Fives has completed its first PREMIX oxygen enrichment project on a billet reheating furnace at SN Maia Siderurgia Nacional in Maia, Portugal, the Megasa Group’s largest rebar production facility.
SN Maia sought to cut natural gas consumption by leveraging its ability to produce low-cost oxygen on site. The PREMIX technology, developed by Fives Steel Spain, enriches the combustion air with oxygen before it reaches the burners, improving combustion efficiency and reducing fuel use. By increasing oxygen concentration to 25pct, the system delivered around 6pct fuel savings, surpassing expectations.
Fives Steel Spain had previously upgraded the same furnace’s combustion system and was again entrusted with this project. The use of pre-assembled components helped minimize downtime, while strong collaboration between Fives and SN Maia ensured smooth project execution.