Metso to supply automation technology to a new pulverized coal injection process and power plant modernization in Raahe, Finland

Metso to supply automation technology to a new pulverized coal injection process and power plant modernization in Raahe, Finland
  
Metso Corporation's press release on October 29, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. EET

Leading-edge control solutions increase safety and reliability in demanding processes

Metso has received major automation technology orders from SSAB Europe and Raahen Voima in Raahe, Finland. Metso will supply automation for the Raahe steel mill's new blast furnace pulverized coal injection process and for Raahen Voima's power plant modernization to increase safety and reliability.

Raahen Voima is currently building a boiler plant that will be equipped with Metso's automation systems and solutions.

The Raahe steel mill is currently replacing the use of heavy fuel oil with a pulverized coal injection process in its blast furnaces. The process equipment needed for coal grinding, drying and feeding will be supplied by Claudius Peters Projects GmbH, Germany.

Metso's delivery consists of a Metso DNA automation system, a safety system, an information system and an extension to the existing Sensodec machine monitoring system. Field device condition monitoring is also included in the delivery. Blast Furnaces 1 and 2 already run with Metso's automation. System installation will take place in May 2015, and the coal injection process startup is scheduled for the autumn of 2015. The order is included in the 2014 second quarter orders received by Metso.

Automation also for the new boiler plant and turbine

Raahen Voima is also modernizing its power plant that provides electricity and steam to the Raahe steel works. The company will replace the older of its two power boilers with a new Valmet-supplied boiler plant that has a steam capacity of 141 megawatts (MW) and a fuel capacity of 152 MW. A new turbine will be supplied by Power Machines.

Metso will supply an extension to the power plant's existing automation system to cover also the new boiler plant and the turbine plant. Having an integrated automation system in the whole power plant area and a common user interface makes operation simpler. Additionally, with the distributed control system and turbine automation in the same system fieldbus, system integration is trouble-free.

"The DCS investment was made on economic and technical grounds. Also the customer's earlier good experience with Metso's automation and past high system availability of over 99.95% were important," says Olli Koivumäki, Sales Director, Process Automation Systems, Metso.