New Bucket Elevator Order for Hot Fines Recycling

MFL develops high-end bucket elevators that make the production process of HBI (Hot Briquetted Iron) even more efficient. After the very successful and satisfying project “Go West” in Texas/USA with the client voestalpine, the next order for this premium product made by MFL is already being carried out, this time for the client Midrex.

Cliffs Natural Resources invest some $ 700 Mio. in a Midrex direct reduction plant in Toledo/ Ohio / USA to produce iron pellets. The plant shall become operational from mid- 2020 and produce 1.6 million tons HBI per year. MFL bucket elevators transporting hot highly metallised DRI (Direct Reduced Iron) back to the production cycle will be used in the Midrex shaft furnaces to optimise profits.

The sophisticated special bucket elevators newly developed by MFL engineers and manufactured in the mechanical engineering department for the hot fines recycling plant meet the most challenging demands on material and manufacturing, such as gas-tightness and explosion pressure resistance at temperatures up to 700°C. This new order comprises bucket elevators incl. slide valves, inlet and discharge feeders, maintenance slide valves, diverters, material tubes and compensators as well as a hydraulic unit and a lubrication system that will leave the MFL Liezen works in March 2019.