EVOLUÇÃO DA OPERAÇÃO DO ALTO-FORNO "A" DA ARCELORMITTAL MONLEVADE COM ELEVADA PARTICIPAÇÃO DE "SMALL COKE" NA CARGA REDUTORA.

This paper presents the history of actions taken byArcelorMittal Monlevade that contributed to the blast furnace A reaching the national record of use of small coke in the fuel rate in 2008. In parallel, the reduction of the total consumption of metallurgical coke has achieved one of the best values in the national steel industry. This study was evaluated using an analysis of the beginning of operations of the blast furnace A, using low level of small coke in the fuel rate, associated with a coke + small coke balance in the Monlevade plant and with the actions of the control process developed over the time. The results showed a higher consumption of small coke in the charge, decreasing consumption of a coarse metallurgical coke and a better working stability of the blast furnace A. These results lead in productivity increasing and reducing the coke rate of the blast furnace A in the recent years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]