core sector communique

Uhde is expanding Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann's coke oven plant

In late 2010 Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann (HKM) awarded Uhde a contract to build a second coke oven battery at its Duisburg Huckingen site as well as to expand the gas treatment unit and revamp the pushing machines, coal charging cars and transfer machines. This new coke oven battery will enable HKM to increase its current production from 1.16 to 2.32 million tonnes of coke per year.

The coke oven battery will comprise 70 large-capacity ovens. The oven chamber dimensions will be the same as those of the first battery, which has been in operation since 1984. Thus, with a height of 7.85 m, a length of 18 m and an average chamber width of 550 mm, the chambers will have an effective chamber volume of 70 m3. The new coke oven plant will be equipped with the latest state of the art, including the low-NOx COMBIFLAME® heating system developed by Uhde and the PROven® single-chamber pressure control system for reducing emissions at oven closures due to leakage arising from deviations from normal operation.

The expansion of the existing gas treatment unit will increase the current throughput from 75,000 to 160,000 standard cubic metres of coke oven gas per hour. The scope of supplies for the gas treatment unit will also include a new desulphurisation unit. The sour gas from this unit will be fed along with the sour gas from the existing desulphurisation unit to two new Claus units for the production of liquid sulphur based on the MONOCLAUS® process. This Uhde technology will replace the existing sulphuric acid plant with the appurtenant backup combustion system and result in much lower sulphur dioxide emissions from the expanded coke oven plant.

Uhde's services with regard to this coke oven plant project include the engineering, supply and erection of most of the overall complex.

The plant is scheduled to produce its first coke in autumn 2013.

Uhde has a workforce of more than 4,500 employees worldwide and is a company in the Plant Technology business area of the ThyssenKrupp Group. The company's activities focus on the engineering and construction of chemical and other industrial plants in the following fields: fertilisers; electrolysis; gas technologies; oil, coal, and residue gasification; refining technologies; organic intermediates, polymers and synthetic fibres; and also coke plant and high-pressure technologies. We also provide our customers with professional services and comprehensive solutions in all areas of industrial plant operation.

Situated in Duisburg, the "steel city" of Germany´s Ruhr area, the Huettenwerke Krupp Mannesmann (HKM) GmbH produce over 1.000 different grades of steel complying with the highest German and international quality standards. With a staff of roughly 3.000 employees, HKM´s annual production capacity totals 5.6 million tons, which equals about 12 % of Germany´s crude steel production. HKM´s semi-finished products, in the shape of slabs as well as round bars, are exclusively being delivered to its parent companies, ThyssenKrupp Steel AG, Salzgitter Mannesmann GmbH and V&M Tubes S.A.S., where they are processed into finished goods and brought to market. HKM´s competitive strategy is clearly focused on "quality leadership": To consistently manufacture and deliver highest grade products and services, adhering to our customers´ needs with maximum flexibility. By striving to continuously increase the value for its customers, HKM secures its own long-term competitiveness and positions itself as one of Germany´s leading steel mills. HKM is a EN14001, EN9001 and OHSAS18001-certified company.