7 May 17:32
In Norilsk, the Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant (NMZ) completed a major overhaul of depletion electric furnace No. 1 ahead of schedule. For the first time, the key elements of the unit were completely designed and manufactured by engineers of the Norilsk Nickel company itself.
Previously, such complex pyrometallurgical equipment was purchased abroad. Now Norilsk Nickel has mastered the full cycle of production of an electric depletion furnace – from the creation of design documentation to the release of the finished product.
At the Mechanical Plant, they modernized the technical process and purchased a deep drilling machine, which made it possible to speed up the execution of individual operations tens of times. For accurate installation of the structure, a real plant site was recreated on the stand.
“The early commissioning of the furnace is a landmark event for the company,” said Alexander Leonov, vice president and director of the Polar Branch of Norilsk Nickel. — In fact, we have moved to a new level of technological self-sufficiency: we have completely designed, manufactured and installed the most complex equipment using our own repair complex. This is not only the substitution of imports, but also the creation of an internal competence center capable of replicating experience in other production areas. The economic effect of the project has also been confirmed. However, in this case, the long-term sustainability of the key production chains of the plant, one of Norilsk Nickel’s main production assets in the Arctic, is much more important.”
A depletion electric furnace is needed to process flash smelting furnace slags and converter slags generated during the smelting of ore concentrate. Slag is a mixture of non-target components with residues of valuable metals not extracted at previous stages. Four such electric furnaces are installed at NMZ. In total, they process about 2,500 tons of raw materials per day, extracting nickel, copper, cobalt and platinum group metals from slag. The efficiency of the entire plant largely depends on their stable operation.
529 copper caissons of 14 standard sizes were manufactured for the furnace – these are cooled modules that operate in extreme temperature conditions. The metal for them was extracted by the company's mineral resources complex. During the overhaul, specialists restored the foundation of the unit, installed a hearth of 18 segments and made all welded connections. Around the clock, about 110 people were simultaneously engaged in lining the base, installing the frame, loading systems and collector cooling at different heights, strictly observing the highest technological standards.
Acting Director of NMZ Maxim Pedanov emphasized the importance of launching the furnace for the plant’s production chain:
“While the furnace was being repaired, the first production line operated with restrictions. Thanks to the well-coordinated work of the repair services and the melting shop team, the launch was carried out ahead of schedule, and the furnace has already produced its first matte. We have gained invaluable experience and proven that, regardless of the complexity of the challenges, we are capable of solving any problem.”
