EUROPEAN STEEL TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATION DAYS 2017 - ESTAD 2017

During the last years CRM has developed a dynamic on/off-line model for the EAF process. Contrary to calculations using statistical inputs, CRM model uses a fundamental set of calculations based on thermodynamics and kinetics that takes dynamically into account furnace operating data. The purpose of the on-line application is to provide the operator with a better estimation of the melting state of the furnace and liquid steel temperatures to reduce the frequency of temperature measurements and increase the reliability of those taken. This in turn will enable lower tap temperatures and reduce energy consumption. The objective of the work presented in this paper is to apply the CRM EAF dynamic model for the first time to a DRI melting furnace. At this aim, new knowledge on DRI melting and modelling has been acquired. The CRM on-line EAF model was implemented at the four EAFs of Lazaro Cardenas (Mexico) plant operating with continuous feeding of DRI to improve monitoring of the process for carbon, temperature, and heat weight and to allow optimization. Thanks to the model implementation, the process control was improved and substantial gains have been observed on the number of sampling (one less per heat) and in the tapping temperature control (in average 3°C lower) resulting in a decrease of energy consumption (2kWh per heat).