Upgrade of arc furnace controls at a large steel foundry

摘要

In 1996, a large steel foundry undertook a project to modernize one of their furnaces to reduce costs through reduction of specific energy consumption and electrode consumption. This upgrade consisted of replacement of the regulator with an artificial intelligence-based controller system, and replacement of the DC electrode drive system with a new AC drive system. The controller system is a total management system for the electric arc furnace and gives the furnace operator the opportunity for true "process control" for the furnace, rather than just process management." The upgraded controls have produced savings exceeding the projected project results for electrode and electrical energy consumption.