A successful modernization
EBNER Industrieofenbau | Michael Meisczuk, Senior Sales Manager Upgrade & Rebuild
A successful modernization
EBNER brings hydrogen recycling and state-of-the-art technology to a facility that has been in service for over 30 years.
The continuous development of existing facilities is a central element in modern industrial processes, particularly in stainless steel manufacturing. One recent example of a successful modernization has been provided by EBNER Industrieofenbau, as it extensively revamped a vertical bright annealing line (line BA2) at ARINOX SpA – a leading manufacturer of precision stainless steel strip.
DECADES OF PROVEN EBNER TECHNOLOGY
ARINOX was founded in 1990 as a member of the Arvedi Group, and specializes in the manufacture and sale of thin and ultra-thin stainless steel strip. With an annual capacity of over 65,000 metric tons, the company supplies its products to customers in the automotive industry, the machine manufacturing industry, and the electronics industry, as well as in other high-tech sectors. Its export share is over 80 %, with its key markets being in Europe, the Americas and both the Middle and Far East. ARINOX is the world’s largest operator of EBNER vertical annealing lines, with a total of five facilities installed at the same site. Lines BA1 and BA2 date back to 1990, when the company was founded, and are still being operated today.
THE MODERNIZATION OF LINE BA2
Annealing line BA2 was comprehensively modernized over the course of the recent project. Major goals were to upgrade the facility to meet the latest technical standards, increase its energy efficiency and reduce its environmental impact by recycling hydrogen.
TECHNICAL DATA OF THE FACILITY:
- Strip width: 400 – 670 mm
- Strip thickness: 0.2 – 2.0 mm
- Max. strip speed in furnace: 40 m/min
- Max. throughput: 3.9 t/h
- Materials: AISI 304, 316, 310, 301, 409, 430
- Year of original installation: 1990
SCOPE OF THE MODERNIZATION
| MODIFICATIONS | NEW COMPONENTS AND EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|
| Modernization of the inlet seal with the installation of new powered sealing rolls, an oxygen detection system and adjustable sealing rolls at the outlet of the seal box | Two new valve stands |
| Modification of the furnace shell to accept new thermocouples | New pressure control station for nitrogen |
| Upgrade of the inlet seal plug with a new water cooling system | New flow metering system |
| Rebuild of the cooling zone with frequency-controlled blowers and new thermocouples for the heat exchanger | A complete new set of analyzers for the process atmosphere |
| Modification of the shell of the top roll box | New electrical control center with S7-1500F and the latest version of the VISUALFURNACES® Process Control System (PCS) |
| Safety-related upgrades at the outlet seal | New hydrogen recycling system offering impressive recirculation rates of up to 80 % |
| Alteration of the direction of atmosphere flow | |
| Optimization of the cooling water supply system | |
| Modification of the atmosphere extraction system |
HYDROGEN RECYCLING: LOWERING COSTS AND INCREASING EFFICIENCY
Bright annealing lines for stainless steels and copper alloys typically use process atmospheres with high hydrogen contents (up to 100 % H2). This inhibits oxidation of the strip surface during the heat treatment process. However, the consumption of hydrogen represents a significant cost factor for operation of such facilities (OPEX). Given the increasing price of utilities, the need to optimize operating costs is constantly increasing in importance. This is exactly where EBNER’s fully-integrated hydrogen recycling system comes into its own: it enables the consumption of hydrogen to be significantly reduced during an anneal. Contaminated process atmosphere is drawn off at the inlet lock of the furnace and led through a multi-stage purification unit, which incorporates an activated carbon filter, an auxiliary filter, a catalytic converter and a molecular sieve adsorber. Once purified, the clean gas is returned to the heat treatment facility.
THE ADVANTAGES
- Recycling rates of up to 80 %
- No negative effects on the strip surface
- Operation is fully safe
- Amortization period: 1 – 3 years, depending on output and utility prices
RESULTS AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
Over the course of the project, the feedback received from ARINOX was extremely positive. Particularly singled out for praise were the on-schedule implementation, adherence to planned stoppage times and the high quality of the components and systems that were supplied. The modernization not only brought the facility up to the latest technological standards, but also represented a significant step forward in the effort to establish more sustainable production methods.
The integration of a hydrogen recycling system into the facility allows process gases to be efficiently recovered and re-used, providing both ecological and financial benefits. With a recirculation rate of up to 80 %, ARINOX is setting a new standard for the low-emission processing of stainless steel.
TARGETED UPGRADES TO INCREASE FACILITY EFFICIENCY
The successful modernization of vertical bright annealing line SA2 at the ARINOX works is an impressive demonstration, showing how existing facilities can be made ready for the future by choosing selected upgrades and installing innovative technologies. EBNER has once again shown that it is a competent and reliable partner for challenging modernization projects – offering tailor-made solutions, a high degree of technical precision and a strong emphasis on sustainability.