Track Record

New furnace to increase DMS Powders output

BATEMAN has been contracted by DMS Powders, a division of Samancor Ltd, to replace its existing furnace with a new, 2 t induction furnace that will increase the output of ferrosilicon by 40 %, and to upgrade the feed system to the furnace.

The contract covers the removal of the existing furnace, generator and all associated equipment, and replacing it with a new Electrotherm medium-frequency induction furnace. ABB South Africa is managing the project on behalf of the client. Although the new furnace is similar in dimensions to the old furnace, the fact that it operates between 300 and 350 Hz means that the production capacity will be greatly improved. Also, homogenisation of the melt will be facilitated, as will start-up of the furnace from a cold state with no heel required.

The contract follows BATEMAN's signing of a representative agreement with Electrotherm (India) Ltd, designer and supplier of the latest technology in induction melting, smelting, heating and re-heating. Over 800 furnaces have to date been supplied worldwide by Electrotherm, and this contract increases the number of Electrotherm furnaces in South Africa to four after only two years of marketing in South Africa. The furnaces installed locally have capacities of 1 t, 3 t, 4,5 t and 5 t, although furnaces of up to 30 t are available.

The post-taphole services provided by BATEMAN have traditionally covered the design and supply of processes and equipment in secondary metallurgy, such as the solidification of molten metals and slags, from atomisation through granulation to lump and ingot formation. These processes are enhanced by the design and supply of hydraulic and electro/mechanical taphole equipment, ladle tilters and the latest designs in granulation de-watering equipment.

The agreement with Electrotherm has resulted in a significant increase in the portfolio of post-taphole services and technology offered by BATEMAN. As a result, induction furnaces, induction-refining furnaces, AC and DC ladle-refining furnaces, and induction heating and refining converters are now offered. Also available are Electrotherm's open-arc furnaces, ranging from 5 t to 150 t, and AC sub-arc furnaces up to 15 MVA (which supplement BATEMAN's range of larger furnaces), DRI kilns, technology for furnace charge pre-heating and the continuous casting of billets, and rolling mills.

New furnace to increase DMS Powders output

BATEMAN has been contracted by DMS Powders, a division of Samancor Ltd, to replace its existing furnace with a new, 2 t induction furnace that will increase the output of ferrosilicon by 40 %, and to upgrade the feed system to the furnace.

The contract covers the removal of the existing furnace, generator and all associated equipment, and replacing it with a new Electrotherm medium-frequency induction furnace. ABB South Africa is managing the project on behalf of the client. Although the new furnace is similar in dimensions to the old furnace, the fact that it operates between 300 and 350 Hz means that the production capacity will be greatly improved. Also, homogenisation of the melt will be facilitated, as will start-up of the furnace from a cold state with no heel required.

The contract follows BATEMAN's signing of a representative agreement with Electrotherm (India) Ltd, designer and supplier of the latest technology in induction melting, smelting, heating and re-heating. Over 800 furnaces have to date been supplied worldwide by Electrotherm, and this contract increases the number of Electrotherm furnaces in South Africa to four after only two years of marketing in South Africa. The furnaces installed locally have capacities of 1 t, 3 t, 4,5 t and 5 t, although furnaces of up to 30 t are available.

The post-taphole services provided by BATEMAN have traditionally covered the design and supply of processes and equipment in secondary metallurgy, such as the solidification of molten metals and slags, from atomisation through granulation to lump and ingot formation. These processes are enhanced by the design and supply of hydraulic and electro/mechanical taphole equipment, ladle tilters and the latest designs in granulation de-watering equipment.

The agreement with Electrotherm has resulted in a significant increase in the portfolio of post-taphole services and technology offered by BATEMAN. As a result, induction furnaces, induction-refining furnaces, AC and DC ladle-refining furnaces, and induction heating and refining converters are now offered. Also available are Electrotherm's open-arc furnaces, ranging from 5 t to 150 t, and AC sub-arc furnaces up to 15 MVA (which supplement BATEMAN's range of larger furnaces), DRI kilns, technology for furnace charge pre-heating and the continuous casting of billets, and rolling mills.

Chambishi’s clay guns and taphole drills

BATEMAN has supplied fully-automated clay guns and drills to Chambishi Metals PLC, Zambia. Mounted on integrated carriages travelling on rails suspended overhead, the units serve multiple tapholes to tap both the slag and the metal independently.

An emergency clay gun, operated by backup accumulators, has also been installed to service the metal tapholes. In the event of a power or functional failure of the service unit, the emergency unit will ram the service unit out of position and position itself to plug the taphole.

The BATEMAN - Paul Wurth combination clay gun and taphole drill supplied to Chambishi meets all the modern requirements of a functional tapping platform. First, it creates a safe working environment for the operators and workers in the area. While heat- and burn-related accidents are infrequent, they are potentially very serious and reduction of all risk is a high priority. Secondly, it complies with all requirements for an extended tappingblock life. Being simple, rigid and high powered, repeatable positioning on the taphole is possible and its operation is functional, reliable and maintenance-free. When the equipment is retracted, it provides easy access and maximised space around the main launder.

The equipment can also handle the stringent processing demands imposed by the use of the harder siliconcarbide-bonded clays and the narrow and long tapholes needed for long tapping times and a regular flow of molten metal and slag.

