Peruvian steelmaker Aceros Arequipa signed a supply contract with German-based SMS Group to buy a new vacuum tank degasser for its Pisco mill, located in the Ica region.
The German supplier said the degasser will be added to Acero Arequipa’s existing melt shop and will help it improve steel output both in terms of quality and volume.
“The degassing process aims at reaching the lowest possible level of hydrogen content in the steel, which is a necessary precondition for (Aceros Arequipa) 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,” SMS Group said in a statement.
Aceros Arequipa should commission the equipment by early 2022. According to SMS Group, the supply contract includes basic and detailed engineering, as well as the delivery of the mechanical and electrical components, the entire electrical and automation systems of the product.