The Business Bytes
TBB BUREAU
ROURKELA, DEC 16, 2022
The Steel Melting Shop-I (SMS-I) of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) has set a new record in lining life of steel ladle. The department recorded the feat on December 8 by achieving the highest ever lining life of 104 heats. The previous best lining life of 102 heats was clocked in August, 2021. The record was achieved with the collaborative efforts of Refractories Engineering (Services) and SMS-I collective.
An array of initiatives was taken which resulted in achieving the feat. These included consistent and dedicated improvement in Refractories and operational maintenance practices to cope up with the operational requirement of SMS-I in the recent past, ensuring of proper workmanship and extensive follow up of ladle throughout the campaign, cutting of the bricks exactly to match the lining profile for keying up, study of metal zone and slag zone wear out lining profile and modifying brick composition and lining pattern accordingly, systematic joint inspection of ladles after every heat starting from first life to end of campaign and taking corrective action in subsequent heats by both Refractories and Operation collectives of SMS-I. Monitoring of shell temperature of the ladle to identify the weaker areas, hot maintenance practices like Gunning and hot patching as and when required during service of the ladle, scheduling the mid campaign repairs in line with erosion profile and block life considering healthy profile of bottom and metal zone wear profile, Operational improvements in terms of Ladle rotation and optimum turndown temperature, introduction of modified top retainer plate and anchors to avoid dislodging of free board bricks during top jam removal etc. are some other initiatives that helped in achieving the commendable feat.
