Blast Furnace Ironmaking

Metallurgy

150 YEARS OF PIONEERING

Paul Wurth history is marked by more than 100 years of expertise in the design and manufacture of ironmaking equipment. We have been integrated blast furnace plant builders for almost 70 years.
Like no other company in this field, we have been able to build on this foundation with further abilities: knowledge and understanding of raw materials, process technology and operations, control and automation, aspects of upstream and downstream processes, environmental and emissions control. Continuous improvement and decades of R&D activities have led to innovative solutions that improve safety, quality, sustainability and customer benefits.

This journey continues with our unique and complete range of solutions, technology and equipment for blast furnace ironmaking under one roof – at Paul Wurth.

Concepts

Conventional blast furnace

Unmatched expertise in the design and supply of the full range of technological solutions

The Paul Wurth Group can genuinely claim to be the global leader in blast furnace ironmaking technology. Almost every medium-to-large blast furnace operating in the world today incorporates state-of-the-art Paul Wurth technology and our products and services cover the whole range of blast furnace equipment and automation.

In over 230 blast furnace constructions and modernizations worldwide, proprietary Paul Wurth technologies and the expertise of our employees have contributed to our customers reaching their goals: reduced capital and operating costs, efficient project implementation, quick operation ramp-up, reliability, availability, safety, plant hygiene, environmental compliance, long campaign life…

Blue blast furnace

Achieving important CO2 emission reductions in existing plants

Even before steelmaking customers opt for a complete changeover in technology, gradual and staged – though nevertheless substantial – reductions in the CO₂ footprint can be reached in the short and mid-term by retrofitting innovative, resource-saving solutions onto the existing installed equipment.

Currently, Paul Wurth is extending its offering of technologies designed to gradually reduce CO₂ emissions in the classic blast furnace process, thereby creating a sensible balance between ambitious environmental targets and economic constraints. Our ‘blue’ blast furnace is capable of substantially reducing the carbon footprint of this established and proven technology.

Technology

Top charging

Paul Wurth has revolutionized blast furnace top charging. A modern Bell Less Top^® is a process-driven technological tool for controlling the blast furnace “from top” and which is complemented by process know-how and mathematical modelling.

BF Top Gas Cleaning

A high-efficiency top gas cleaning system is vital for reliable operation and prolonged campaign life of gas and blast systems, energy recovery and steam generation facilities. It allows the plant operators to meet the relevant pollution control standards.

Tapping

Stable and reproducible tapping operations are essential for stable hot metal supply to the steelmaking plant, to ensure hot metal quality, and to for the establish a smooth, efficient blast furnace ironmaking process overall.

Pulverised Coal Injection

The reliable, efficient and accurate injection of auxiliary reducing agents is vital for cost-effective blast furnace operation. Paul Wurth has been a driver of the pioneering development of Pulverised Coal Injection (PCI) technologies since the early 1980s; today, more than 80 mid-size and large Blast Furnaces worldwide are operating with our PCI systems.

Hot blast generation & supply

Our hot blast stove solutions, coupled with heat recovery and blowers / TRT, ensure reliable operation and energy savings.
Having integrated many decades of experience from various previously leading players in designing and supplying hot blast stoves plants and hot blast systems, Paul Wurth offers tailor-made solutions for your hot stoves, with either internal or external combustion chambers.

Slag granulation

Slag handling is an important aspect of modern blast furnace operation. Today, blast furnace slag is a value-added product for the cement industry, using granulated slag sand as CO2-friendly substitute for clinker in cement production.