Integrated method for controlling the converter mouth and its application

Abstract

This invention provides an integrated method for controlling the converter furnace mouth and its application. The method includes the following steps: S1. Structural optimization: synchronously performing adaptive adjustments to the water-cooled furnace mouth diameter expansion and furnace hood length to form a smooth charging channel; S2. Charge preparation: preparing magnesia-based supplementary charge with specific particle size and composition; S3. Charge supplementation: when the tapping angle reaches -80° to -85°, directionally supplementing the charge to the critical area of ​​slag impact; S4. Feedback control: dynamically adjusting the supplementation amount based on real-time monitoring of the furnace lining condition; S5. System fine-tuning: performing closed-loop fine-tuning of structural parameters and supplementation strategies based on slag runoff and charging cycle data. This method integrates and solves the technical problems of long main raw material charging cycles and severe slag runoff at the furnace mouth during tapping, effectively improving converter production efficiency, reducing molten steel loss, and improving the production environment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of iron and steel metallurgy technology, specifically relating to an integrated method for controlling the converter furnace opening and its application. Background Technology

[0002] The converter is a core steelmaking piece of equipment in the modern iron and steel metallurgical process. Its operating efficiency, utilization rate, and process stability directly determine the capacity, cost, and quality control level of the entire steel production line. Achieving efficient, stable, and low-consumption operation of the converter is key to steel companies continuously improving their competitiveness.

[0003] Currently, two major technical challenges are commonly encountered in the actual production process of converter steelmaking. Firstly, the charging cycle for the main raw materials, molten iron and scrap steel, is relatively long. Because the inner diameter of the water-cooled furnace mouth in traditional converters is fixed, and the upper furnace cap structure, especially the last few layers, is not scientifically matched to the furnace mouth size, a structural bottleneck exists in the raw material charging channel. Raw materials are prone to stagnation and blockage when flowing through the furnace mouth and furnace cap area, severely slowing down the charging pace and becoming a bottleneck restricting the overall operating rate of the converter.

[0004] Secondly, slag runoff at the furnace mouth is a serious problem during the tapping process. In the later stages of tapping, slag easily overflows from specific areas near the converter taphole, impacting critical areas. This forces operators to avoid tilting the furnace to the optimal tapping angle, often resulting in a larger negative angle, leading to incomplete slag removal and metal loss, directly impacting steel yield and production costs. Furthermore, the overflowing high-temperature slag not only pollutes the working environment and increases the burden of slag cleaning, but may also adversely affect the purity of the molten steel, ultimately impacting the quality of the final product. Therefore, effectively controlling slag runoff at the furnace mouth is crucial for ensuring efficient, clean, and stable steel tapping from the converter. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the technical problems of long main raw material charging cycles and severe slag runoff at the furnace mouth during tapping in the aforementioned commonly used technologies, this invention provides an integrated method for controlling the converter furnace mouth, comprising the following steps: S1. Structural optimization: The diameter of the water-cooled furnace opening was expanded and the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap was adjusted accordingly; S2. Furnace charge preparation: Prepare the furnace charge for furnace lining patching, wherein the furnace charge has a particle size of 20-80 mm and a bulk density of 2.50-3.2 kg / cm³. 3 Magnesium refractory materials; S3. Charge replenishment: During the converter tapping process, the tapping angle is monitored in real time, and when the tapping angle reaches the preset range of -80° to -85°, the charge replenishment is directionally replenished to the critical area of ​​slag impact. S4: Feedback control: Based on the real-time monitoring results of the furnace lining status in the critical area of ​​slag impact, dynamically adjust the amount of replenished furnace charge in step S3; S5: System Fine-tuning: Based on the monitoring data of slag runoff at the furnace mouth after the addition and the monitoring data of the main raw material charging cycle, a closed-loop feedback fine-tuning is performed on the adjustment strategy of the water-cooled furnace mouth inner diameter in S1 or the addition amount mentioned in S4.

