Nearly two decades after its commissioning in 2008, this achievement highlights the reliability and performance of SMS plants, with H Blast Furnace surpassing its designed capacity by 20% every year. This accomplishment sets a new benchmark for operational excellence and sustainability in the Indian steel industry.
Project history and realization
In August 2005, Tata Steel awarded the contract for the construction of the state-of-the-art H Blast Furnace at the Jamshedpur works to a consortium comprising SMS group companies and Larsen and Toubro. With an inner volume of 3814 m³ and an annual production capacity of 2.5 million tonnes of hot metal, this furnace was the largest ever built in India at the time of its construction, designed to elevate the annual production of Jamshedpur steelworks from 5 million to 7.8 million tonnes of hot metal.
The project was completed in a record time of 25 months from the start of civil works, with successful blow-in achieved on May 31, 2008. Despite the challenge of constructing the new facility in a restricted area adjacent to the existing blast furnace, the project was executed with remarkable efficiency and optimized logistics.
Cutting-edge technology and design
Tata Steel's blast furnace incorporated advanced technological solutions with a strong emphasis on energy efficiency and environmental sustainability. The design and layout were developed using a 3D design tool, ensuring reliable checks for potential interferences and detailed analyses for operational and maintenance accessibility. The blast furnace proper is equipped with several Paul Wurth solutions: a Bell Less Top® charging system, INBA® slag granulation plants to ensure efficient slag processing, an annular gap scrubber gas cleaning plant, a top gas recovery turbine (TRT), and a pulverized coal injection (PCI) plant contributing to improved energy efficiency, hot blast stoves including a heat recovery system. Finally, a flat casthouse featuring TMT casthouse equipment and probes addressed the operator’s safety at the highest level.
Industry recognition
The H blast furnace has received praise both nationally and internationally for its outstanding performance. Notably, it has achieved the highest tuyere coal injection in India for nine consecutive years and has been recognized by the President of India for its energy-saving innovations. Furthermore, it has set industry benchmarks in hot metal quality, particularly in maintaining stringent control over silicon content. The World Steel Association has also highlighted the furnace's exemplary practices in process safety for two consecutive years. Cristiano Castagnola, CoC Head of Blast Furnaces at SMS group, added, "We are delighted to see the H Blast Furnace achieve such a significant milestone. Our collaboration with Tata Steel has been a perfect synergy of technological innovation and operational excellence. This project exemplifies our shared commitment to sustainable steelmaking, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the industry."
Our collaboration with Tata Steel has been a perfect synergy of technological innovation and operational excellence.
A partnership for sustainable steelmaking
The joint commitment to sustainability of Tata Steel and SMS is reflected in the innovative design and operation of Tata Steel's blast furnace H. By integrating advanced energy-saving technologies and efficient resource management, Tata Steel and SMS continue to lead the way in reducing the environmental impact of steel production. This achievement not only highlights the two companies’ dedication to sustainable practices but also serves as an inspiration for the entire industry to pursue cleaner and more efficient steelmaking processes. As we celebrate this historic achievement, both companies remain focused on advancing sustainable practices and pioneering innovations in steelmaking.