Třinec, 13 October 2015 - Linde Gas a.s., a member of The Linde Group, inaugurates a new air separation unit at the steel company Třinecké železárny.
In February 2013, Linde Gas signed the long-term contract for the supply of Třinecké železárny with industrial gases. This contract extended the long-standing successful co-operation between Linde Gas and Třinecké železárny. Already in the year 1994, Linde commissioned the equipment for the argon liquefaction and purification in Třinecké železárny and, since the year 2000, it has taken over the complex supply of Třinecké železárny with industrial gases.
The new technologies that are implemented in Třinecké železárny require the supply with big volumes of oxygen and other industrial gases in high quality at the lowest possible costs. The existing older installation of Linde Gas in Třinecké železárny has not suited these requirements any more. For this reason, it was decided to replace it with the new modern equipment.
Třinecké železárny is the biggest customer of Linde Gas in the Czech Republic. The total investment into the new equipment exceeded EUR 60 million.
The new fully automated unit has the capacity up to 34,000 Nm3/h of oxygen, 34,500 Nm3/h of nitrogen, and 300 Nm3/h of argon. Its inauguration significantly increases the long-term reliability of the industrial gas supply that is necessary for the steel production.
„The enhanced oxygen and nitrogen supply were necessitated by the new investment into the modern equipment for the pulverised coal injection (PCI). This modern technology replaces one part of coke with pulverised coal that is injected directly into the blast furnace through the tuyères. This makes the whole process simpler and more environment-friendly, “ says Jan Czudek, Managing Director of Třinecké železárny. Efficient, safe, and reliable gas supply is the necessity for the steel production, says he.
Technically, the project of the new air separation unit was developed and realised by a joint team from both Linde Engineering and Linde Gas divisions. The progressive SCALE 10 000 equipment from the Linde Engineering offer was adjusted precisely according to the industrial gas specifications which are required for the steel mill operation.
„This official new ASU opening here in the Třinecké železárny confirms the leadership of Linde Gas a.s. at the industrial gas market in the Czech Republic,” said Mr. Bernd Eulitz, member of The Linde Group Board. „This new state-of-the-art air separation unit brings Třinecké železárny significant improvement of its operation efficiency and, at the same time, it secures even better reliability in the industrial gas supply to one of our most important customers in the Czech Republic.“
The air separation unit has been successfully put into the test operation in June 2015, even in some-day advance before the contracted date. On 13 October 2015, Linde Gas celebrated the official opening of the plant in Třinecké železárny in the presence of the Třinecké železárny representatives, business partners, and guests from the region, as well as the high-ranking Linde Gas a.s. senior management representatives.