Severstal Mill Shutdown

[Guest]

On another note, Furnace #7 at Essar Algoma, Sault, Ontario has been off-line due to problems for almost two weeks or more. Having trouble getting it back on line. Furnace #6, which was extensively rebuilt hasn't run since the economy went south, and it's probably in better shape, though smaller. They're talking possible extended lay-offs.

[Bobbyone]

Thanks for the responses. Air separation plants typically require a considerable amount of water for the intercoolers and aftercooler of the Main Air Compressor and other heat exchangers in the process. They're probably trucking-in LiqO2 to maintain limited gas delivery to the mill.

[WA 4659]

USS is operating one furnace, 12 hours on, 12 hours off. The Praxair water intake was severely damaged when the section of it that runs beneath the Detroit Bulk Storage Dock on the Detroit River was destroyed during a dock cave in late last week.

[BigB]

This article from Steel Market Update http://www.steelmarketupdate.com/pub/bl ... kesperson/ indicates that U.S. Steel Great Lakes Steel is also not producing steel at this time and that the problem was due to a failure in the supplier's main water line.

[Bobbyone]

Does anyone know what specifically failed at the air separation plant that resulted in the extended shutdown? The plants that I worked in typically had a substantial supply of liquid O2 to carry us over unless something very serious failed. Thanks for any info.