Covering an area of 250 acres with a storage capacity of 400,000 tons, the Jinxi Steel Intelligent Mechanical Raw Material Yard, constructed on EPC basis by Sinosteel Equipment & Engineering Co., Ltd. (referred to as "Sinosteel MECC"), has innovatively adopted a "wood" layout structure, equipped with 70 high-definition cameras. It annually saves 6,700 tons of automotive fuel, contributing to an economic benefit increase of 50 million RMB. The project, which operates with stability since its commissioning, utilizes a mechanized, intelligent, environmentally friendly, and fully enclosed material automatic storage and conveying system to store and transfer bulk raw materials such as coke and external ore, supporting Jinxi Steel's green advancement.
As Sinosteel MECC delivers the intelligent "grain silo" to Jinxi Steel, the two parties once again join hands, signing a contract for the total contracting of the No. 5 blast furnace overhaul project.
Green material yard x Intelligent production
The raw material yard is one of the most fundamental and crucial components in the production process of a steel enterprise. It is responsible for tasks such as unloading, storage, particle sorting, and blending of materials. The processed and qualified raw materials are then conveyed to the subsequent processes, ensuring continuous and stable production throughout the entire steel enterprise.
In October 2021, Sinosteel MECC signed an EPC contract with Jinxi Steel for the construction of a fully enclosed, environmentally friendly, and intelligent mechanical raw material yard. The project involves the establishment of a new raw material yard covering 250 acres with a storage capacity of 400,000 tons. It includes major process systems and auxiliary facilities such as the automobile unloading system, unloading transfer system, enclosed material yard system, enclosed material yard output system, blending and batching room system, corridors, and transfer stations.
The project recently commenced operation, not only enhancing material processing capacity and efficiency but also improving the working environment. It has laid a solid foundation for optimizing material inventory, reducing raw material costs, and actively promoting the construction of a green factory.
As the general contractor, Sinosteel MECC adheres to the principles of a "green material yard" and "intelligent production." Through sincere cooperation with the client, the project aims to achieve leading equipment technology, efficient equipment operation, high-level mechanical intelligence, low resource and energy consumption, and environmentally friendly and low-carbon practices.
Pioneering "wood" type layout structure
The independently developed and designed "wood" type layout structure by Sinosteel MECC has been first applied in the Jinxi Steel Intelligent Mechanical Raw Material Yard, bringing multiple upgrades through optimizing the arrangement of the feeding conveyor, mobile stacking device, and mobile retrieval device:
- Significantly reduce investment costs
The track of the unloading vehicle and the upper track of the retrieval machine are set on the same-level platform, eliminating the traditional layout of the small T-shaped platform on the upper track of the retrieval machine. By reducing the height of the top unloading platform, it can reduce concrete usage by approximately 10%, resulting in a significant reduction in investment costs.
- Eliminate material blockage in sloping chutes
The top unloading vehicle adopts an elevated bidirectional stacking machine for material stacking, eliminating the chutes on both sides for unloading. This resolves the issue of severe material blockage in the sloping chutes of the unloading vehicle.
- Enhance production flexibility
The top unloading vehicle utilizes an elevated bidirectional stacking machine for material stacking, enabling the same conveyor to stack materials on both sides. This enhances production flexibility.
Mechanized Unloading and Retrieval
The raw material transport vehicle is centrally unloaded in the receiving chute, and it can either unload automatically or use a tipping machine for unloading, significantly improving unloading efficiency. The material is retrieved using a semi-door scraper material-taking machine and transported to the batching workshop silo by a belt conveyor. The entire process does not require on-site manual guidance, achieving mechanized material retrieval, effectively reducing operating costs, and minimizing dust emissions. The semi-door scraper material-taking machine features high efficiency, strong continuity, flexible operation, uniform material raking, minimal maintenance requirements, and effective control of material flow.
Intelligent Inbound Conveying
Upon entering the factory area, the raw material transport vehicle undergoes automatic sampling by a vehicle-mounted automatic sampler, enabling direct sampling, packaging, and code spraying with the entire process under automatic control. The driver, on the other hand, utilizes intelligent recognition devices for a fully contactless entry and exit experience. After unloading, the material is automatically directed based on its type, either entering the material warehouse or being sent to the batching workshop for pre-mixing. The material warehouse continuously updates its inventory in real-time, achieving automation in material measurement.
Environmentally Friendly Loading and Unloading
Departing from the traditional method of flat spreading materials, the Tianxi Intelligent Raw Material Yard utilizes conveyor belts for material transportation. The system is equipped with environmental dust collectors, employing ventilation dust removal at material transfer points to achieve ultra-low emission standards, significantly reducing dust emissions during the material stacking and handling processes. In the area where the vehicles are unloaded, dust suppression measures are implemented, minimizing unorganized emissions.
Efficiently Increase Storage Capacity
The layout of the C-shaped enclosed material yard occupies a small ground area. By installing partition walls in the cross-sectional direction of the material stack, not only can it effectively increase the height of the material stack but also enhance the storage capacity per unit area.
Effectively Improve On-Site Environment
Materials are stored indoors, and dust suppression facilities are in place. This not only prevents dust but also minimizes material loss, effectively improving the on-site working environment.
Effectively Stabilize Mineral Composition
The mixing and batching process utilize a variable frequency speed-regulated disc feeder and a batching scale, forming an automatic batching system. This system can achieve automatic batching of various iron-containing raw materials, effectively ensuring the stable and uniform mineral composition.
Effectively Ensure Equipment Safety Operation
All belt conveyors are equipped with automatic detection facilities, such as devices for misalignment and slippage, ensuring the safe and reliable operation of the equipment.
Effective Assurance of Metering Management
For materials received and transported to the next process, electronic weighing facilities are installed to ensure strict metering management.
Another Cooperation - Blast Furnace Overhaul
On February 10, 2023, both parties renewed their collaboration by signing the contract for the overhaul of Blast Furnace #5. Sinosteel MECC will be responsible for various upgrades and advancements for the Jinxi Blast Furnace, including:
- Optimizing the existing furnace design to achieve high productivity, efficiency, energy conservation, and extended lifespan.
- Upgrading the current cooling system using a combination of plate walls and thin linings to prolong the lifespan of the cooling walls.
- Updating and modernizing the two machines in front of the furnace, providing favorable external conditions for the smooth operation of the blast furnace.
- Installing monitoring systems for erosion on the furnace bottom and furnace hearth, as well as a cooling wall temperature difference detection system, ensuring the safe and prolonged operation of the blast furnace.
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Jinxi Intelligent Material Yard contracted by Sinosteel MECC put into operation, securing a contract for a blast furnace overhaul
