For the construction of a brand-new, 8.5 mtpy ironmaking plant, Shandong Rizhao Iron & Steel relies on the latest technology of the international market leader in Blast Furnace top charging. Shandong Rizhao Iron & Steel and Paul Wurth signed at the end of 2015 a contract for the delivery of two Bell Less Top charging systems for the two blast furnaces of customer’s new ironmaking plant. Each blast furnace will have an inner volume of 5 100 m³, designed for a daily production of more than 11 500 t of hot metal. These furnaces will be some of the largest ever equipped with a Central Feed BLT.

The order comprises all the BLT’s mechanical equipment (including material hoppers of 100 m³ volume), the cooling systems, parts of the hydraulic system, field mounted electrical and lubrication equipment and site supervision services for erection and commissioning. The tops feature some of Paul Wurth’s latest developments, such as the pressurized cooling concept for the main gearbox and spherical maintenance valves.

The customer has decided to go with the international market leader who is using his experience gained from world-wide application of a reliable technology for continuous improvement and innovation.

Equipment supply and services will be provided from Luxembourg and China. The two blast furnaces of Shandong Rizhao’s new plant shall be commissioned in 2017, respectively 2018.

Paul Wurth S.A., Luxembourg