[0006] Furthermore, step S1 includes: determining the target inner diameter based on the nominal capacity of the converter, and expanding the water-cooled furnace opening to the target inner diameter. Based on the target inner diameter, the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap is optimized to form a charging channel that smoothly connects with the expanded water-cooled furnace opening; The step of optimizing the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap based on the target inner diameter includes: constructing a coupled model of the furnace cap and the water-cooled furnace opening using 3D modeling software, simulating the flow trajectory of the main raw material under different furnace cap lengths, and determining the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap based on the simulation results.

[0007] Furthermore, when the nominal capacity of the converter is 210 tons, the target inner diameter of the water-cooled furnace opening is 5400-5500 mm, and the lengths of the last three layers of the furnace cap are 580-620 mm, 640-670 mm, and 680-720 mm, respectively.

[0008] Furthermore, the preparation of the feedstock includes the following steps: A mixed raw material with a chemical composition satisfying SiO2≤10%, MgO≥45%, and S≤0.1% is obtained. The mixed raw material includes magnesite, a binder, and a flux, wherein the binder accounts for 3%-5% of the mass fraction of the mixed raw material, and the flux accounts for 1%-2% of the mass fraction of the mixed raw material. The mixed raw materials are crushed and screened to obtain the supplementary furnace charge.

[0009] Furthermore, in step S4, the real-time monitoring of the furnace lining condition is performed by a furnace lining condition monitoring system, which includes: A high-temperature industrial camera is used to capture surface morphology images of the key areas impacted by the slag online in order to identify erosion morphology; A laser thickness gauge is used to measure the residual thickness of the furnace lining in the critical area of ​​slag impact online. Furthermore, the dynamic adjustment is based on the comparison result between the surface morphology image and / or the residual thickness data of the furnace lining and a first preset threshold, the first preset threshold including a thickness threshold and / or a morphology threshold.

[0010] Furthermore, step S5 includes: monitoring and obtaining the amount of slag runoff at the furnace mouth after the replenishment and the main raw material charging cycle; When the main raw material loading cycle is longer than the preset cycle threshold, or the amount of slag running from the furnace mouth is higher than the preset slag running threshold, the fine-tuning mechanism is triggered. The fine-tuning mechanism corrects at least one parameter in the adjustment strategy of the water-cooled furnace inlet inner diameter, furnace cap length, or the amount of feed according to preset adjustment rules. The magnitude of the correction is related to the degree to which the cycle or slag run exceeds the corresponding threshold.

[0011] Furthermore, the method also includes step S6: data management and analysis step, which involves real-time collection and storage of key process parameters involved in steps S1 to S5 to form an operating database, and trend analysis and optimization iteration of the target inner diameter, the length of the last three furnace caps, the supplementary amount adjustment strategy and fine-tuning parameters based on historical data.

[0012] Furthermore, when the method is applied to converters with different nominal caps, the target inner diameter in step S1, the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap, and the amount of feed in step S3 are determined by proportional scaling calculation based on the ratio of the nominal cap of the target converter to that of the reference converter.

[0013] Furthermore, the "critical area of ​​slag impact" is a three-dimensional conical area extending from the center of the tapping hole to the converter mouth. The central axis of this conical area has an angle of 70°-110° with the horizontal plane, and the cone apex angle is 20°-40°.

[0014] This invention provides an application of the integrated method for controlling the converter furnace mouth as described in any of the above claims in improving the efficiency of converter steelmaking operations.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following advantages: The integrated method provided by this invention systematically solves two major technical problems: "long main raw material charging cycle" and "severe slag runoff at the furnace mouth during steel tapping" through a five-step process with interconnected and synergistic effects. The specific solution path is as follows: To address the issue of "long main raw material loading cycle," the fundamental solution is achieved through structural optimization in step S1, with system fine-tuning in step S5 ensuring long-term effectiveness. Specifically: "Water-cooled furnace opening diameter expansion": This directly increases the cross-sectional area of ​​the raw material inflow channel, significantly reducing material flow resistance; "Adaptive adjustment of the last three layers of the furnace cap length": This ensures a smooth transition between the internal contour of the furnace cap and the expanded furnace opening, eliminating raw material stagnation or turbulence caused by structural abrupt changes, and forming a smooth charging channel. These two measures, working together, fundamentally solve the problem of poor raw material flow caused by structural mismatch, thereby significantly shortening the main raw material charging cycle and improving the converter's operational rhythm.

