The first large components of the new dedusting installation, which will be located next to the pellet factory (PEFA), have arrived at the Tata Steel site in IJmuiden. The large, shiny pipe sections with a diameter of 6 metres and a total length of 140 metres will form part of the steel company’s new environmental installation. Construction is currently underway. In combination with a new DeNOx installation, this installation (deduster) will reduce PEFA’s emissions of heavy metals, lead and dust by 80 per cent compared to 2019. Iv performed the basic and detailed engineering for the OSBL part (the area outside the production zone) of the project: the integration of the whole, including support during the preparatory work for the connecting piping and the structural and civil part.
The arrival of this high-tech dedusting system is a big step for Tata Steel. The company is currently working hard to achieve its goal of producing clean, green and circular steel. A crucial part of this is reducing the impact on the surrounding environment.
Iv is currently supporting two Tata improvement programmes: Roadmap Plus and the arrival of a new DRP (Direct Reduce Plant). The environmental installation at the PEFA is one of the biggest steps in the Roadmap Plus improvement programme, reinforced by its sheer size (approximately 170 metres long, 45 metres wide and 110 metres tall at its highest point). The aim is that the new dedusting installation will be operational later this year to reduce the impact on the surrounding area as quickly as possible.
Iv is heavily involved in both of these improvement programmes and has worked with Tata to develop and elaborate the designs for the environmental installation. From 2025, the dedusting installation will work in conjunction with the DeNOx installation. The dedusting installation consists of no less than 6,000 10-metre bag filters, equivalent to 60 kilometres of filter cloth. The PEFA produces round balls (pellets) from iron ore. These pellets are a critical raw material in the production of pig iron. In addition to carbon dioxide (CO₂), the entire production process releases significant amounts of nitrogen (N2).
Nitrogen (NOx) emissions also need to be significantly reduced. The dedusting installation is directly connected to the PEFA and captures a large part of the heavy metals, flue gases and substances through ‘washing’ and ‘scrubbing’. The DeNOx installation is mainly intended to reduce nitrogen emissions and ensure the water from the dedusting installation is transported to a water treatment system.
Like Tata, Iv is enormously proud of this major development at the Netherlands’ most prominent steel producer. Rick de Jong, managing director Heavy Industries at Iv: “Iv also wants to play a major role in Tata’s huge sustainability task in the coming years. Both in terms of feasibility studies and detailed engineering. Iv has been conducting projects for the former Koninklijke Hoogovens, now Tata, since 1949. Whether it now concerns large, complex engineering projects or solving smaller issues, both are equally important in the entire chain. Tata wants and needs to become more sustainable, and we are happy to help with that.”
At the moment, this task is not only huge but also very complex and challenging. Rick: “I’m not someone who easily sees a problem in something, but instead a challenge. We see it as an opportunity to make a difference in our world. Both now and in the future. If you know how to fix mistakes, you’ll get there. For us, the most important thing is staying sharp and continuing to make choices that enable others to continue. We need to be critical and devise solutions that really make a difference.”
Rick, managing director Heavy Industry, would be delighted to discuss this with you! Get in touch via +31 88 943 3000 or send a message.