Sumitomo Metals Orders TRT Generating System

Tokyo, July 29, 2008 — Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. announced today that it has received an order for a top pressure recovery turbine (TRT) generating system with a capacity of 9,840 kW from Sumitomo Metals (Kokura), Ltd. The system, which will be used for Sumitomo Metals’ second blast furnace, will replace its aging TRT generating system in order to boost capacity. The new system harnesses the full power of Kawasaki’s state-of-the-art technology to enhance efficiency. The system is slated for completion in December 2009.

The TRT generating system is driven by exhaust gas pressure generated from the steelworks’ blast furnace which is converted into electricity via a turbine. This energy-saving system also features noise reduction and dust removal functions that work while gas passes through the turbine. Since TRT generating systems are equipped with a range of environmentally friendly features, they have been adopted for all large blast furnaces in Japan.

The Kawasaki TRT generating system is unique. Departing from the conventional use of a governing valve, it employs the turbine’s variable stator blades to control the blast furnace’s top pressure. Rather than adjusting valves, this system automatically adjusts the angle of the blades to control the gas flow rate from the blast furnace. This method enables efficient, low-noise generation with minimal energy loss, even in the face of the blast furnace’s changing gas flow rate and pressure.