[0016] To address the issue of severe slag spillage at the furnace mouth during tapping, a complete closed-loop solution is developed through steps S2 to S5, encompassing material preparation, real-time control, and long-term optimization. The prepared high-density, specific-particle-size magnesia refractory feedstock possesses excellent erosion resistance and high-temperature stability, providing a material basis for effective slag sealing. By directionally feeding the feedstock into the critical slag impact area at the tapping angle of -80° to -85°, the most dangerous angle for slag spillage, a robust temporary protective layer can be rapidly formed on the furnace lining surface, thereby preventing slag from overflowing. Physically, it directly blocks slag overflow; by real-time monitoring of the furnace lining condition in the impact area, such as thickness and morphology, the amount of slag added is dynamically adjusted, achieving precise maintenance of "adding only what is needed," which not only ensures the protective effect but also avoids material waste, ensuring the effectiveness and economy of slag control during single steel tapping; by monitoring the amount of slag loss as an indicator and feeding it back to the system to adjust the slag addition strategy, a closed-loop optimization loop is formed, enabling the entire control method to adapt to changes such as long-term wear of the furnace lining, ensuring the continuous stability of slag control effect during long-term operation and preventing the effect from decaying.

[0017] In summary, this invention, through an integrated feedback and fine-tuning mechanism, transforms the control of the converter furnace mouth from a discrete operation dependent on experience into a quantifiable, adaptive, and continuously optimizable integrated intelligent process. This systematically and effectively overcomes the two major technical problems in the prior art: "long main raw material charging cycle" and "severe slag runoff at the furnace mouth during the tapping process." Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap before optimization in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The specific length values ​​of the last three layers of the furnace cap before optimization are marked, reflecting the furnace cap structure before optimization. Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the length of the last three layers of the optimized furnace cap in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The optimal length values ​​of the last three layers of the optimized furnace cap are marked, reflecting the compatibility of the furnace cap with the enlarged furnace opening. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the converter tapping process in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, but only if they are based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

[0022] When numerical ranges are given in the embodiments, it should be understood that, unless otherwise stated in the present invention, both endpoints of each numerical range and any value between the two endpoints may be selected. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this invention, as well as the prior art known to those skilled in the art and the description of the invention, may be implemented using any prior art methods, devices, and materials similar to or equivalent to the methods, devices, and materials in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0023] In converter steelmaking, the charging cycle of main raw materials and the slag runoff at the furnace mouth during tapping are crucial factors affecting production efficiency and product quality. Traditional methods suffer from a long charging cycle, leading to low production efficiency; simultaneously, severe slag runoff at the furnace mouth during tapping causes incomplete tapping angles, resulting in incomplete molten steel output and environmental pollution. Therefore, this invention aims to provide an integrated method to shorten the converter main raw material charging cycle and effectively control slag runoff at the furnace mouth during tapping, thereby improving production efficiency, reducing costs, and improving the production environment.

[0024] This invention provides an integrated method for controlling the furnace opening of a converter, comprising the following steps: S1. Structural optimization: The diameter of the water-cooled furnace opening was expanded and the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap was adjusted accordingly.

[0025] In some embodiments, step S1 includes: determining the target inner diameter based on the nominal capacity of the converter, and expanding the water-cooled furnace opening to the target inner diameter; optimizing the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap based on the target inner diameter to form a charging channel that smoothly connects with the expanded water-cooled furnace opening. The optimization of the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap based on the target inner diameter includes: constructing a coupled model of the furnace cap and the water-cooled furnace opening using 3D modeling software, simulating the flow trajectory of the main raw material under different furnace cap lengths, and determining the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap based on the simulation results.

