Case Study: Nucor Steel Birmingham -- Pusher Reheat Furnace

Case Study: Nucor Steel Birmingham -- Pusher Reheat Furnace

$1.23 Million in Annual Fuel Savings with ITC Ceramic Coatings

Nucor Steel Birmingham's three-zone pusher reheat furnace was losing millions of BTUs per hour through the roof, sidewalls, and skid pipes. ITC Coatings engineered a veneer and ceramic coating system that delivered $1,230,000 in annual fuel savings -- exceeding the original engineering estimates by nearly 10%.

The Challenge

Nucor Steel Birmingham operates a three-zone, 115-ton-per-hour pusher reheat furnace at 2,350°F, processing rebar and merchant bar products. The facility's primary concern was excessive BTU loss occurring through the roof, sidewalls, and skid pipe areas of the furnace. This heat loss translated directly into wasted natural gas and higher operating costs.

ITC's Engineered Solution

Using thermography and heat flow calculations, ITC designed a hot face veneer system tailored to each area of the furnace:

  • 1/2-inch thick, 12" x 12" ceramic fiber squares on the roof

  • 1-inch thick, 12" x 12" ceramic fiber squares on sidewalls, doors, and skid pipes

  • A proprietary high-temperature, energy-efficient ceramic (HTEEC) hot face coating

ITC's HTEEC coatings absorb energy from the furnace environment and re-radiate it back to the steel load, keeping the heat where it belongs -- inside the furnace working on the product, not escaping through the walls.

Before and after thermal imaging showing dramatic shell temperature reduction at Nucor Steel Birmingham

Measured Results

Shell Temperatures -- Dramatically Reduced

Before and after thermal imaging confirmed substantial improvements across the entire furnace:

MeasurementCalculated EstimateActual ResultOriginal shell temperature300--400°F330--430°FAfter veneer and coating250--350°F228--342°FBTU savings50 MM BTU/hr54.7 MM BTU/hr

The actual results exceeded the engineering calculations -- shell temperatures dropped lower than predicted, and BTU savings came in nearly 10% above estimates.

Lower Operating Temperatures

The thermal efficiencies of the veneer and coating system enabled Nucor operators to reduce furnace operating temperatures in the discharge zone, further compounding fuel savings without sacrificing product quality.

Bottom Line Impact

The annual fuel savings calculation:

54.77 MM BTU/hr x 24 hr/day x 208 days/yr x $4.05/MM BTU

Annual Fuel Savings$1,230,000

At $4.05 per MM BTU (the natural gas rate at time of installation), the veneer and coating system paid for itself rapidly. At today's natural gas prices, the savings would be even more significant.

Why This Matters for Steel Producers

The Nucor Birmingham project demonstrates several important principles:

  • Engineering-driven approach: ITC's process begins with thermography and heat flow calculations -- not guesswork. The actual results exceeded the engineering estimates, giving plant managers confidence in projected savings.

  • Measurable, verifiable savings: Before-and-after thermal imaging provides hard data that can be verified independently by plant engineers.

  • Scale of impact: At 54.7 MM BTU/hr in savings, this single installation is equivalent to eliminating the fuel consumption of hundreds of residential homes.

  • Refractory protection: Beyond fuel savings, the veneer system protects the underlying refractory from thermal shock and degradation, extending lining life and reducing unplanned maintenance shutdowns.

For steel mills operating reheat furnaces -- whether pusher, walking beam, or rotary hearth -- ITC's veneer and coating systems offer one of the fastest-payback energy efficiency investments available. Contact ITC Coatings for a thermal assessment of your furnace operations.

ITC Coatings has been engineering high-temperature ceramic coating solutions for the steel industry since 1980. Our thermal engineering team uses thermography and proprietary heat flow calculations to quantify savings before installation, giving plant managers the confidence to invest. Based in San Angelo, Texas.

Ready to reduce your energy costs and extend refractory life?

Email: info@itccoatings.com

Phone: (325) 340-1304

Web: itccoatings.com

Justen Womack