thyssenkrupp Steel has upgraded the walking beam furnace of the Duisburg Bruckhausen hot strip rolling mill 1 to the highest technical standards, further improving product quality and particularly benefiting electrical steel production.

The overhaul, which was carried out by heat treatment expert Tenova, has cost a total investment of a low double-digit million range and focuses on improving the uniformity of slab heating, reducing surface defects and temperature loss, and significantly improving the quality of the products.

The modernization enhances both energy efficiency and environmental performance. Natural gas consumption was significantly reduced by redesigning the refractory lining and support pipe system.

In addition, the UltraLowNOx burners were installed to significantly reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and were equipped with an advanced burner monitoring system. Also, the safety system has been upgraded, with the introduction of double quick-closing valves to comply with the current standards. The new automatic descaling system shortens cleaning intervals and improves production efficiency.