[0026] It should be noted that the traditional water-cooled converter has a fixed inner diameter at the furnace opening, and the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap is not adapted to the furnace opening size. This results in a narrow loading channel for the main raw materials, causing them to easily stagnate and become blocked in the furnace opening or furnace cap area. This prolongs the loading time of the main raw materials, restricts the converter's production rhythm, and reduces the output per unit time. In addition, when tapping steel from the converter, slag easily overflows from a specific area of ​​the tapping opening. On the one hand, this forces operators to be unable to adjust the tapping angle of the converter to the optimal position, resulting in molten steel remaining in the furnace and causing steel loss. On the other hand, slag overflow pollutes the production environment, increases the subsequent slag cleaning costs, and may also affect the purity of the molten steel, reducing product quality.

[0027] In some more specific embodiments, when the nominal capacity of the converter is 210 tons, the target inner diameter of the water-cooled furnace opening is 5400-5500 mm, and the lengths of the last three layers of the furnace cap can be 580-620 mm, 640-670 mm, and 680-720 mm respectively; for example, the lengths of the last three layers of the furnace cap can be 600 mm, 657.7 mm, and 700 mm respectively.

[0028] Optionally, based on the enlarged inner diameter of the water-cooled furnace opening of the 210-ton converter, the lengths of the last three layers of the furnace cap before optimization are 692.3mm, 750mm, and 750mm, respectively; and the lengths of the last three layers of the furnace cap after optimization are 600mm, 657.7mm, and 700mm, respectively.

[0029] For example, the existing water-cooled furnace opening of a converter can be modified by machining to enlarge its inner diameter, thereby increasing its area. The enlarged inner diameter is determined based on the nominal capacity of the converter; for example, for a 210-ton converter, the appropriate inner diameter can be calculated to ensure that the width of the main raw material charging channel meets the requirements for rapid charging. The increased area of ​​the enlarged water-cooled furnace opening reduces the resistance during main raw material charging, preventing raw materials from lingering in the furnace opening area, significantly shortening the main raw material charging cycle, improving converter charging efficiency, and laying the foundation for accelerating subsequent steelmaking processes.

[0030] Furthermore, optimizing the length of the last three layers of the converter cap can be achieved by constructing a coupled model of the cap and the water-cooled furnace opening using 3D modeling software such as Autodesk AutoCAD. This simulates the flow trajectory of raw materials under different cap lengths, and the length of the last three layers is determined based on the simulation results, ensuring that the cap structure matches the enlarged inner diameter of the water-cooled furnace opening. The optimized cap and the enlarged water-cooled furnace opening form a suitable charging channel, eliminating the bottleneck at the connection between the cap and the furnace opening during raw material loading, further reducing raw material flow resistance, and preventing raw material blockage. This works synergistically with the aforementioned diameter expansion step, thereby shortening the main raw material loading cycle and improving charging stability.

[0031] S2. Preparation of Furnace Lining Material: Preparation of furnace lining material for furnace lining patching, wherein the furnace lining material has a particle size of 20-80 mm and a bulk density of 2.50-3.2 kg / cm³. 3 Magnesium refractory materials.

[0032] In some embodiments, the preparation of the feedstock includes the following steps: S21. Obtain a mixed raw material with a chemical composition satisfying SiO2≤10%, MgO≥45%, and S≤0.1%, wherein the mixed raw material includes magnesite, a binder, and a flux, wherein the mass fraction of the binder in the mixed raw material is 3%-5%, and the mass fraction of the flux in the mixed raw material is 1%-2%; S22. The mixed raw materials are crushed and screened to obtain the feedstock.

[0033] In some embodiments, step S22 includes: first, coarsely crushing the raw material using a jaw crusher, then finely crushing it using an impact crusher, and finally screening it using a double-layer vibrating screen; for example, the upper screen mesh can have an aperture of 80 mm, and the lower screen mesh can have an aperture of 20 mm; the raw material with unqualified particle size is returned to the crushing process for reprocessing, finally obtaining a particle size of 20-80 mm and a bulk density of 2.50-3.2 kg / cm³. 3 The high-density feedstock has chemical composition that meets the requirements of SiO2≤10%, MgO≥45%, and S≤0.1%.

