Heat Recovery and Thermal Equipment for the Steel Industry

Engineering a recovery system in the steel industry involves one of the most aggressive environments in the industry. The feasibility of the equipment depends on overcoming severe operational constraints:

• Extreme temperatures and thermal shocks: Very high-temperature gas streams from melting or reheating furnaces that require the selection of refractory steels (alloys chosen based on the composition of the fumes) and thermal expansion engineering.

• Gases containing abrasive particles and metal dust: Gases that react as they cool, entraining iron oxide dust, magnetite, coke, and ash, which cause mechanical abrasion due to erosion on heat exchange surfaces and a tendency toward aggressive fouling.

• Reducing atmospheres and corrosive gases: Exposure to sulfur-containing compounds, CO, and fluctuations between oxidizing and reducing atmospheres that corrode metals.

• Integration into continuous processes and minimal downtime: Recovery systems (WHRB, radiation/convection recuperators) must ensure maximum availability, allowing for maintenance and inspection without disrupting current operations.

AITESA supports the client from the technical and economic feasibility study through to delivery, revamping or turnkey EPC execution. We select the optimal gas velocities to minimize erosion, design wide convective passes, and integrate continuous cleaning systems.

With more than 40 years of experience in highly complex thermal projects for heavy industry, AITESA offers the expertise needed to operate in steelmaking environments:

• Expertise in refractory metallurgy and design codes: Proficiency in international standards (ASME, TEMA, EN) and advanced selection of materials resistant to thermal fatigue, corrosion, and abrasion.

• Specialists in Revamping and Spatial Integration: Ability to install new tube bundles or replace obsolete heat exchangers within flue ducts or confined spaces in existing plants.

• EPC Management and Unified Responsibility: We handle all aspects of the project (thermal and mechanical calculations, in-house manufacturing, NDT testing, assembly, hoisting, and commissioning), ensuring completion within the scheduled shutdown windows.