Corporación Aceros Arequipa SA (CAASA), based in Lima, Peru, has awarded SMS group, a systems supply contract encompassing the delivery of a new vacuum tank degasser for its Pisco site. The degasser will be integrated into the already delivered SMS group meltshop and enable CAASA to widen their production in terms of quantity and quality.

The degassing process aims at reaching the lowest possible level of hydrogen content in the steel, which is a necessary precondition for CAASA to produce top-quality high-carbon grades for grinding balls. Nitrogen removal and oxygen control are other very important factors for the production of further SBQ grades.

The full integration of the new vacuum degasser into the electric steelmaking route will set a new benchmark in South American steelmaking: for the very first time, both high productivity and high quality come together in a compact and optimized layout.

Commissioning of the degasser is scheduled for early 2022.

In terms of technology, SMS will supply a 120-ton twin tank vacuum degasser with movable cover and mechanical vacuum pumps. Innovative robotics (TS-Pro Sampler) will be installed on the cover for quick and repeatable sampling. Refining by wire feeding ensures that at the end of the treatment the heat has reached exactly the desired chemistry before the delivery of the steel to the continuous casting plant. As timing is essential the vacuum generation system has been selected with a view to rapid and consistent pump-down time, stable process behavior below 1 mbar and powerful control in case of unexpected overpressure. To protect the mechanical pumps (precisely machined roots blowers and screw compressors), a dedicated inert-type baghouse filter will be installed on the suction line between the main valve and the pump inlets.

The consolidated and modular design approach enables SMS to engineer the plant within a very short time and was a key factor for CAASA to select SMS as supplier. During engineering, extensive use will be made of 3D modeling, addressing different related equipment in order to prevent any interference with existing plants.

SMS group’s scope of supply includes basic and detailed engineering, delivery of the mechanical and electrical components, the entire electrical and automation systems, including the integrated process control system (Level 2), which monitors the quality of the steel from the scrap yard to the billet storage area, as well as supervision of erection, installation and commissioning.

Aceros Arequipa manufactures long and flat steel products, including corrugated sheet, wire, steel sections, bars and pipes, as well as steel tools and hardware for the construction, civil engineering and mining industries. In addition to supplying the local market, the company exports its products to Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia and the U.S.A.

The new plant will allow Aceros Arequipa to expand its presence in the local market and in South America and supply higher-quality products.

About SMS group