Learn how Schad reconditioned a steel mill reheat furnace ahead of schedule.
In June 2017, Schad reconditioned a reheat furnace at an integrated steel mill in Ohio.
The project was challenging because of an ambitious schedule, and the need for several trades. It also required work in various areas of the furnace.
As a result, the project required a great deal of communication as well as a vast set of skills to complete.
We had 16 days to totally recondition a steel mill reheat furnace
The project team had 16 days to complete the project, which called for:
- Completely replacing the skid rail
- Replacing the pre-heat zone standpipe
- Replacing refractory materials on the skid rails, recuperator wall, pre-heat burner wall, edge of the hearth and charge wall
Schad bricklayers used a wide variety of their skills to complete this project. They installed ceramic and metallic anchors. They installed gunite, shotcrete, plastic and pre-cast shapes.
The project plan was revised several times as dates and work activities shifted. Schad had to work with the project team to make plans to keep the project on schedule and get the furnace lit on time.
We finished ahead of schedule
The refractory work is critical to completing the project on time. Yet, as often happens in the refractory trade, Schad was the last contractor to have access to the work area.
At one-point during the outage, Schad ran two combination shotcrete pumps continuously for two shifts. This allowed us to shoot over 160,000 pounds of material in about two and a half hours.
With a lot of hard work from the entire project team, the furnace dry-out began 12 hours ahead of schedule.
Contact Schad for your steel mill furnace refractory needs
Schad Refractory has a long history of working with customers in the steelmaking industry. We have worked with steel mills in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio and throughout the Midwest.
Are you looking for a steel mill refractory contractor? Contact us today for more information about our services.