Noninertial control of the blast furnace and the carburization of iron

Abstract

Essentially, the reduction of iron in the blast furnace and the oxidative smelting of steel in the oxygen converter are opposing processes. In addressing the carburization of iron in the blast furnace and its decarburization in the converter, we consider noninertial control of the zonal blast-furnace processes. A functional relation is established between the parameters of the zonal processes and the parameters of the hot blast, the reducing gas, and the blast-furnace gas. On that basis, the batch and coke consumption and the yield of metal, slag, and gas in unit time may be strictly and continuously regulated. That, in turn, permits monitoring of the ore load on the coke. Noninertial control of the zonal blast-furnace processes by this means permits regulation of the slag’s oxidative potential, the ore load, and the consumption of injected dusty iron oxides and hence reduction of the carbon content in the hot metal to 2.0–2.5% or less. This approach leads ultimately to the creation of a single-stage process from ore to steel.