Outokumpu delivers austenitic 4565 stainless steel grade and quarto plates to a power plant in Boxberg, Saxony, Germany. The plant is being constructed by Babcock Noell GmbH and its subcontractor Heinz Gothe GmbH & Co. KG.

 

Producing clean energy efficiently is one of the challenges the world faces. In many countries regulations regarding emissions, such as sulfur dioxide, are becoming more stringent. In the Boxberg plant, Outokumpu stainless steel is used in a flue-gas desulfurization unit, which uses the wet-scrubbing method to remove SO2 emissions from the exhaust gases of the fossil-fuel power plant, and specifically in its tray level. This tray level significantly improves the material exchange by intensifying the gas-liquid-reaction: it lowers the energy consumption of the absorber and improves the dust and SO2 capture significantly.

 

The severity of the environment of such wet-scrubbing systems is mainly defined by the amount of chloride, the pH value and the local temperature. Outokumpu has advised Babcock Noell in the material selection, leading Babcock Noell to choose high alloyed austenitic grade 4565 that can withstand all the elements in the wet-scrubbing environment.

 

"Babcock Noell GmbH and its predecessors have experience of Outokumpu 4565 grade since the early 1990s. Since then, this material has withstood the harsh conditions in more than 10 flue-gas desuphurization projects worldwide. The property profile of Outokumpu 4565 enables us to offer competitive and efficient solutions to our clients," comments Babcock Noell GmbH.

 

Outokumpu delivered 36 tonnes of the high alloyed austenitic 4565 grade in 3, 6 and 8 millimeter thick quarto plates during 2012. Since the beginning of the year, the flue-gas desulphurization unit has been operational in the Boxberg plant in Germany.