7TH EUROPEAN COKE AND IRONMAKING CONGRESS - ECIC 2016

Modern Blast Furnace Ironmaking units are usually equipped with a high level of process automation, process control and operator advisory. The advantages of such systems have been widely discussed and confirmed by operators from around the world. Where Level I and possibly Level II automation systems were implemented early when such systems were available, upgrading these systems to more recent types may be an attractive option. This article presents possibilities for implementing modern blast furnace automation systems while leaving existing instrumentation and Level I systems in place. The approach presented is based on the installation of a modern computer server for the Level II system and the addition of several modules for process control, process automation and operator advisory based on whether or not modifications to the existing systems are required for the operation of these modules. In addition, the scope of full implementation of the modern system is presented, along with the theoretical background of the modules.