The production, initiated by the blowing process, took place following the reconstruction and intermediate repair works that were completed last Monday afternoon. The cost of the furnace repairs is reported not to exceed 700 million Czech crowns.
TŽ CEO Roman Heide stated, “We are at a historic milestone. The furnace has been successfully repaired and will continue to operate for the coming decades in compliance with the Green Deal and the strictest environmental standards. We are doing everything possible to preserve the integrated steel production process. We also believe that the new government will create new opportunities regarding electricity prices and electric arc furnace investments.”
The repair work was completed in just 42 days, a third of the normal duration. The most worn refractory linings at the bottom of the furnace were reconstructed to carry out a hybrid furnace renovation. TŽ Investment Director Daniel Heczko explained, “The process involves combining the original and new carbon blocks and filling the internal diameter with cast refractory concrete. This was applied for the first time in Třinec.”
Other technological units were also modernized: the central air and gas preheating system, gas pipelines, cooling and water management systems, belt and container loading systems, control systems, data networks, and gas analyzers. Over 50 km of new cables were laid during the repair process, with approximately 500 people from 30 supplier companies working on-site. Production Director Tomáš Gajdzica said, “Teams worked at heights ranging from minus 8 meters to 84 meters. Considering the facility’s spatial constraints, every process was meticulously planned.”
The furnace, operating since 1923, has a volume of 1,373 m³ and produces 3,200 tons of pig iron per day. With its last operating blast furnaces, Třinecké železárny has produced over 55 million tons of pig iron. Production is managed by approximately 120 operational staff and 60 maintenance personnel.
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