[0034] The aforementioned furnace charge has high density, stable composition, and strong particle size adaptability. It can maintain structural stability under high temperature environment and fit tightly to the furnace lining surface, providing a reliable material basis for preventing slag overflow. At the same time, the low sulfur and high magnesium content can avoid negative impact on the quality of molten steel.

[0035] S3. Charge replenishment: During the converter tapping process, the tapping angle is monitored in real time, and when the tapping angle reaches the preset range of 80° to -85°, the charge replenishment is directionally replenished to the critical area of ​​slag impact.

[0036] It should be noted that slag is most likely to overflow when the tapping angle reaches this preset range, such as -80°. By precisely replenishing the slag at this time, an effective protective layer can be quickly formed in the critical area of ​​slag impact, thereby directly blocking slag overflow from the source and controlling slag runoff at the furnace mouth.

[0037] In some embodiments, the directional replenishment is performed using dedicated replenishment equipment. The equipment includes a silo, a quantitative feeding device, and a directional spraying mechanism. The silo stores the replenishment charge; the quantitative feeding device controls the amount of material replenished in a single operation; and the directional spraying mechanism adjusts the spray angle and pressure to ensure the replenishment material accurately falls into the critical impact zone of the slag at the taphole. This configuration effectively avoids waste of replenishment material or protection failure due to replenishment position deviation.

[0038] In some embodiments, the amount of furnace charge added in step S3 is the initial single addition amount, which can be 40-60 kg.

[0039] S4: Feedback control: Based on the real-time monitoring results of the furnace lining status in the critical area of ​​slag impact, dynamically adjust the amount of replenishment material added in step S3.

[0040] In some embodiments, real-time monitoring of the furnace lining condition is performed by a furnace lining condition monitoring system. Specifically, the system employs a combination of a high-temperature industrial camera and a laser thickness gauge: the high-temperature industrial camera is used to capture online images of the surface morphology of the critical slag impact area to identify the erosion area and degree of erosion; the laser thickness gauge is used to measure the remaining thickness of the furnace lining in that area online.

[0041] Furthermore, the dynamic adjustment is based on a comparison between the surface morphology image and / or the residual thickness data of the furnace lining and a first preset threshold, where the first preset threshold includes a thickness threshold and / or a morphology threshold. By acquiring real-time furnace lining erosion data, the amount of replenishment material can be precisely matched—increasing replenishment in severely eroded areas and decreasing replenishment in lightly eroded areas. This ensures the protective effect of the furnace lining, effectively prevents slag runoff, avoids cost waste due to excessive replenishment, and helps extend the overall service life of the furnace lining.

[0042] In some more specific embodiments, the dynamic adjustment is based on a comparison between the surface topography image and / or the residual thickness data of the furnace lining and a first preset threshold, which includes a thickness threshold and / or a further refined topography threshold.

[0043] The thickness threshold T is set to 75% of the initial thickness of the new furnace lining (e.g., 200 mm), i.e., 150 mm. This threshold is determined based on engineering experience and is the minimum remaining thickness that ensures the structural safety and effective protective function of the furnace lining.

[0044] The morphology threshold is determined based on surface image features captured by a high-temperature industrial camera, specifically including: Minor: The surface is flat or there are only minor spot-like melting damages, without continuous erosion pits.

[0045] Moderate: Localized, continuous erosion pits appear, with an area less than 10% of the observed area.

[0046] Severe: Obvious, continuous erosion pits or cracks appear, with an area greater than 10% of the observed area.

[0047] The specific rules for the dynamic adjustment are as follows: the residual thickness T of the furnace lining measured in real time by the laser thickness gauge... _实测 With the thickness safety threshold T 安全 By comparing and integrating the erosion morphology levels determined by the high-temperature industrial camera, the adjustment range ΔM of the replenishment amount is determined through preset decision logic. An exemplary adjustment strategy is as follows: When T 实测 ≥120%T 安全 If the morphology is slight or absent, reduce the amount of supplementation by 10% to 20%.

