Steel-China’s First Million-ton Hydrogen-based Shaft Furnace

Bao Steel Group Zhanjiang Steel Plant

Industry: Green Steel / Hydrogen Metallurgy

Core Challenge: Operate stable 90 degree vertical lifting up to 112 metres. Work within tight site layout. Keep hydrogen based shaft furnace lines running continuously, and prevent belt sag as well as unplanned production stops.

Project Challenges

This green steel hydrogen based shaft furnace site called for robust vertical bulk material conveying equipment. The site team faced several real world obstacles:

• Vertical lift reaches 112 metres with a strict 90 degree conveying angle
• Limited physical footprint on site, so belt structures must hold shape without sagging
• Continuous round the clock operation is required to cut financial losses from unexpected shutdowns
• Hard project deadlines were set to hit the planned commissioning date

QBF rubber Solution & Technical Design

QBF rubber set up a dedicated R&D group to carry out front end technical reviews. The team sorted out practical issues including belt strength, transverse load capacity and overall structural layout. We supplied a complete practical solution: belt model selection, custom product design, factory side performance checks, on site belt splicing, installation guidance and system commissioning.

Major technical features built into this custom cleat sidewall belt:

• Reinforced base belt with cord free zone design:This cord free zone structure strengthens base belt rigidity during 90° steep angle operation. It effectively prevents belt sag and ensures smooth cleat belt conveyor performance even at maximum lifting height. The design stabilises single unit operation, suits compact layout critical production processes, and reduces financial losses from unplanned stops.
• Long operational lifespan: The belt is engineered to run over 5 years. It gives reliable long cycle performance for the whole production line.
• 112 m vertical lifting height: This application marks one of China’s highest vertical conveying records for this type of system.
• End to end on site support: Our work covers early technical assessment, manufacturing quality control, field belt splicing, installation oversight and commissioning. Our in house after sales engineers stayed on site to walk field crews through every step. They kept construction on track, upheld safety standards and guaranteed quality, so the project could meet its scheduled launch timeline.

Project Outcomes

• Achieved stable 90 degree vertical material transfer at 112 metres within a space constrained plant layout
• Anti sag cleat belt performance sustained continuous production and lowered risks of unplanned downtime
• Our combined technical product service model helped this green steel hydrogen based shaft furnace project hit its startup target
• Built real world operational reference for conveying systems supporting low carbon shifts across the steel sector

Talk To Our Team About Your Project

Do you have high angle or vertical bulk material conveying needs for green steel, hydrogen metallurgy or other heavy industry facilities? Reach out to our engineering group for practical assessment and solution quotes.