SAIL’s Rourkela Steel Plant Commissions New Ladle Furnace to Boost Steel Output

Steel Authority of India Limited’s (SAIL) Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) has commissioned an advanced ladle furnace, a major development in its pursuit of technological upgradation and manufacturing excellence.

Commissioned on Wednesday in Steel Melting Shop-II, the fresh Ladle Furnace 2D (LF#2D) is designed to refine molten steel after its initial manufacture and will contribute significantly to secondary metallurgy. The plant will provide a steady, efficient supply of liquid steel to RSP’s new slab caster installed recently, with increased throughput and turnaround time reduction.

With the latest features such as a 30 MVA furnace transformer, a water-cooled ladle roof, a hydraulic lift for the roof, electrode handling systems, and a mechanised ferroalloy feeding unit, LF#2D is a high-performance member of RSP’s infrastructure.

The commissioning of LF#2D is a repeat demonstration of our commitment to modernisation, productivity and most importantly, safety,” stated Alok Verma, Director in-Charge RSP who is also in charge of Durgapur and IISCO Steel Plants. “We are not what we produce we are steel. This achievement is a testimony to the genuine and assiduous efforts of our team.

The commissioning was done with adherence to safety standards, and it resulted in a zero-incident record something RSP attributes to meticulous planning and disciplined execution.

The Rourkela plant has been continuously modernizing its operations over the past few years in line with SAIL’s overall strategy to increase output and competitiveness in the domestic as well as world steel market. With the inclusion of LF#2D, RSP reinforces its ability to produce higher-grade steel at lower costs while continuing its long-standing emphasis on the safety of operations.