The Story of Xinda
In the surging pulse of The Times with the steel torrent, there are always some figures who forge their backbone with the posture of a rock and illuminate their journey with the light of a spark. Shen Zheng, a hot air technician at the ironmaking plant of Hebei Xinda Steel Group Co., LTD., with his indomitable tenacity and the wisdom of meticulous exploration, has refined his passionate love and heavy responsibility through every degree of furnace temperature, every calibration, and every innovation, forging a resounding performance report. I was once honored with the title of "Lean Model Worker" and received recognition from leaders at all levels and colleagues around me.
The original aspiration, when tempered, sharpens one's edge
On that early morning in 2010, Shen Zheng, who had just started working, stood in front of the hot air post in the ironmaking plant, looking at the red-hot furnace body and the flickering instrument panel, his eyes reflecting his ignorance and enthusiasm for the steel industry. Who would have thought that this one glance would be fifteen years of perseverance? Starting from the exploration in the hot air position, to the tempering in the scrap steel workshop and the briquetting section, from the test of the scorching furnace in the furnace front worker to the overall planning of the production department's dispatcher, every job rotation is the accumulation of sweat and wisdom. Over the past decade or so of hard work and struggle, his sharpness has not been dampened. Instead, like the ore repeatedly calcined in a furnace, he has honed his exquisite all-round skills and profound management background.
In April 2025, Shen Zheng was promoted to a hot air technician. When the news came, colleagues said, "It's well-deserved." This veteran who started in the hot air position has finally taken on the heaviest responsibility in the most familiar field, and what he has repaid this trust is a series of direct confrontations with production checkpoints.
Careful budgeting leads to a double increase in energy efficiency
The phrase "What you save is what you earn", often on Shen Zheng's lips, conceals his most simple understanding of cost reduction and efficiency improvement. In the past, the residual air discharged from the vent valve was often directly lost, dissipating a large amount of heat energy into the air. This not only wasted energy but also forced the hot blast stove to consume more gas to maintain its temperature. Shen Zheng looked at the energy consumption data jumping on the dashboard, feeling as if a stone was weighing on his heart. Especially during the later test drive period, Shen Zheng often spent time on the spot, muttering to himself in front of the data, repeatedly checking and sorting out various data, and optimizing the recovery path. Ultimately, he collaborated with the equipment department, the operation section and other units to complete the installation of the diversion device and the thermal energy circulation system, successfully reusing the waste air for preheating the furnace temperature. This led to a gradual reduction in the single consumption of gas for the hot blast stove, saving a significant amount of energy costs.
The heating system of the blast furnace is the "breathing system" of ironmaking production. At present, the later operation of the heating system of the blast furnace is in an emergency, which restricts the commissioning of the generator set. So, without a word, Shen Zheng said, "Let's go to the scene!" He grabbed his safety helmet and rushed to the workshop, taking the lead in working together with his fellow workers, unloading ash, changing cloth bags... With an iron will, they resolved the operational obstacles of the heating system in the shortest possible time, enabling the power generation system to be put into use by the end of the month. Not only that, by precisely adjusting the parameters of the reverse-blowing system of the bag box body, the problem of high pressure difference in the bag box body has been effectively reduced, making significant contributions to extending the service life of the bags, replacing the bags, and restoring the ash unloading system.
Shouldering responsibilities as a pioneer in technological transformation
In response to the issue of low bag ash temperature caused by blast furnace gas temperature, Shen Zheng rose to the challenge and, in collaboration with relevant personnel from the Equipment Department and maintenance section, conducted repeated on-site investigations and jointly proposed a technological transformation plan. Ultimately, the solution of implementing a hard-sealed ball valve with a DN150 double-sealed gate valve in the blast furnace heating system was unanimously recognized by leaders at all levels of the factory. After the plan was implemented, the price of the pneumatic ball valve was lower than that of the double-sealed gate valve, and the tightness of the ball valve was also improved. The ball valve is easy to operate and is less likely to get stuck due to wet ash and caking. It is convenient for on-the-job personnel to judge the position of the switch. The valve is precisely opened and closed to prevent the sealing surface inside the valve from being directly eroded, which may cause poor sealing. It has good sealing performance and can extend the service life of the corresponding ball valve. This "Five Benefits" reform has completely eliminated the worries about production and has become the best interpretation of the principle of "courage first" and "stability" as the bottom line.
Conclusion
Forge the extraordinary from the ordinary and light up the future with perseverance. All the staff and workers of Hebei Xinda Steel Group Co., Ltd. should repeatedly forge themselves with a sense of responsibility of "never letting go", and meticulously polish themselves with the perseverance of "ensuring everything is done". They should bring out extraordinary thinking, efforts and actions, be meticulous in the battlefield of cost reduction and efficiency improvement, forge new paths at the forefront of technological innovation, and be pioneers in the wave of green transformation. Be deeply engaged in every link of production and operation. Let's unite our efforts, work hard and act with determination. Let taking responsibility become an instinct and fulfilling it a regular practice. Let's submit our achievements and be tested by our results. Let's strive to create a new situation of green and high-quality development for the company!
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