Rogesa Roheisengesellschaft Saar mbH (Dillingen, Germany):

Zewe H., Mag. Eng., Prof., Manager PCI plant and slag granulation, Blast Furnace

ArcelorMittal Gent (Gent, Belgium):

Daelman A., Mag. Eng., Support Manager Process, Blast Furnace

Paul Wurth S. A. (Luxembourg):
Reuter Y., Mag. Eng., Project Engineer, e-mail: yves.reuter@paulwurth.com

Van Dorpe P., Bach. Sc., Applications Developer, EIC Process Control and Modelling

Simoes J.-P., Dr. Eng., Head of Department, Blast Furnace Plant and Process

In order to reduce the blast furnace coke rate, pulverized coal is injected through lances into the raceway in front of the tuyères. Close inspection of the tuyères is particularly important as critical incidents such as a tuyère blockage or burning of the injection lance can happen at any time. To increase operation safety, Paul Wurth has developed the Tuyère Phenomena Detection System, a camera-based monitoring system for the tuyère and raceway area. The system allows simultaneous monitoring of all tuyères from a safe distance. Installing the tuyère phenomena detection system at a blast furnace makes it possible to considerably increase the safety on the tuyère floor and to obtain a more stable PCI operation due to better control of the raceway conditions. At the same time an image recognition system processes the camera images to automatically detect phenomena of the injection lance and the tuyère. In the control room, the operators and engineers can monitor objectively the coal flow in the tuyères. The automatic phenomena detection analyses the incoming pictures from the camera and sends an alarm to the automation system in case of an abnormal situation. The optical monitoring system used for TPDS is a highly flexible solution that is not only limited to the tuyère area, but can for example also be used for monitoring the tap hole. During commissioning, tight cooperation between its customers and Paul Wurth helped to add features to the software application to suit the operator’s needs.

1. Goedert, P.; Reuter, Y.; Van Dorpe, P.; Simoes, J.-P.: Tuyère Phenomena Detection System, Scanmet IV, 10-13 June 2012, Lulia, Sweden.
2. Babich, A.; Gudenau, H. W.; Senk, D.; Formoso, A.; Menendez, J. L.; Kochura. V.: Experimental modelling and measurements in the raceway when injecting auxiliary substances, Intern. Blast Furnace Lower Zone Sympos., Wollongong, Australia, 25-27 Nov. 2002.
3. Bermes, P.; Tockert, P.; Simoes, J.-P.; Hansen, F.; Hausemer, L.: Advanced BF process control using BFXpert, PRIISM 2010, Ranchi, India, 16 – 17 Feb 2010.
4. Simoes, J.-P.; Tockert, P.; Bermes P.; Odicino, G.; Morelli, C.; Hansen, F.; Goedert, P.; Hausemer L.: BFXpert – Paul Wurth’s integrated blast furnace level 2 system for best practice blast furnace operation, METEC InSteelCon 2011, 28 June – 7 July 2011, Düsseldorf, Germany.