Posted on 29 Jul 2013
Tung Ho Steel orders new induction booster EloHeat?
Tung Ho Steel has ordered a new induction
system from SMS Elotherm, Germany, for its production plant for medium
and large sections in Miaoli, Taiwan. With the new induction reheater,
Tung Ho Steel is achieving a huge reduction in heavy oil consumption,
while reducing emissions at the same time. This ecoplants concept allows
for rapid reheating of various materials and sizes.
“In contrast to the through-feed mode in the minimill featuring
Continuous Mill Technology (CMT?), the induction coils are heated in one
oscillation mode,” says Dr. Opezzo. The beam blanks, blooms or slabs
are conveyed from the walking beam furnace into the induction reheating
system EloHeat?, where they oscillate back and forth inside the
induction coils and very quickly reach a temperature of more than 200 °C
before entering the downstream rolling process.
“Depending on
the steel bar’s geometry, the oscillation process only takes between two
and five minutes,” says Dr. Guido Opezzo from SMS Elotherm. “Since the
induction process generates the heat directly inside the steel, it is a
very quick process which inhibits the formation of scale.”
The
19.2-MW system is powered by four medium-frequency transistor converters
with a rating of 4,800 kW each. To reach the most suitable temperature
for the downstream rolling process, the energy introduced into the
sections can be adapted. To achieve this, Laser-Doppler speed
measurement devices, in combination with optical pyrometers, are
therefore used to control the process.
Capacity to reheat a variety of geometries
The
entire product mix covers various materials and geometries, ranging
from 480 X 430 beam blanks to 1250 X 220 slabs, all between four and ten
meters long. This wide variety of geometries can be reheated with only
three different types of inductor sets. Combined with the Elotherm quick
inductor changeover system, the lowest possible downtimes can be
ensured.
The new reheating line is scheduled to be commissioned in the third quarter of 2014.
