Baku: The largest steel producer in the South Caucasus, Baku Steel Company (BSC), has taken another important step towards environmental protection and compliance with environmental standards by successfully completing a large-scale project. BSC has upgraded the dedusting system of its electric steel-making shop, which ensures the filtration and purification of generated gases from dust and solid particles, preventing emissions to the atmosphere.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the project was implemented as a part of long-term collaboration with the Swiss company ‘AS Metals Technologies SA’. The technical design stage lasted over a year, and installation and commissioning works were successfully completed in early 2025 with minimal possible production downtime for such large-scale projects.
The comprehensive modernization encompasses the operation of the dedusting system at different stages of the metallurgical process. In particular, during steel production in the electric arc furnace, additional primary and booster fans have been installed on the primary gas duct line, increasing dust evacuation intensity from the steel-melting furnace and the area surrounding it. In the ‘furnace-ladle’ unit, a new hood and additional booster fans have been installed to enhance gas extraction intensity, along with a new mechanized cover for the ladle with water cooling.
Furthermore, an aerator has been installed shop-wide and connected to the dedusting system for removing unorganized dust. The emission filtration system has increased the number of filters to 5,000 and hoppers to 16 for collecting sludge and dust. The automated control system for the dedusting system has also been improved, optimizing various components and ensuring maximum waste gas and dust purification.
As a result, working conditions for production staff have improved, and dust emissions into the atmosphere have been reduced to levels compliant with international environmental standards. In line with international ISO standards for waste management, part of the collected sludges and dust is directed for recycling as raw materials for various industrial products, contributing to waste reduction and environmental improvement.
The project is considered one of the first of its kind in the region, with the total capacity of the gas purification equipment nearly doubling from 930,000 m³/hour to 1,700,000 m³/hour. The total weight of the installed metal structures is 200 tons, with approximately 100 people involved in the project, including 50 employees from external contractor organizations. The overall labor input for the project amounted to about 25,000 man-hours.
BSC continuously modernizes production processes to minimize environmental impact, ensure sustainable waste management, and comply with environmental legislation. The company aims to contribute to environmental protection through ‘green’ initiatives and maintain its leadership in sustainable industry development.