The Karmaveer Quality Circle team from Coke Ovens department of SAIL’s Rourkela Steel Plant has brought about substantial savings for the company apart from enhancing the safety and efficiency of operations in Battery-6.
Notably, Battery-6 houses 67 state-of-the-art 7 meter tall ovens that makes 0.9 million tons of coke annually.
There was a critical concern in the CDCP unit of Coke Ovens, where mill-fan failures during the dry quenching process led to a halt in flue gas circulation, risking coke combustion and potential explosions that could damage chamber lids and walls. The existing hydraulic system was insufficient for opening the cooling chamber lids under these conditions, posing severe operational challenges.
The QC team comprising Mr. Sanjay Kumar Sahoo (Senior Technician), Mr. Hadibandhu Sahoo, Aswini Kumar Behera, and Deepak Kumar Dey (Operators), under the leadership of Mr. Kulamani Sahoo (Technician), and guidance of Mr. B. Panda (Sr. Manager – Coke Ovens) addressed the Quality Circle team, addressed the issue and implemented a crucial modification in the hydraulic system by adding an additional accumulator.
This innovative solution not only enhanced operational safety but also maximized pushings in Battery-6 and cooling cycles in the CDCP unit, leading to a substantial savings of Rs. 2.7 crore annually. The enhancement ensured the exertion of sufficient hydraulic pressure, allowing for easier lid opening during mill-fan failures, thereby preventing coke burning and explosions. The team’s exemplary efforts earned them the prestigious Gold Award at the plant level Quality Circle competition.
