Calcutta, Jan 7: The Durgapur Steel Plant of government-owned Steel Authority of India Ltd has decided to modernise its blast furnace 3 primarily with its own resources and equipment, according to DSP sources.The modernisation is estimated to cost Rs 96 crore, and completed by February 2001. Productivity is expected to rise to 1.3 tonnes per cubic metre per day. With a volume of 1380cum and a blast temperature of 1000 degrees centigrade, it will be able to produce 1800 tonnes of hot metal per day. The old furnace is being dismantled.The furnace has been designed by SAIL's Ranchi-based Centre for Engineering & Technology and will be similar to ones already modernised at DSP. "This was so done in order to maintain the same standards," a senior DSP official said.
Out of the four blast furnaces at this SAIL plant in West Bengal, nos 2 and 4 were upgraded during the nineties' modernisation programme at a cost of Rs 250 crore and Rs 315 crore respectively. The main features of the revamped furnaces include bottom hearth cooling, carbon hearth, 100-tonne top trolley for handling top level equipment, movable throat armour and twin tap holes in the cast house with rocking runner.
Both furnaces also got automated burden charging and monitoring, sinter screening and a conveyor for the high line, while furnace 4 was provided with additional facility of cast house slag granulation.
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