According to IMIDRO's PR, upon undertaking a plan to reduce the thickness of internal walls of 5 furnaces in Mobarakeh Steel's direct reduction unit, 100,000 tonnes will be added to the production capacity of sponge iron per annum.

By increasing the capacity of arc furnaces, the necessity of producing more sponge iron was considered, so by manufacturing Module F, as well as undertaking numerous development projects such as oxygen injection and strengthening compressors, the capacity of 5 furnaces increased from 600 tonnes to 800 tonnes. Subsequently, through carrying out a plan to reduce the thickness of furnaces' interior walls the capacity of each furnace enhanced by 2.5%.

Thin wall plan in direct reduction unit will contribute in reducing the thickness of refractory structure with increasing the quality of utilized refractors ,as well as increasing the channels of gas entrance to the furnace.

Since the start of the work, Module F was constructed based on the thin wall plan idea, yet the biggest problem in implementation of the aforementioned plan in previous furnaces of direct reduction unit was the non-occurrence of the shape and size of the bricks, as well as the conditions and status of existing supporters in the furnaces.

Conducting numerous meetings and correspondence, studying current situation, making necessary changes in the design and shape of bricks led to the adaptation of thin wall plan for old furnaces. Implementation of the project will increase the volume of furnace up to 4.5% in other words 20,000 tonnes will be added to the output volume of each module every year.

(Sourced from IMIDRO)