Primetals Technologies and ThyssenKrupp have signed an exclusive, worldwide cooperation agreement that sees both parties commit to bringing Sequence Impulse Process (SIP) technology to the market. The SIP technology has been developed by ThyssenKrupp AT.PRO tec GmbH (part of ThyssenKrupp Materials Services), and is well established for use in foundry cupola furnaces.

The underlying principles of this proven technology have now been adapted and specifically tailored to the blast furnace process. To prove the technology, ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe has installed the first ever full system on its blast furnace No1 at Schwelgern, in Duisburg, Germany.

Blast furnace operators can lower operating costs by injecting alternative fuels (most commonly pulverised coal) with the hot air blast, in order to reduce the required coke rate in the burden (furnace charge).

However, additional oxygen enrichment is required to promote combustion for the added fuel; and while this benefits the economic aspects for the furnace, it also results in a number of process and operational challenges.

Combustion of the fuel localised in the ‘raceway entry’ leads to higher heat loads on the shell and uncombusted material can accumulate in the burden — impeding gas flow and drainage, and ultimately reducing furnace efficiency.

The patented SIP technology acts to ‘repurpose the enrichment oxygen’ and deliver a series of controlled high-energy pulses, increasing local concentration in the raceway. The result is improved combustion and conversion of fuel, leading to better gas distribution and drainage potential.

Additionally, a higher penetration of the oxygen means the heat load generated is moved more to the central zone of the furnace, allowing the small coke proportion in the burden to be increased without loss of permeability or increased overall pressure drop. Total fuel rate can be lowered and, as a result, the added benefit of reduced carbon dioxide emission is achieved.

Jörg Glebe, ThyssenKrupp AT.PRO tec managing director, said: “By optimising the consumption of the reducing agents coke and coal, we have a major lever for efficiency improvements, cost and CO₂ savings. Following the premiere at ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe last year, we are delighted that in Primetals Technology we have now gained a partner for bringing our technology to the market.”