Recently, the German SMS Group successfully completed a partial hearth repair project for the BF4 blast furnace at the Czech Třinec Steel Plant, setting a record with a total construction period of only 42 days, thereby minimizing production downtime. This targeted maintenance was carried out on the blast furnace, which has an annual hot metal output of 3,100 tons, due to severe wear in the hearth area and the imminent end of lining life in the tap hole zone. The project team employed the Paul Wurth sector carbon block replacement technology and reshaped the hearth using refractory concrete, thus avoiding a complete rebuild of the furnace.

The core of this partial hearth repair lies in the innovative combination of technologies. By replacing only the worn sector carbon blocks and performing specialized reshaping, this solution significantly shortened the maintenance window and reduced project risks and overall downtime costs while restoring the hearth's integrity and operational performance. During the project, the team also efficiently handled unexpected tasks such as cutting frozen "salamanders," ensuring on-schedule delivery.

Leveraging its technical expertise in the metallurgical field, the SMS Group provides support covering the entire plant lifecycle for global customers. This rapidly completed partial hearth repair project at the Czech Třinec Steel Plant demonstrates its capability to help customers achieve efficient and sustainable production through targeted technical solutions.