#engineered
Search
Mobile navigation
EN DE
engineering
tomorrow 
together
or choose a Topic:
engineering

Anti-particulate champion

innovation | Sustainability and climate protection | With the world’s biggest fabric filter thyssenkrupp is demonstrating that steel production and clean air are not mutually exclusive – and has now been crowned a “Steel Sustainability Champion”.

20 June. 2018 | Bernd Overmaat

A steel mill with practically no particulate emissions – a pipe dream? Not for thyssenkrupp in the north of Duisburg: The area around Europe’s largest steel location is enjoying cleaner air thanks to the world’s biggest fabric filter.

Award-winning sustainability

For the combination of fabric filter, disabled inclusion and the production of energy-efficient electrical steel, in May 2018 thyssenkrupp received the highest honor bestowed by the World Steel Association: Once a year companies are crowned “Steel Sustainability Champions” for innovative ideas and measurable impacts in their sustainability activities.

The almost 100 meter tall stack of the world’s biggest fabric filter rises majestically above the Marxloh district of Duisburg.
The almost 100 meter tall stack of the world’s biggest fabric filter rises majestically above the Marxloh district of Duisburg.
A closer look reveals the impressive complexity of thyssenkrupp’s particulate killer: Huge pipe systems on the outside come together here with intricate filter bags on the inside of the filter unit.
A closer look reveals the impressive complexity of thyssenkrupp’s particulate killer: Huge pipe systems on the outside come together here with intricate filter bags on the inside of the filter unit.

Clean giant

The fabric filter in Duisburg alone would be worthy of the title “champion”: Behind the virtually dust-free air is a green giant – with more than 44,000 extremely fine filter bags which, laid end to end, would reach from Duisburg almost to Antwerp. But the real star of this facility is the fabric itself, which is the size of seven soccer fields and captures even the smallest dust particulates from the sintering process. Conventional electrostatic capacitators can only collect larger particles of the dust stirred up during sintering – the high-tech fabric filter in Duisburg holds back even the tiniest particulate matter.

Particulates have no chance

In this way thyssenkrupp converts almost 1.3 billion liters of dust-laden waste air per hour into almost dust-free breathing air – a true milestone for industrial environmental protection. And why go to all this trouble? Because the company wants to set new standards for clean air – its constant aim is not only to meet but to go beyond statutory requirements.

Next filter planned for 2020

thyssenkrupp spared no effort or expense building the giant filter, investing 51 million euros to improve the air quality and thus the quality of life for nearby residents. 150 employees were involved in this mammoth 19-month project. But that’s not the end of mission “breathe easy”: From 2020 thyssenkrupp is planning an additional fabric filter, meaning even more clean air for the people of Duisburg.

For more fascinating information on the Duisburg fabric filter click here.