HOT-BLAST STOVES. BURNER FANS. PROCESSES AUTOMATION BASED ON ELECTRIC DRIVES

The advanced automation solution for the burner fans ensures that the air supply is regulated by the changes in fan motor revolution. In order to accelerate the blast furnace operation, the air which is blown into the furnace is pre-heated up to 900-1200°С. Hot blast increases the efficiency of the furnace and reduces fuel consumption. In a modern blast furnace, a large volume of air in fed at the speed of 5,000-6,000 m3/sec. In order to supply combustion air, the burner is equipped with a remote centrifugal fan driven by a cage induction motor. The turning vanes between the burner and the fan control the amount of air supplied to the burner. The vanes are operated by the actuator installed next to the burner.

The automation system controls the drives of the burner fans and regulates gas burning in the hot-blast stove. It also controls other mechanisms in the system, ensures archiving of the technological process and automatic reporting, and sends instant reports about the rotation speed and current in the motors of the hot-blast stove gas burners according to the pre-defined program and technological requirements.

Burner fan drives automation helps to ensure safe and efficient operation of the system that controls gas burning in the hot-blast stove relying on the use of advanced converting units. This also helps to reduce emergency situations by means of using partial load mode, to save working hours required for troubleshooting, and improve the work culture in general.

The system involves the following sub-systems:

  • visualizing and archiving;
  • control over the electric drives and actuators;
  • diagnostics of the system and its elements;

This is a decentralized three-tier multifunctional system with several control levels and autonomous operational units.

The automation solutions for the burner fan drives ensure uninterruptible control over the gas burning process in the hot-blast stoves. The complex of technical solutions includes the following equipment:

  • ­ power frequency converters;
  • relays and contactors that collect information about the technological process;
  • PLCs and microprocessors;
  • control panel (a workstation with a color monitor and appliances for long-term data storage) that provides personnel with output information about the system.
PROCESSES AUTOMATION

Siemens frequency converters are used to regulate the rotation speed of the asynchronous motors that drive the burner fans.

The system is powered by SIMATIC high-performance processor and Profibus DP network that ensure high-speed data transmission.

Industrial Ethernet network connects the programmable logical controllers of the burner fan drives with the automation system of the whole shop floor. The network protects the system from external electromagnetic fields and ensures reliable performance in severe industrial conditions.

The suggested automation solution works on standardized equipment, which helps to reduce the number of spare parts and facilitates maintenance.

HOT-BLAST STOVES

 

 

 

Implementation experience:

Object
Name of workWork
Year
Ilyich Iron and Steel Works PJSC, Mariupol, Ukraine
Blast furnace №1. Air-heaters. Automatic control system for the gas burners’ ventilator drives of the air-heaters № 1-4. Projecting and application software design, electric equipment manufacturing and materials supply, electrical installation and commissioning
Ilyich Iron and Steel Works PJSC, Mariupol, Ukraine
Blast furnace №2. Air-heaters. ACS TP and electric drives automatic control system for the gas burners’ ventilator drives of the air-heaters № 5-8. Projecting and application software design, electric equipment manufacturing and materials supply, electrical installation and commissioning
Ilyich Iron and Steel Works PJSC, Mariupol, Ukraine
Blast furnace №3. Air-heaters. ACS TP of gas burning process. Projecting and application software design, electric equipment manufacturing and materials supply, supervision assembling and commissioning
Ilyich Iron and Steel Works PJSC, Mariupol, Ukraine
Blast furnace №4. Air-heaters. Electric drives automatic control system for the gas burners’ ventilator drives of the air-heaters № 13-16 and 18-19. Projecting and application software design
* Обязательное поле