Abstract:
Gasholders are important equipment to improve the energetic efficiency of integrated steel plants, being these kinds of equipment responsible for the process gases pipelines pressure control by the variation of their volumes. When it is not possible to operate the gasholders it is necessary to burn the gases at flare stacks to guarantee the pressure control. In 2008, December, the ArcelorMittal Tubarão coke oven gas gasholder was overhauled and the seal was changed. This gasholder is a M.A.N type (oil sealed). By using the Lean methodology, changing mindsets and moving some paradigms was possible to execute the overhaul in an efficient way in just 32 days, 28 days less than the last similar event and 13 days less the target that was set for the overhaul, increasing the coke oven gas recovery, maximizing the electric generation and minimizing the exposition to environment risks that were associated with this event. The ideas in this report are valuable to develop the critique and systemic thinking not just about the gasholders but in the whole context of consolidated standard activities.