pa1778data.pdf
pa1778data.pdf
pa1778data.pdf
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U.S. STEEL DUQUESNE WORKS<br />
HAER No. PA-115<br />
(Page 247)<br />
exchangers where it flowed through the nonreversing passes<br />
concurrent to the incoming air. Upon leaving the reversing heat<br />
exchangers the gaseous oxygen was compressed to approximately 2 50<br />
psig by one of two baseload oxygen compressors which are inside<br />
of an approximately 100' square cinder block building located<br />
just north of the MR-1000 plant. After passing through the<br />
compressors, the oxygen was fed into the pipe line which fed it<br />
to the different production systems at Duquesne as well as U.S.<br />
Steel's other Monongahela Valley steel mills (i.e. National<br />
Works, Homestead Works, Irvin Works, and the Edgar Thomson<br />
Works). The oxygen which passed through the baseload compressor<br />
that was not delivered to the company's pipeline system was fed<br />
into one of two oxygen booster compressors (located in the same<br />
building) where it was compressed to 425 psig before it was<br />
transferred to a storage tank (no longer extant) to be used as a<br />
back-up supply.<br />
Also extant from the MR-1000 plant is an argon storage tower<br />
and a partially dismantled Dimage, two stage centrifugal<br />
compressor. The remains of the compressor sits on an<br />
approximately 20' square x 20' high steel-framed, gable roof<br />
covered, concrete platform which is located just north of the MR-<br />
1000 plant.<br />
Construction dates: 1962 and ca. 1975.<br />
HISTORY<br />
The power plant at the Duquesne Works has consisted, over the<br />
years, of a steam production system, an electrical generating<br />
system, and an oxygen making system. The mill originally<br />
employed a decentralized steam production system whereby river<br />
water was pumped through the main pump house to a series of<br />
boilers which were located at each stage of the production<br />
process (i.e. blast furnace plant, bessemer converting house,<br />
open hearth furnace shop, primary rolling mills, and bar rolling<br />
mills). The potential for bottlenecks in the production process<br />
because of boiler failure at any one stage of production,<br />
however, led company officials to centralize the system by<br />
constructing a Central Boiler House in 1924. It originally<br />
contained six gas-fired and six coal-fired boilers. In addition,<br />
a cold water treatment facility consisting of four 487,000 gallon<br />
reaction tanks and a Water Treatment Filter Building were<br />
constructed while deaeration heaters and a boiler feedwater<br />
system were installed in Blow Engine House Number 2. The<br />
original coal-fired boilers were gradually converted to gas<br />
between the mid-1950s and the 1970s because of the enforcement of<br />
strict air quality legislation in Allegheny County. 1<br />
The electrical generating plant at the Duquesne Works dates