WCA March 2025

Industry News

Optimising the durability and wear monitoring of a blast furnace ROGESA (Roheisengesellschaft Saar GmbH) in Dillingen, Germany, has commissioned SMS group to carry out a comprehensive modernisation of a blast furnace, to extend its service life and ensure effective monitoring of the hearth lining. The contract includes the planning and delivery of the Paul Wurth hearth lining and multi thermocouple sensor probes (MTPs), as well as technical support during the installation phase. The required upgrade is based on measurements taken in 2023, which indicated that the wear on the hearth of the facility’s blast furnace 4 is more advanced than expected, and that the remaining wall thickness is approaching the wear limit. Blast furnace 4, built in the late 1970s, was enlarged and re lined by Paul Wurth in 2003. It has a usable volume of 2,460m 3 and an output of 6,400 tons per day. The last reline on the blast furnace took place in 2016. For the new furnace lining, SMS plans to use Paul Wurth hearth lining technology, including carbon blocks, ceramic cups and refractory materials, which are known for their durability and reliability. Well-designed equipment offers thermal insulation by maintaining the extremely high temperatures required for iron ore reduction. In addition, it offers corrosion resistance by avoiding chemical attacks from molten iron and slag, and structural support by withstanding mechanical stresses and maintaining the furnace’s shape. The multi thermocouple sensor probes are designed to precisely determine and track hearth lining wear, ensuring enhanced monitoring and operational efficiency.

Blast furnace 4 at ROGESA, as viewed from the water treatment plant

The project is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2025, with a shutdown time of only 55 days. It is the latest undertaking in a long-standing relationship between SMS group and ROGESA, with previous collaborations focusing on hot blast stoves and refractory-related projects. Martina Engelmann, project manager at SMS group in Germany, commented, “We are delighted to continue our partnership with ROGESA on this important project. Our advanced hearth lining technology enables ROGESA to extend the life of their furnace, operate them more safely, and prevent forced shutdowns. After the big re-line in 2003, it makes us proud to continue collaborating here in Dillingen.” Dr Jürgen Hochhaus, operations manager of the blast furnace department at ROGESA, added, “We greatly appreciate SMS group in Germany for their flexibility and prompt responsiveness to our requests, which were critical to the success of this project. Their expert solutions, particularly their expertise in hearth lining and multi thermocouple sensor probes, ensure the durability and safety of our operations.” SMS group GmbH ROGESA www.sms-group.com www.rogesa.de

Precise gauging solutions on display Nordson Measurement & Control manufacturers improve product quality and increase productivity.

Booth 717

Solutions, formerly NDC Technologies, will be displaying several products at Interwire 2025. Visitors to the Nordson M&CS (Beta LaserMike Products) booth (717) will see how precise, reliable measurements along the critical points in the cable extrusion process can help

Other product recipe creation and storage, settings configuration (including tolerance limits), internally stored manual and Fieldbus files, and internal diagnostics capabilities. Also on display at the Nordson booth will be the LaserSpeed® Pro M Series non-contact length and speed gauge for measuring moving, bouncing products; AccuScan 6000 Series four-axis scanning diameter and ovality gauge; Smart Temp intelligent preheating solution; BenchMike Pro off-line diameter and ovality sample part inspection system; CenterScan 2010 non-contact eccentricity measurement system; and Datapro process controller and data management system. Nordson Measurement & Control Solutions www.ndc.com features include

Product introductions will include the new TrueWall embedded webserver. The TrueWall embedded webserver is new software that is integrated within Nordson’s TrueWall ultrasonic gauge, providing critical measurement data on product centring, wall thickness, eccentricity, diameter and ultrasonic wall echo waveforms. All of this information enables operators to quickly set up extruded products, and to check that the product meets specifications. The new webserver can be paired with external laser OD measurements, line speed (encoder/LaserSpeed®) and other discrete digital inputs/outputs to create a comprehensive system. This capability also eliminates the need for a PC-based control application or separate controller.

The new TrueWall embedded webserver will be on show at Interwire

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March 2025