Processes in Steel Minimill

This specification deals with water facilities comprising of treatment, cooling and pumping system for
different grades of water required for one (1) Electric Arc Furnace (EAF), (2) Ladle Furnace (LF), Fume
and dust extraction system (FDES), associated material handling system, one (1) 5 strand billet casting
machine (CCM), and one (1) rolling mill (RM) for rebars for the steel minimill.

The technical specification covers the water facilities together with all ancillary equipment, electrical
facilities, instrumentation and control system, pipework etc. within the battery limit of water facilities.

The water facilities for SMS and rolling mill shall comprise of the following circuits:
a) Soft water closed cooling circuit (CCW) for CCM mould.
b) Common indirect cooling water circuit for EAF, LF, fume and dust extraction system, SVC cooling,
CCM machine and tertiary, induction furnace and rolling mill, heat exchanger secondary side cooling and
compressor cooling.
c) Common direct cooling water (DCW1) circuit for CCM and RM.
d) Direct cooling water (DCW2) circuit for Thermoprocessing unit.

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

Water Closed Cooling Water (CCW) Circuit

CCW circuit is envisaged for mould cooling of caster. The soft water shall be supplied by a group of
horizontal centrifugal pump to CCM mould. The return hot soft water from CCM mould shall be cooled
in a plate type heat exchanger and pumped back to the CCM mould. Expansion tank shall be provided for
taking care of expansion of water in the CCW circuit. The circuit shall be pressurized through expansion
tank using nitrogen from distribution network. The expansion tank shall be located at the ground level. To
compensate losses, soft make-up water will be added to the expansion tank by a group of horizontal
centrifugal pump, taking suction from soft make-up water storage cum emergency water collection tank
(Sump-01). For maintaining water level in the sump, process make-up water line will be connected to the
sump with automatic valve. Corrosion inhibitor and biocide dosing facilities in the closed cooling circuit
shall be provided to maintain water quality. Power/control of the pumping system shall be supplied/done
from water system ECR. A tapping shall be taken from main process make-up water header near make-up
water storage tank and shall be fed to soft make-up water storage tank of closed cooling circuit to take
care of any losses in the closed cooling circuit. Automatic valve shall be provided in this line which shall
operate based on level of the sump.

Common Indirect Cooling Water (ICW) Circuit

ICW circuit is envisaged for the cooling of EAF, LF, fume and dust extraction system, SVC cooling,
CCM machine, induction furnace and rolling mill equipment, compressors and secondary side of heat
exchangers. ICW shall be supplied from cooling tower basin (RCC construction) to the various
consumers as per process requirement by the different group of pumps and hot water shall be returned
back to the top of ICW cooling tower (CT-1). Auto backwash strainer shall be provided at common
delivery header of EAF, LF and SVC cooling pumps. About 5% of recirculating water shall be filtered
through pressure sand filter to restrict TSS in the recirculating water. One (1) dedicated group of pump
shall be provided for back washing of side stream pressure filter (SSPF). Air blowers for DCW pressure
filters shall be utilized for backwashing of SSPF also. After backwashing, dirty backwash water shall be
collected in a common dirty backwash water collection tank. To compensate losses, make-up water shall
be added automatically in the cooling tower basin based on level in the basin. As service water pump is
taking its suction from ICW cooling tower basin, no separate blow down have been considered from ICW
circuit. All pumps related to ICW circuits shall be installed in RCPH. For maintenance of equipment
pendent operated single girder EOT crane shall be provided in the re-circulating water pump house
(RCPH). Power/control of the all group of pumps shall be fed/done from water system ECR.

Direct Cooling Water (DCW) Circuit

Entire direct cooling water circuit (DCW) is divided into two (2) parts as follows:
i) Direct Cooling Water circuit for CCM and RM (DCW1)
ii) Direct Cooling Water circuit for Thermoprocessing unit (DCW2)

Direct Cooling Water circuit for CCM and RM (DCW1)

