EUROPEAN STEEL TECHNOLOGY AND APPLICATION DAYS 2017 - ESTAD 2017

Today the possibility to run EAFs at optimal energy efficiency is limited due to lack of information on the scrap melting progress and steel temperature inside the furnace. This paper describes results from a research project with the aim to improve the estimation of these essential parameters through taking advantage of new experimental measurement techniques (sound, vibrations, harmonic distortions and fiber optics). Soft sensors that estimate the sought process parameters meltdown degree and steel temperature was developed utilizing a combination of the new experimental measurement devices with conventional process data (such as cooling water flows and temperatures, electrical parameters and flows of oxygen and carbon). The soft sensors have been calibrated based on real production data and measurements from a Swedish steel plant. The soft sensors have also been installed in the level-2 system at the same steel plant. This implementation will, in turn, give opportunities for improved process control so that the desired steel temperature can be achieved to as low energy cost as possible.