Blast furnace operational results four years after rebuilding at Rautaruukki steel

Rautaruukki Steel is a part of the Rautaruukki Group with an annual steel p roduction of 2.6 million t. Hot metal is produced in Raahe Works with two b last furnaces. The cost efficiency at the Rautaruukki Steel integrated stee l works is very much dependent on the overall efficiency of ironmaking. Low energy consumption (440 kg/t(hm)), together with high productivity (3.1 t( hm)/m(3) 24h) and stable blast furnace operation, has been achieved at Raut aruukki Steel due to efficient use of computer technology in the process co ntrol and the improvements in sinter and coke quality as well as in product ion technology, The targets for the ironmaking process are cost efficiency, production reliability and stable quality. The largest improvement in the blast furnace technology was carried out during the 90's when Rautaruukki r ebuilt its blast furnaces in 1995 (BF1) and 1996 (BF2) after 10 years campa igns and production of 9535 t(hm)/m(3) and 9747 t(hm)/m(3), respectively, T he operational results and experiences with the new blast furnace technolog y at Rautaruukki Steel will be introduced.