Previously, the furnace in the foundry and rolling complex was cooled only with air and cold limestone.
Photo: OMK's Vyksa plant.
Over the years, the lining has been sintered into a monolith, and jackhammers were required to dismantle it — the process was long and physically demanding.
Vyacheslav Shalunov, the furnace's master of operations, proposed a combined approach: water supply from the outside was added to the traditional air purge through holes in the housing.
The resulting steam softened the binding material between the bricks. As a result, about 500 tons of lining were disassembled manually, without heavy tools.
