The company fired up the third of the steel shop’s three new converters this spring, marking the end of a project that will lift steel production nearly 17% to 3.5 million metric tons per year. 

As part of the project, SMS group designed and built the core components of the 150-metric-ton vessels, which are outfitted with the company’s lamella suspension system and bottom-stirring equipment for combined blowing oxygen-lance systems. 

In addition, the primary de-dusting system was upgraded and new secondary de-dusting systems were added. The gas cleaning system is designed as a wet dust-collection facility with venturi scrubber, SMS said. 

SMS group also oversaw installation and commissioning. 

“With SMS group we have a reliable partner by our side and this is especially important when handling highly complex modernization projects,” said Ponnapalli Madhusudan, chairman and managing director of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.