TEMPERATURE CONTROL OF A CONTINUOUS, PUSH TYPE, FIVE ZONE, SLAB REHEATING FURNACE, FOR MINIMUM FUEL USAGE
Abstract
The problem under investigation is the temperature control of a continuous, push type, slab reheat furnace for minimum fuel consumption. An existing computer simulation of the reheat furnace was tested and enhanced for the purpose of developing an on-line temperature control scheme. The results obtained include: an on-line temperature control scheme using off-line model generated data; the development of a set of off-line algorithms for determining the maximum funace push rate; the minimum fuel usage at steady state for a specified existing average slab temperature profile; and the fuel flow distributions and push rate adjustments required during transition from one operating level to another, while maintaining existing average slab temperatures within a specified tolerance band. Two different average slab thicknesses and four different push rates were considered in this study. The furnace used in this study is located at Bethlehem Steel Corporations' Burns Harbor, Indiana, Works, 80 inch Hot Strip Mill. The geometrical and process similarity of each zone (i.e., preheat zone top, preheat zone bottom, heat zone top, etc.) allowed a simplification of the model involved by considering one zone as representative of all the other zones. The model used was verified by showing that the simulation results exhibited similar responses as the real furnace to equivalent upsets with similar magnitude results and similar time responses. No absolute validation versus plant operating data was possible.
Degree
Ph.D.
Subject Area
Industrial engineering
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