Measurement of Blast Furnace Parameters: Reliable Solutions for Metallurgy

A blast furnace, or blast, is a large-scale metallurgical smelting installation of the shaft type, designed for smelting pig iron and ferroalloys from iron ore raw materials.

One of the key features of the blast furnace process is its continuity throughout the entire campaign of furnace operation. An important element of the technology is counterflow: the ascending tuyere gases interact with the descending column of materials, which is constantly replenished with new batches of charge.

The blast furnace has a complex design, including massive metal elements and movable units such as pig iron cars and slag cars. In addition, the technological process is characterized by high complexity, which makes many measurements indirect. Under such conditions, ensuring accurate and reliable control of technological parameters becomes an important and responsible task.

Comprehensive control solution

To create a unified and fault-tolerant monitoring system for the blast furnace, the optimal solution is the use of specialized sensors. Properly selected measuring instruments operate around the clock, providing operational personnel with objective information about the condition of the unit. They form the basis for automatic control systems and accident prevention.

Instruments from the "IZMERKON" company provide high accuracy and stability of data necessary for controlling and optimizing the technological process. The recommended solutions are proven in practice: this configuration of measuring equipment has been successfully implemented and operated at a number of domestic metallurgical enterprises for monitoring blast furnaces. Let us consider the main parameters and corresponding measuring instruments:

• Gas environment control: for continuous measurement of the pressure of the top gas, hot blast, and gas in the intercone space, manometric transmitters IZMERKON PI-1 have proven reliable. Their high stability is critically important for controlling the combustion process and furnace gas dynamics.
• Pressure drop diagnostics: monitoring static gas pressure in the bosh, pressure drops along the shaft height, as well as upper and lower pressure drops is carried out using differential pressure sensors IZMERKON DD-33. This data is indispensable for assessing the distribution of materials and gas flows.
• Accurate flow measurement: the process economy depends on precise flow measurement. Natural gas to the furnace is measured by a thermal mass flow meter IZMERKON TM 650, and blast (top) gas by a vortex flow meter IZMERKON VT 450. For controlling the cooling air flow to the hearth, a thermal mass flow meter IZMERKON TM 450 is used.
• Cooling system management: trouble-free operation depends on effective heat removal. The flow and pressure of the supplied cooling water, as well as the water flow at the cooler drain, are accurately controlled by a combination of electromagnetic flow meter IZMERKON EM 470 and pressure sensors IZMERKON PI-1.

Implementation results

The use of "IZMERKON" equipment, tested in real production conditions, allows ensuring stable and accurate control of the blast furnace technological parameters. This contributes to increasing pig iron production efficiency, reducing the risk of accidents, and optimizing resource consumption. Reliable measuring instruments, already used by metallurgical enterprises, become an integral part of modern production, guaranteeing high quality and stability of the technological process.

To develop a customized project for equipping your blast furnace and to calculate a commercial proposal, contact our technical specialists.