OREANDA-NEWS. A new oxygen facility with a cryogenic air-separation unit (ASU #3) has entered the pilot production phase at OEMK (part of Metalloinvest).

Metalloinvest and Germany's Linde Engineering Dresden GmbH signed a contract in 2012 to construct the facility. The Company's total investment in the project amounts to 3 billion roubles. The new facility has a capacity of up to 20,000 Am3/h of oxygen, 20,000 m3/h of nitrogen and 1,000 kg/h or argon. The commissioning of the new unit will enable increased gas output at the plant: 75% more oxygen, 24% more nitrogen and the beginning of on-site argon production. This will meet OEMK's current and future air-separation product needs for its products.

Andrey Varichev, CEO of Management Company Metalloinvest, commented: "Upgraded equipment and additional capacity allows the Company to successfully develop its high-quality steel production, ensuring efficiency and safety. The plant needs the new facility to breathe, in a literal and figurative sense. Oxygen is indispensable for the production of steel and metallised products, while nitrogen ensures production safety."

LLC Urban Institute of Metallurgical Plant Design was engaged for the implementation of the project - the company is part of Metalloinvest and based in Moscow. The institute developed architectural plans and oversaw the implementation of the project. The majority of the construction work was completed by Rudstroy, a Metalloinvest subsidiary from Gubkin, and LLC Oskolmetallurgspetzmontazh from Stary Oskol. The installation of the technical equipment was carried out by CJSC NPP Krioservis from Moscow.