The Cherepovets Metallurgical Plant (CherMK, part of the Severstal Russian Steel division) has abandoned sulfuric acid in the metal etching process. Now production at all operating units involves hydrochloric acid pickling with the regeneration of spent hydrochloric acid and its return to production.
The gradual achievement of the new continuous pickling unit No. 4 (NTA-4) to the specified operating parameters allowed the NTA to be decommissioned -2, which involved etching the metal in sulfuric acid, and completely switch to more efficient, safe and environmentally friendly technology.
“All our investment projects include the best available technologies to protect the environment. And now we are completely moving towards the closed-cycle technology, since the current NTA-3 and 4 operate on hydrochloric acid. Now the waste water from all units is discharged to the regeneration unit and then reused in production. Thus, modern technologies make it possible to completely eliminate wastewater pollution from the metal pickling workshop, which will directly affect the quality of wastewater discharged into the Koshta River, ”commented Evgeny Vinogradov, General Director of the Severstal Russian Steel Division and the company's resource assets.
Continuous- pickling unit No. 4, which was erected as part of the development of wide-range rolled products, is now at the stage of confirming the warranty indicators. To service the complex, a modern hydrochloric acid regeneration unit (URSK) was erected on the site. A ready-made pickling solution and iron oxide are formed there, which is again used in the technological chain - in the production of sinter.