DCW circuit (DCW1) is envisaged for the cooling of casting machine (CCM) and rolling mill (RM). For
caster, high pressure cooling water shall be supplied to CCM spray cooling consumers and low pressure
cooling water shall be supplied to CCM machine from DCW1 cooling tower basin by separate pump
groups. For RM, cooling water to RM stands shall be supplied by separate pump groups. Above
mentioned DCW1 supply pumps shall be located in RCPH. The hot return water from the CCM spray and
machine and RM stands contaminated with scale particles, oil and grease shall be collected to a circular
scale pit (RCC construction) through flume. In scale pit, three (3) groups of pumps shall be installed. First
group of submersible type pump shall supply water to settling tank for further clarification. Second group
of submersible type pump and third group of submersible type pump shall be provided for flume flushing
of CCM and RM respectively in order to prevent deposition of scale in the flume. A suitable capacity
electrical hoist along with grab bucket shall be provided in the scale pit for removal of scales as per
technology supplier’s requirement and scale shall be dumped in the scale bin for further disposal by the
Client. Tube type oil skimmer shall be provided in the overflow sump of scale pit for removal of oil and
grease. A dedicated ECR shall be constructed near scale pit area to feed power for scale pit pumps.
The supernatant water from the scale pit shall be pumped to a twin compartment settling tank for further
clarification and oil removal. Each compartment of the settling tank shall be provided with scrapper
mechanism and oil skimmer. Accumulated scale shall be evacuated by grab crane of suitable capacity
and scale shall be dumped at the scale bin for further disposal. Clarified water from the outlet chamber of
settling tank shall be pumped to DCW1 cooling tower (CT-2) via high rate pressure filters.
To deliver water to pressure filters and DCW1 cooling tower (CT-2), a group of horizontal centrifugal
pumps shall be installed in the settling tank pump house. Pump house shall be of civil construction. A
suitable capacity electric hoist and ventilation shall be provided in the settling tank pump house. The
filtration plant shall be provided with adequate number of filters such that if one (1) filter is under
backwash, balance filters can take care of the total load. For backwashing, one group of dedicated
pumps and air scour blowers shall be provided. This group of backwashing pump shall also be utilized for
backwashing of filtration unit of Thermoprocessing. The air blowers shall be utilized for backwashing of
filtration unit of Thermoprocessing and SSPF of ICW circuit also. Dirty backwash water from the filters
shall be collected in a suitable capacity dirty back wash water collection tank for further treatment and
water recovery. Backwash water supply pumps and air blowers shall be installed in the RCPH. After
cooling of hot return water in DCW1 cooling tower (CT-2), it shall be collected in the DCW1 cooling
tower basin (RCC construction) and recirculated by the various group of supply pumps as mentioned
above. DCW1 cooling tower (CT-2) shall be of FRP construction. Fresh make-up water shall be added to
compensate losses. Suitable chemical shall be dosed in the DCW1 circuit to prevent corrosion/scaling and
biological growth. Overflow water from DCW1 cooling tower and settling tank shall be connected to
scale pit to take care of any imbalance. Blowdown from DCW1 circuit shall be done with a pneumatically
actuated valve, controlled by conductivity meter. Blowdown water shall be collected in a sump and it
shall be further distributed for slag quenching. Dirty backwash water generated from SSPF, DCW1 filters
and DCW2 filters shall be collected in a common collection tank with a provision of air agitation facility.
Dirty water from collection tank shall be pumped to a raised type RCC thickener by a group of pumps.
Overflow water from thickener shall be discharged to inlet channel of settling tank through pipe by
gravity. Underflow of thickener shall be directly fed to filter press for dewatering by a group of underflow
sludge pumps. Suction and delivery lines of underflow sludge pumps shall be provided with water and air
flushing facility. After dewatering of sludge in filter press, cake shall be disposed and filtrate shall be
collected in a sump. Filtrate generated from filter press shall be collected in a filtrate water sump and
from there shall be discharged to thickener by a group of pump for further treatment and water recovery.

Direct Cooling Water Circuit for Thermoprocessing unit (DCW2)

A dedicated DCW circuit (DCW2) is envisaged for the cooling of the Thermoprocessing units of RM.
One group of pumps shall supply low pressure (about 6 bar at TOP) water required for the booster pumps
of Thermoprocessing unit. To meet the pressure requirement of 20 bar at consumer end, necessary booster
pumps along with its electrics and control shall be provided by the Technology supplier and the same
shall be located in the Mill area. Hot return water from Thermoprocessing unit shall be collected in a
sump under the Mill floor. One group of pump shall be provided to deliver water from sump to DCW2
cooling tower (CT-3) through high rated pressure filters. The filtration plant of DCW2 circuit shall be
provided with adequate number of filters such that if one (1) filter is under backwash, balance filters can
take care of the total load. Backwashing pumps and air blowers of DCW1 circuit shall be utilized for
backwashing of DCW2 high rated pressure filters. Dirty backwash water from the filters shall be collected
in a common dirty back wash water collection sump for further treatment and water recovery. After
cooling of hot return water in DCW2 cooling tower (CT-3), it shall be collected in the DCW2 cooling
tower basin (RCC construction) and recirculated by the supply pumps which shall be installed in RCPH.
DCW2 cooling tower (CT-3) shall be of FRP construction. Fresh make-up water shall be added to
compensate total losses. Blowdown from DCW1 circuit shall be done with a pneumatically actuated
valve, controlled by conductivity meter. Blowdown water shall be discharged to DCW1 cooling tower
basin to maintain water quality. Suitable chemical shall be dosed in the DCW2 circuit to prevent
corrosion/scaling and biological growth. Overflow water from DCW2 cooling tower shall be connected to
scale pit to take of any flow imbalance.