A computer model has been developed which calculates the internal profile of the hearth from thermocouples placed in the bottom and side walls. The model accounts for both erosion of the refractory material, and the formation of skull on the refractory surfaces. Analysis of the hearth on a regular basis, by visualising the three-dimensional hearth profile and by calculating the effective hearth liquid volume, has proved to be an effective means of evaluating the influence of feedstock (e.g. coke mean size) and operating practices on the hearth performance, and hence impacts on the furnace life.
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