The companies said the upgrade included primary and secondary dedusting systems and waste heat recovery technology. Primetals Technologies equipped the converters with Vaicon Autofix and the Vaicon Damper. The new AOD converter allows Aperam to use more cost-effective raw materials. 

“With the second AOD converter and advanced environmental technologies now in place, we can operate with greater flexibility, produce more sophisticated grades, and further reduce our environmental footprint,” said Sofie Vantilt, steel plant manager at Aperam Genk. 

Primetals Technologies gave the AOD converter No. 2 a waste heat recovery ready system to cool hot offgas using a two-stage heat exchanger. The recovered thermal energy is made into hot water and can be used for other industrial applications to help reduce carbon emissions. 

The meltshop was provided with an automation system including level 1 automation, process automation, level 2 automation and the asset-life expert (ALEX) condition monitoring system. The supply also included transfer cars, a semiautomatic ladle transfer crane and an extension of the material handling system.