Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) has crossed a major milestone in its ongoing modernisation and expansion activities with the commencement of coke pushing from its new state-of-the-art coke oven battery number 6.
Coke dry cooling plant (CDCP), coal handling plant as well as coal chemicals unit also became operational concurrently. The total investment in this entire complex is around Rs1,400 crores, officials informed.
The new battery, which is second of its kind in SAIl, is top charged having compound twin flue, under jet, regenerative heating with partial recirculation of waste gases. The seven metre tall battery of 67 ovens will produce 0.768 MT/Year of gross coke. The Computerised Heating Control System (COHC) has been installed for the battery operation for the process management system to reduce environmental emission, improve coke quality and productivity.
Congratulating to the CEO, RSP and the Collective on this occasion Chairman SAIl CS Verma said that with the start-up of this new battery at RSP as well as the new Coke Ovens Battery No. 11 at ISP in February 2013, SAIl has reaffirmed its commitment for environment friendly coke making through adoption of CDCP and other pollution abatement systems.
In addition, this is a major milestone towards integrated commissioning of RSP modernization wherein the new state of the art 4060 m3 Blast Furnace, the largest in the country, is also expected to be commissioned within one month.
It is noteworthy that RSP is all set to double its capacity from the current level of 2 MT to 4.5 MTPA (Million tonnes per annum) of Hot Metal on completion of on-going modernisation and expansion with commensurate increase in crude steel and saleable steel capacity.
Two more key units namely the New Sinter plant and the Raw Material circuit of Ore Bedding and Blending Plant Phase-II have already been made operational and are in the process of stabilisation.
Test and trial runs of new units like Blast Furnace-5, Power Blowing Station and New Caster are in progress and the units are likely to be put into operation soon. To meet the enhanced power requirement, the 220 KV bays at Tarkera Grid Sub- Station and the 220 KV double circuit transmission lines from the sub-station to MSDS-IV of RSP have been energised successfully, official said.