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STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES REV NO : 00

OF BLAST FURNACE DEPARTMENT AMD NO : 00
EFF. DATE :
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STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR TOP FIRING

CONTENTS

PAGE
SR.NO DESCRIPTION
NO

1 Introduction 2

2 Description of activities 3

3 Personal hazards 3

4 Risks to environment and plant 4

5 Safety requirement - Training, isolations, PPE, Special equipment 4

6 Emergency preparedness 4

7 Safety Equipment required 5

8 Pre-conditions for Top firing. 5

9 Sequential description of activities 5

10 Completion checks 5

11 Important telephone nos. 6

12 List of documents to be maintained 6

13 Monitoring the data - Frequency and corrective actions to be taken. 6

14 Engineering Change notes 6

15 Training records of the employees 7

16 Calibration records 7

17 Documents would be reviewed and authorization 7

1. Introduction:

• In a planned maintenance shutdown it is normal to open the furnace top and ignite the
burden surface.
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• This will allow venting of the furnace top and raw gas system, enabling access to the BLT
and dust catcher.

• Top Firing is a safe practice for maintenance job at furnace top and gas line.

Prepared by: Checked by: Approved by:

In charge Head of the department

Signature Signature Signature

2. Description of activity:

 Responsibility of shift in-charge

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Ensure that the materials required for top firing like wood, cotton waste, match box, LDO and
prepare torch should be shifted to furnace top prior to shut down.
After shut down keep open the relief valve, bleeder valves, back draft valve, USV, UMG.
Close the primary & secondary equalization valves, LMG, LSV and dust catcher cut off valves.
All tuyeres must be plugged with hydrous clay except one tuyere.
Nitrogen Cooling of BLT gear box to be stopped.
Ensure all bolts from the access manhole are removed. This process may start after the furnace
has been shut down, leaving 1 of bolt firmly in place.
Turn off the N2 purging at the furnace top and open the door. No personnel should stand directly in
front of the door or in a position to be struck by the door in the event of an explosion.
Throw a torch made with wood &cotton through the door to ignite the burden surface.
Exercise with great care, to see if the burden has ignited, if not, then throw in another torch.
If the burden still does not light, throw in torches till there is definite ignition of gas taking place.

Draft the furnace, dust catcher and down comer. This process will remove nitrogen from these
vessels and allow entry for maintenance purposes. Note – the atmosphere should be tested for
oxygen depletion before entry into any vessel or confined space.

 Safety Considerations

Top Firing can be a hazardous process, with potential for flames from openings in the top and
projection of material from tuyeres. All non-essential personnel should be cleared from the top area.
Those involved in the process should be well protected by safety equipment and have a monitor
capable of detecting both CO and O2 gasses.
All personnel should be cleared from the tuyere area and lookouts / barricades erected to keep
people out until the top firing is complete. Ensure adequate supply of torches is available. A
minimum of 5 torches may be required.

3. Personal hazards - in or around the work:

a) CO content in BF-gas is Poisonous; permissible limit of CO gas is 50 ppm.

b) Fire and explosion.
c) Electricity Hazards.
d) Hazards with Compressed Air/N2, steam and oxygen.
e) Material handling hazards.

4. Risks to environment and plant - Associated with the work :

a) Noise generation from Blast Furnace.

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b) BF Gas leakage in to the atmosphere

c) Fire and explosion.
d) Dust pollution.
e) Heat.

5. Safety requirement - Training, Isolations, PPE, Special equipment :

a) First aid training for Top Firing.

b) Training on Gas safety.
c) Training on usage of fire extinguishers.
d) Ensure that all operators are wearing helmet with face guard, safety shoes, leather hand gloves,
Aluminium aprons, Safety goggles, during normal operation.
e) Portable gas leak monitor for detecting Carbon monoxide
f) Breathing apparatus (BA set) for attending gas leakages.
g) Clinical Oxygen cylinders
h) Chilled water showers.
i) Ear muff/plug

6. Emergency preparedness:
.
A) In case of problem in top firing:
a) Inform to Shift in charge.
b) Don’t give any clearance to start the shut down jobs

B) Gas leakage & Fire:

a) Inform to fire and safety control room and seek for assistance.
b) Inform to Shift in charge and all concern
c) Take following actions to control and mitigate the fire:
• Press the emergency push button (if required)
• Remove all personnel from the leakage area.
• Ensure breathing apparatus & other rescue devices are in reach.
• Ensure the area is of no toxic gas before entering into the area of leak for investigation.

Also please refer the EPP for the gas leaks and fire

Prepare fire incident report and send it to fire control room for detail investigation to avoid
such type of fire in future.

7. Safety Equipment Required.

Safety appliances

• Portable CO gas monitor.

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• Oxygen gas Monitor.

• Heat resistant hand gloves.
• Ear plugs.
• Dust mask.
• Breathing apparatus (BA) set.
• Helmet.
• Safety shoes.
• Chilled water showers.

8. Pre-conditions for start of Top Light Up.

Availability of total quantity of purging N2.

Approximate flow rate to each purge point.
Time required to re-fill N2 storage tanks and from where it has to refill.

Plant set up prior to top firing:-

Furnace stopped and on back draft as per normal shutdown procedure.
Goggle valve downstream from the dust catcher closed. This isolation is established purging of the
clean gas system may commence.
Ensure N2 purging is ON to the furnace top and dust catcher / down comer.
Requirement to plug the tuyeres to be determined – it is possible that too much gas may be
produced if tuyeres are not plugged prior to top firing.

9. Sequential description of activities

• Inform to all concerned departments
• Take safety preparation in every aspect.

10. Completion checks:

a) Ensure sufficient firing is there.
b) Ensure there is no N2/Steam purging in the Furnace top and dust catcher.
c) Ensure the opening of safety bleeders.
d) Ensure the oxygen availability for safe working of personnel.
.

Responsible person:

1. Operation shift in charge.

2. Mechanical In charge
3. Electrical in charge.

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11. Important telephone nos.

a) Blast Furnace operation control room - ***********
b) Head of the department contact no - +919879100024
c) Fire and safety control room -2222/6666.
d) Care hospital /Ambulance – 5100/6222.
e) Security control room -2300/6040.

12. List of documents to be maintained - As a backup.

a) Operation log book (Shut down trend/graphs and log book).
b) SOPs.
c) Shift Manger and Shift In charge log book (Operation, Mechanical, Electrical and
Instrumentation).

13. Monitoring the data

The shift in-charge shall observe and monitor the following during operation:-

Depute one person continuously to monitor the top firing. If it got off immediately light it again.

The presence of CO gas is to be monitored continuously, if it exceeds 50ppm purge the system
again. For the time being remove all persons involved in the job till gas level becomes low’

14. Engineering Change notes - Records to be maintained with proper approvals and formats .
a) All the engineering changes shall be approved on prescribed format from HOD with proper
reasons for changes; P & ID s shall be revised and documented.
b) After changes being made, rewrite the SOPs and revised documents shall be issued to
respective control rooms.

15. Training records of the employees

a) Trainings attended by all executives of the Furnace and the Tuyere platform/Cast House shall
be recorded in monthly & annual dept report.

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16. Calibration records – For all the measuring instruments

A) Continuous monitoring at control room, fault signal is generated if any problem occurs with
instruments.
b) Field instruments monitored regularly (shift wise), replaced or calibrated if any problem is noticed.

17. Documents would be reviewed and authorised person for the change in SOPs .
a) Head of the department / Blast Furnace Operation In charge.
b) SOP Shall be reviewed every 2 years and record shall be maintained.

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