Did ‘entrapped gas’ buildup trigger blast at Vizag steel plant?
To turn this melted iron into steel, workers blast pure oxygen at high pressure into the liquid to burn away impurities like carbon and silicon, turning them into a waste layer of slag.However, dangerous consequences are likely if this process is rushed to meet high production targets. Luckily, a group of 16 people—including four permanent staff, two supervisors, and ten helpers—managed to run away just in time.“This incident was even shared among the colleagues on WhatsApp,” a source claimed. Just 28 minutes later, at 4:25 p.m., the second and much bigger explosion occurred in Steel Melt Shop-1 (SMS-1), leaving no room for escape, he said.
- ▪To turn this melted iron into steel, workers blast pure oxygen at high pressure into the liquid to burn away impurities like carbon and silicon, turning them into a waste layer of slag.However, dangerous consequences are likely if this proc
- ▪Luckily, a group of 16 people—including four permanent staff, two supervisors, and ten helpers—managed to run away just in time.“This incident was even shared among the colleagues on WhatsApp,” a source claimed.
- ▪Just 28 minutes later, at 4:25 p.m., the second and much bigger explosion occurred in Steel Melt Shop-1 (SMS-1), leaving no room for escape, he said.
The Hindu — Top publishes from India and files mainly under world. We currently carry 7,232 of its stories.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
The high-pressure buildup inside the boiling liquid steel caused by ‘entrapped gas’ is said to be the main reason for the explosion at the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited-Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) on June 8, according to the plant sources.This critical detail was said to have been shared by the VSP officials with the three-member team of Central experts who ate probing the accident.The tragic accident has claimed nine lives so far—five permanent employees and four contract workers.What ‘trapped gas’ caused the blast?Making steel is an extreme process where iron ore is melted down to a boiling liquid at temperatures reaching 1,600°C.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Hindu — Top.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from The Hindu — Top
