8th International Congress on Science and Technology of Ironmaking - ICSTI 2018

Modern Iron & Steel Works as a rule are equipped with powerful distributed control systems (DCS) and databases. Implementation of DSC system solves the problem of storage, control, protection, entry, editing and retrieving of information, as well as creation of the necessary reporting data. At the same time, Russian domestic and international experience shows that improvement in quality, energy efficiency, resource conservation and competitiveness at the global market require further advance of information systems used for process control and production management. The complex of mathematical models is a foundation of information technologies which support decision making process. The user of these technologies has the possibility to obtain the missing information he needs to make a decision by establishing a dialogue with the mathematical model. Control of blast furnace operation is often classified as poorly structured problem. Because of this the base mathematical models have to be used at automated workstations of engineering and technological staff of blast furnace. The software for computer decision-making support system is a set of information-connected interactive (dialog) program modules integrated into a common environment. Integration of mathematical models is based on the application of both common initial data and the results of calculations performed by individual modules. Software modules implement mathematical models of heat-exchange, slag, cohesive zone, blast and gas-dynamics regimes of blast furnace. This forms the basis of functionality of the decision making support system while the modular structure ensures its extensibility. As an example, for Magnitogorsk I & S Works (MMK) conditions usage of “cohesive zone” model helped to find the necessity of mixing of basic sinter and acid pellets before charging to the furnace to reduce extend of cohesive zone from 3 m to 1.5 m, which improved gas-dynamics , increased productivity and reduce coke rate at blast furnace. Solution of the problems of analysis and forecast of blast furnace operating parameters using available actual information on furnace performance requires decomposition of the problem into three main interrelated subsystems: the thermal condition of the furnace, blast and gas-dynamics regimes of blast furnace, slag regime. The basic principle, which underlies the choice of specific mathematical equations to describe the individual subsystems, is to resolve the contradiction between the complexity of the modeled process and the need to resolve the technological problems in real time in course of the process and for a specified time interval using the actual available information.