Continuous Measurements of the Pig-Iron Temperature

Abstract: This report is about continuous temperature measurements of pig-iron at tapping from blast furnace 2 in Oxelösund, SSAB. Nowadays the temperature is only checked once at every tapping. The purpose of this project is to see if the process stability increases by continuously knowing the temperature and to compare the costs of this new technique with the technique used today. Possible savings due to less consumption of coke/coal if the silicon amount and the temperature are closer to their aim values will be regarded and if as little steam consumption as possible are used. The process stability can be divided into different sub goals. The ordinary measuring techniques were investigated as a part of the main goal; such as the ordinary measured temperature, the pig-iron and slag samples. The new continuous temperature measuring technique was compared with the ordinary temperature measurement and investigations of the life length were done. How representative the pig-iron and slag samples are, when taking them at the time they are today, are also looked into. The continuous measured temperature showed around 0,37 % higher temperature than the ordinary measured temperature. The pig-iron and slag samples should be taken as they are today, for mainly safety aspects. By using continuous temperature measurement, some of the sub goals can be achieved for a more stable process. The economy on the other hand has shown that large savings can be done by using this continuous temperature method due to a more stable process. This is mainly because of a decrease in steam usage in the experimental period. By regarding only the material of the methods the continuous temperature equipment is a bit more expensive, but the savings are much larger so the continuous temperature method is beneficial. With time this method could probably improve the process stability even more since the operators will deal with the information and the probe better.