Bhilai Steel Plant produces highest-ever prime rails

New Delhi: Bhilai Steel Plant of Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has set up a new record in rail production by surpassing its own record of December 2019, the state-run plant said. Both the rail producing facilities of the plant — the modern Universal Rail Mill and the Rail & Strl Mill — have together set this new record. The plant has recorded the highest monthly loading of 1,21,688 Tonnes (T) of UTS-90 prime rails in January 2020, surpassing the previous best of 1,21,407 T in December 2019. The best-ever monthly loading of 64,011 T of 260 metre long rails has also been recorded, surpassing the previous best of 57,731 (T) in December 2019. The best-ever monthly loading of 68 EUR rakes with long rails was recorded as against the previous best of 62 rakes. Universal Rail Mill recorded highest monthly production of 55,581 (T) of prime rails, surpassing the previous best of 54,629 T in December 2019, the plant added.

Cumulative production

The highest-ever cumulative production of 10,46,345 T of UTS 90 prime rails has been recorded by the plant for April 2019 to January 2020 period of the current fiscal year, surpassing the previous best of 7,64,979 T in the corresponding period of the last year, thereby registering a growth of 37 percent over the previous year. The best-ever loading of 10,22,135 T of UTS 90 prime rails has been recorded for the 10-month period, surpassing the previous best of 7,53,930 T in the corresponding period of the last year, thereby registering a growth of 36 percent over the previous year. The best-ever loading of long rails at 5,13,101 T has been recorded, surpassing the previous best of 3,45,983 tonnes in the corresponding period last year, registering a growth of 48 percent over the previous year.

Universal Rail Mill, that rolls out the world's longest 130-metre rails in a single piece, has recorded the highest cumulative production of 4,33,728 T in April-Jan period of the current financial year, surpassing the previous best of 2,87,673 T in the corresponding period of the last year, registering a growth of 51 percent over the previous year.

Other milestones

The plant's Modex Unit Blast Furnace 8 has also recorded its best-ever cumulative production of 19,48,343 T in April 2019 to Jan 2020 period of the current financial year, surpassing the previous best of 14,30,492 T recorded in the corresponding period of FY 2018-19. BF 8 also recorded its highest monthly production of 2,17,278 T of hot metal in January 2020 as against the previous best of 2,13,091 T in November 2019.

Another Modex unit, Steel Melting Shop 3, has ramped up production to record its highest cumulative cast steel production of 8,48,776 T in April 2019 to January 2020 period of the current financial year, far ahead of the previous best of 1,16,076 T recorded in the corresponding period of FY 2018-19. Steel Melting Shop (SMS) 3 also recorded the best-ever monthly cast steel production of 1,52,191 T in January 2020 as against the previous best of 1,31,643 T in December 2019.

Bhilai Steel Plant records highest-ever loading of saleable steel

The plant has recorded its highest-ever cumulative loading of 18,79,479 T of saleable steel for direct dispatches for the period April to January of the current fiscal year, surpassing the previous best of 15,62,575 T recorded in the corresponding period of 2017-18.

In the area of techno-economics, the plant's blast furnaces have recorded the best ever coke rate of 464.3 kg per tonne of hot metal (THM) for the period April to January of the current fiscal year, as against the previous best of 492.8 recorded in the corresponding period of FY 2008-09. Coal Dust Injection (CDI) rate of 57.8 kg/THM has also been the highest for the period as against the previous best of 43.6 recorded in the corresponding period of FY 2017-18.