[0048] When T 实测 ≥T 安全 And <120%T 安全 If the morphology is mild, maintain the baseline dosage; if the morphology is moderate or severe, increase the dosage by 20% to 30%.

[0049] When T_ 实测 <T 安全 At that time, regardless of its appearance, the amount of replenishment will be increased by 50%, triggering a system warning.

[0050] Through the comprehensive judgment based on the above quantitative thresholds and levels, a precise match was achieved between the amount of replenishment and the actual wear and tear of the furnace lining.

[0051] S5: System Fine-tuning: Based on the monitoring data of slag runoff at the furnace mouth after the addition and the monitoring data of the main raw material charging cycle, a closed-loop feedback fine-tuning is performed on the adjustment strategy of the water-cooled furnace mouth inner diameter in S1 or the addition amount mentioned in S4.

[0052] In some embodiments, step S5 includes: monitoring and acquiring the amount of slag runoff at the furnace mouth after replenishment and the main raw material charging cycle; when the main raw material charging cycle is longer than a preset cycle threshold, or the amount of slag runoff at the furnace mouth is higher than a preset slag runoff threshold, a fine-tuning mechanism is triggered; the fine-tuning mechanism corrects at least one parameter among the adjustment strategies of the water-cooled furnace mouth inner diameter, furnace cap length, or replenishment amount according to preset adjustment rules; the magnitude of the correction is related to the degree to which the cycle or slag runoff exceeds the corresponding threshold.

[0053] In some more specific embodiments, the closed-loop feedback logic of the system fine-tuning S5 is based on a preset quantization threshold and explicit adjustment rules.

[0054] Threshold definition: The preset period threshold can be set to 3 minutes.

[0055] The preset slag run threshold is set to ≤1 visible slag run stream per furnace. This standard is an engineered and observable definition of the effect of "reducing slag run by 85%". When more than one obvious slag run stream is observed, it is considered to exceed the standard.

[0056] Adjust the selection rules for objects: If the cycle exceeds the standard, the inner diameter of the water-cooled furnace inlet should be fine-tuned because it has the most direct impact on the channel resistance.

[0057] If the amount of waste exceeds the standard, then the basic strategy of adjusting the amount of waste to replenish the plant should be optimized.

[0058] The magnitude of the correction is related to the degree to which the cycle or slag run exceeds the corresponding threshold. An exemplary quantification rule is as follows: For cycle exceeding limits: If the threshold is exceeded, an adjustment is triggered. The adjustment amount ΔD is determined based on the excess percentage. For example: if the excess percentage is ≤5%, the inner diameter of the water-cooled furnace opening is increased by 2mm.

[0059] If the excess is greater than 5% and less than or equal to 20%, the inner diameter of the water-cooled furnace opening is increased by 5mm, as in Example 1 of this invention.

[0060] If the excess ratio is >20%, the inner diameter will be increased by ≥8mm, and the furnace cap length will be checked and optimized simultaneously.

[0061] For excessive slag leakage: a gradual adjustment is adopted. If the leakage exceeds the limit, the baseline replenishment amount for the next furnace is increased by 5%, for example, from 60kg to 63kg. If the leakage still exceeds the limit, the amount is increased in increments of 5%, and the replenishment positioning accuracy is checked.

[0062] By using the above rules, monitoring data is transformed into specific, executable operational instructions, enabling adaptive maintenance of production status and ensuring the long-term stability of technical effects.

[0063] It should be noted that if the inner diameter of the water-cooled furnace opening changes, step S1 needs to be repeated to make an adaptive adjustment to the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap.

