Two years ago, LTV engineers retrofitted the vacuum circulating chamber with a Kawasaki Top Blow oxygen lance to cut processing time by 20 percent. These improvements have enabled LTV Cleveland to vacuum-degas up to 125,000 tons of steel in a single month. The future of vacuum-degassing systems is bright, in spite of their hefty price tag. Maintenance of the vacuum system is an ongoing challenge for the steel plant. To maintain high availability, routine searches and repair of air leaks is required.
Special attention is needed for the refractory systems to maximize their life cycles.
Despite those concerns, Kvaerner Metals' Holmes remarked that vacuum-degassing systems are likely to become more widely used by major steel companies striving to keep their competitive edge in the niche applications now under assault by smaller competitors already equipped with the equipment.