which took place in April this year, instead of 25 rollers with a diameter of 150 mm, 41 were installed on the lower deck - with a smaller diameter of 89 mm. The applied technical solution improved the screening of the 0-9 mm fraction by almost 30%. In addition, this made it possible to further increase the productivity of the machine from 463 to 465 tons/h.
– The amount of work carried out was the final stage of the planned measures for the modernization of the LURGI 552A induration machine," comments Andriy STEBLIY, Deputy Head of the Production and Planning Workshop. – What have we managed to achieve? First of all, an increase in the productivity of the machine and an improvement in the quality characteristics of IORM. These measures also reduced energy consumption during production - gas consumption per 100 m³/h and electricity consumption – about 150 kWh, which should bring almost UAH 4 million this year. These are the key parameters we focus on in order to meet the consumer requirements of the European market and achieve results in operational efficiency.
Let's remind that after the loss of Metinvest Group's metallurgical plants in Mariupol as a result of Russian armed aggression, Northern GOK reoriented, switching to the production of non-fluxed pellets from A1 concentrate, which are in demand in Europe. For this purpose, in 2023, a two-unit roller screen of raw pellets was installed on the LURGI 552A and LURGI 552B induration machines, which ensured the production of quality products for European customers, and in the future, specialists designed and implemented a complex set of measures for its modernization.
Today, the company produces pellets in accordance with market requirements, products are sent to European consumers and metallurgists of Zaporizhstal and Kamet-Steel.
