An electrical soaking furnace for long products supplied by Danieli Centro Combustion has reached full operation four weeks after installation at Swedish long products maker Fagersta Stainless.
The facility equalises billet temperature between induction heater reheating furnace and the rolling mill, Kallanish understands. It was engineered, manufactured and assembled on site in seven months following order signature. According to Danieli, this kind of furnace finds its best application in mills with differentiated rolling temperature demands due to material characteristics.
In combination with induction heating, it maximises yield by minimising temperature setting stops in the reheating furnace – still providing a fully equalised temperature profile of billet, Danieli explains. It may also be applied in layouts that foresee long distances between reheating furnace and stands, or in plants operating with hot charge, for zero emissions.
To achieve the process requirement, and at the same time pursue the ambitious target of decarbonisation, the furnace is fully powered by electrical resistance, Danieli notes.
Resistance coils developed and tested in Danieli Research Center are installed along the entire length of the furnace roof and walls maintain the furnace chamber at temperatures up to 1,250 °C. This was never reached before with this heating system, the planbuilder claims.
Fagersta Stainless is a unit of Outokumpu.
Christian Koehl Germany
