By Mbekezeli Ncube
Dinson Iron and Steel Company (DISCO) is transforming industrial waste generated during steel production into electricity and cement, as the company intensifies efforts to improve efficiency, reduce environmental pollution and contribute to Zimbabwe’s energy security.
Speaking during a media tour of the company’s Mvuma plant, Mechanical Engineer Munashe Chihambakwe said DISCO’s main product is pig iron, but the integrated steel plant is also producing other valuable by-products from materials that would ordinarily be treated as waste.
“DISCO’s main product is pig iron, but we also have other products coming from the blast furnace which would ordinarily be considered waste. Some of those include slag, which is going to be used to manufacture cement, as well as other components coming from the process,” said Eng. Chihambakwe.
The company has an annual production capacity of 600 000 metric tonnes of pig iron and can produce up to 2 000 metric tonnes per day when operating at maximum capacity over a 24-hour period.
As part of its value-addition strategy, DISCO is establishing a cement production line that will utilise slag from the blast furnace. Eng. Chihambakwe said the cement plant is expected to begin operations in October this year.
“The cement line is coming in October this year and we are targeting 200 000 metric tonnes of cement in annual capacity,” he said.
On electricity generation, Eng Chihambakwe said the company has invested in two power sources within its operations.
The first is a thermal power plant that uses CFB (Circulating Fluidized Bed) technology, while the second captures heat and gases produced during the steelmaking process to generate steam for electricity production.
He said the waste heat and gas recovery system is designed to ensure that energy that would otherwise be lost is put to productive use.
“We have heat and gas, instead of flaring it into the air, we are using it to generate electricity. We have our 20-megawatt gas boiler which will be functioning pretty soon, so we are going to be using that heat and gas to produce electricity,” said Eng. Chihambakwe.
The company is also working towards supplying excess electricity to the national grid. Eng Chihambakwe said DISCO is engaging the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) and the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) to complete the technical processes required for grid connection.
“We are in the process of synchronization to put the excess into the national grid, so we are in talks with ZESA and ZETDC to make sure that all the technicalities are in line for us to put our power into the national grid,” said Eng Chihambakwe.
The initiative positions DISCO as a key player in Zimbabwe’s drive for industrial value addition, cleaner production and sustainable manufacturing.
