Electric arc furnace and off-gas cleaning from Siemens start operation at Baku Steel

Azerbaijani steel producer Baku Steel has put into operation an electric arc furnace supplied by Siemens Metals Technologies. The new furnace is part of an expansion project with which Baku Steel wishes to boost its annual production capacity to around 1.1 million metric tons of steel. The electric steel plant was equipped with an off-gas cleaning system as part of the project, so its dust emissions can be reduced to a maximum of 10 milligrams per standard cubic meter. Recently, Siemens also modernized the electric steel plant's ladle furnace and installed a dynamic compensation system.

Baku Steel Co. is the leading producer of structural steels in Azerbaijan. With the new 50-metric-ton electric arc furnace from Siemens, the company can produce 500,000 metric tons of steel a year, some 150,000 metric tons more than with the previous plant. This means that Baku Steel's production capacity will grow to an annual total of more than 1.1 million metric tons.

The off-gas cleaning system from Siemens comprises a primary dedusting system for the electric arc furnace and the 50-metric-ton ladle furnace as well as secondary dedusting system for the hall. The overall system has a capacity of around 950,000 Nm³/h. The fully automatic off-gas cleaning system limits the dust content in exhaust gases to a maximum of 10 milligrams per standard cubic meter, ensuring that dust emissions from Baku Steel's steel mill will meet European environmental standards.

The project also comprised mechanical equipment for the ladle furnace, including a compact portal, a water-cooled lid and current-conducting carrying arms as well as the basic automation of the arc furnace. A dynamic compensation system from Siemens was also installed, which – together with the modernized ladle furnace – commenced operation earlier this year. After completion of these measures, Baku Steel's electric arc furnace will achieve a specific energy consumption of 370 kilowatt hours with a current flow time of 35 minutes and electrode consumption amounting to 1.6 kilograms per metric ton of crude steel.

Further information about solutions for steel works, rolling mills and processing lines can be found at www.siemens.com/metals.