Chambishi’s combined clay gun and taphole drill feature a fully remote-control operation. The slewing and ramming movements are hydraulically powered from a centralised pump and accumulator station through solid piping and swivel joints and no flexible hoses are used. The hydraulic fluid tolerates high temperatures and is non-flammable. The hydraulic holding force of the gun positioned on the taphole is adjustable up to 27 tonne. The drill is held in position during operation by the hydraulic cylinder – obviating the need for a separate locking device.

The clay gun can be designed with a capacity of up to 300 litres, with a nozzle designed for clay pressures up to 200 bar

Converter-slag granulation plant for Impala Platinum

A plant to granulate 1 tonne/min of copper-nickel converter slag has been supplied to Impala Platinum Limited, Rustenburg, RSA. The plant, designed by BATEMAN, includes all the equipment required to handle the molten slag and granulate and dispose of it. The plant comprises a ladle tilter, laundergranulation system, cooling tower and dewatering ponds. Civil construction was undertaken by Bafokeng-Bateman.

The granulation of a slag in water is the proven way to produce a product for retreatment or disposal in the most economical, safe and environmentally friendly manner. This means that the granules must be large enough not to become an environmental hazard, yet small enough to be conveyed or trucked to the downstream processes. The BATEMAN-designed system not only produces the required product, but ensures the safe and effective granulation of a slag material known to react in a volatile way during granulation with water.

The process

Molten slag is tapped into ladles which are delivered by an overhead crane to the ladle tilter equipped with a PLC (programmable logic controller) system. The tilted ladle feeds the molten slag down a hot runner at a constant rate of 1 tonne/min and discharges it into jets of water in the granulation basin through a specially configured launder.

The granulated slag and granulation water are then transported down the launder to a dewatering pond where the slag settles out of the water. Between granulations, batches of the slag are removed by an overhead mechanical grab and stored in a dewatering bin from where it is loaded into trucks.

The cooling circuit comprises a 550 m³ dewatering pond and an 850 m³ cooling-tower pond, a suction chamber and a ranulation-water suction chamber. The modular evaporative-cooling tower cools the pond to the required temperature between granulation cycles and is extremely economical.

Plant features

Molten slag produced during converter processes involving coppernickel mattes has been found in many instances to be as reactive as the matte when brought into contact with water during subsequent granulation. The design of the system installed for Impala Platinum therefore has many safety features. The water-to-matte ratio and water pressure and temperature are accurately controlled. The flow of molten slag is held constant and the configuration of the water jet is maintained to ensure proper agitation of the granulation water. This effectively evacuates the hydrogen generated by the process and prevents sudden outbursts of energy.

Forty percent of the granulated slag produced is between 0,6 mm to 1,0 mm, an appropriate size fraction for reprocessing.

A closed system is used to mimimise the effluent from the plant and a minimum number of mechanical devices ensures minimal maintenance and operator involvement.

The design of the cooling tower takes into account the possibility of the formation of airborne fibrous strands (Angel’s hair) during the granulation of this type of slag, which could block the cooling towers. The cooling tower was designed jointly by BATEMAN and Evapco.

Iscor slag de-watering plant

Iscor Vanderbijlpark has contracted Bateman Post-Taphole Services and Paul Wurth to design, supply and erect a Paul Wurth INBA slag de-watering plant at Blast Furnace D. Paul Wurth is the world leader in the design of blast furnace slag de-watering plants.

At Vanderbijlpark, molten slag granulated at a rate of 5 to 8 tonne/min will be pumped in slurry form to the INBA plant, where it will be de-watered and moved to stockpile by conveyor.

The installation of an INBA de-watering system on Blast Furnace D is part of upgrading of the granulation plant and will enable Iscor to improve its protection of the environment. The INBA system has a completely closed water circuit and all emergency overflows are collected in a sump and recirculated. Water consumption will be reduced.

The INBA system to be supplied to Iscor has several attractive features. Optimal filtering conditions are established in the drum by adjusting the rotational velocity to ensure that a bed of granules remains in the drum to serve as a sand filter. Water leaving the drum thus has a low suspended solids content which is not likely to plug downstream equipment. These conditions also limit the relative movement between the granulated slag and drum lining, minimising wear and ensuring long life.

Bateman IST supplies taphole equipment to Impala

Impala Platinum Limited Mineral Process Rustenburg, RSA, has awarded contracts to Bateman IST and Paul Wurth to supply and install Paul Wurth taphole equipment on the matte and slag tapholes at Furnace No. 5.

The Paul Wurth clay gun and taphole drill were selected by the client as they comply with all Impala’s requirements for extended tapping block life and a safe working environment. While heat and burn accidents are rare in this industry, they are potentially very serious making risk reduction a priority when selecting equipment.

Modern process-related demands, including long tapping times and regular matte and slag flows, are achieved by using harder SiC (silicon carbide) bonded clays in combination with narrow and long tapholes. To ensure repeatable positioning on the taphole, the machinery has to be high powered while simple, rigid, functional, reliable and maintenance-free. In retracted position the machines should be easily accessible while leaving a maximum of space around the main launder.

BATEMAN has been contracted by DMS Powders, a division of Samancor Ltd, to replace its existing furnace with a new, 2 t induction furnace that will increase the output of ferrosilicon by 40 %, and to upgrade the feed system to the furnace.

The capacitator bank
for the furnace.