Nucor Steel has ordered a new, 165-ton twin-tank vacuum degasser for its Berkeley mini-mil in South Carolina, from SMS Demag Inc. The installation will take place this summer with start-up set for the fall. According to SMS, it will be the first degasser of its type installed at a melt shop serving a thin-slab caster. It will produce ultra-low carbon, deep-drawing steels with less than 50 ppm of carbon and nitrogen. SMS Demag Inc. will be backed up by SMS Mevac in the design of the facility, a division that developed the degassing technology capable of treating molten steel to remove carbon and nitrogen. The installation will involve two vacuum degassing tank stations linked to a common hybrid vacuum pumping system (steam ejectors, condensers, and atmospheric water-ring pumps.) Each tank station will have a car to position the tank cover, and the two coves will be fitted with an oxygen lance for “forced decarburization” and chemical heating. Controls will be supplied by SMS Demag Inc.