Continuous Development for Longer Battery Life at the Rautaruukki Steel Coking Plant

摘要

Recent and significant developments in operation, maintenance and management to achieve a longer battery life are presented.From 1987 through 1992, dynamic scheduling and heating control models were developed. At the same time, development efforts were also carried out to modernize the coke plant through automation, hydraulics, new machines and mechanical improvements. During and after this period, several development and repair projects were realized to prolong battery life: tighter control of coal blend physical properties, grain size and moisture content to improve coke yield and quality; improved controls for pushing force and coke level measurements; systematic preventive maintenance of refractory materials by ceramic welding, flame gunning, dusting and gunniting; larger planned repairs, such as oven deck rebricking and CDQ-chamber relinings were carried out as projects; and organization of process management and team organization systems to improve coke plant productivity.