[0064] For example, the main raw material charging cycle can be monitored using infrared sensors. Infrared sensors are installed at the inlet and outlet of the raw material conveying channel. Timing begins when the raw material passes through the inlet sensor and stops when it passes through the outlet sensor. Based on the slag runoff monitoring data and charging cycle data, subsequent operations such as adjusting the inner diameter of the water-cooled furnace opening, optimizing the furnace cap length, and controlling the amount of supplementary charge can be dynamically fine-tuned. Through this continuous monitoring and dynamic fine-tuning, the entire set of process parameters can always adapt to the actual operating conditions of the converter, such as furnace lining wear and raw material characteristic fluctuations. This ensures that the main raw material charging cycle remains at an optimal level, while also providing long-term, stable control of slag runoff at the furnace opening, effectively avoiding the degradation of later effects caused by fixed parameters.

[0065] In some embodiments, the method further includes step S6: a data management and analysis step, which involves real-time collection and storage of key process parameters involved in steps S1 to S5 to form an operating database, and trend analysis and optimization iteration of the target inner diameter, the length of the last three furnace caps, the supplementary feed adjustment strategy and fine-tuning parameters based on historical data.

[0066] By recording and analyzing operating parameters, we can uncover the correlations between parameters, such as the relationship between furnace mouth temperature and charging cycle, and the relationship between feed rate and slag runoff. This provides data support for further process optimization and facilitates the tracing of the production process, enabling rapid identification of abnormal issues. For example, if slag runoff suddenly increases, the cause can be found by tracing back the parameters.

[0067] A schematic diagram of the converter tapping process is shown below. Figure 3 As shown, specifically, in some embodiments, the "critical area of ​​slag impact" is a three-dimensional conical area extending from the center of the tapping hole to the converter mouth. The central axis of this conical area has an angle of 70°-110° with the horizontal plane, and the cone apex angle is 20°-40°.

[0068] In some embodiments, when the method is applied to converters with different nominal caps, the target inner diameter in step S1, the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap, and the amount of feed in step S3 are determined by proportional scaling calculation based on the ratio of the nominal cap of the target converter to that of the reference converter.

[0069] It should be noted that the integration method of the present invention is applicable to converters with a nominal capacity of 100-300 tons.

[0070] The present invention also provides an application of the integrated method for controlling the converter furnace mouth as described in any of the above claims in improving the efficiency of converter steelmaking operations.

[0071] To facilitate a further understanding of the present invention by those skilled in the art, the following examples are provided: Example 1 S1. The original water-cooled furnace opening was modified by mechanical processing, increasing its inner diameter from φ4940mm to 5450mm, and increasing the area of ​​the water-cooled furnace opening by more than 20%.

[0072] Subsequently, based on the enlarged inner diameter of the water-cooled furnace opening, the furnace cap structure was adapted and optimized. A coupled model of the furnace cap and the water-cooled furnace opening was constructed using Autodesk AutoCAD software to simulate the flow trajectory of the main raw materials. Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the simulation results indicate that optimizing the construction lengths of the last three layers of the furnace cap to 600mm, 657.7mm, and 700mm respectively, compared to the previous lengths of 692.3mm, 750mm, and 750mm, can form a smooth charging channel with the enlarged furnace opening.

[0073] S2. Preparation of dedicated furnace charge. Magnesite is used as the main raw material, with 4% binder and 1.5% flux added by mass. The mixture is then passed through a jaw crusher for coarse crushing, an impact crusher for fine crushing, and finally sieved using a double-layer vibrating screen with an 80mm mesh size on the upper layer and a 20mm mesh size on the lower layer. The final product has a particle size range of 20-80mm and a bulk density of 2.8g / cm³. 3 The furnace charge was deemed qualified for replenishment. Testing revealed the following chemical composition: SiO2=8%, MgO=48%, S=0.08%.

[0074] During the converter tapping process, steps S3 and S4 are executed. When the tapping angle, as monitored in real time, reaches -80°, the dedicated feeding equipment is activated. The equipment uses a directional spraying mechanism to precisely feed the prepared feed charge into the critical slag impact area at the tapping port. The initial single feeding amount is set to 50 kg.

[0075] Meanwhile, the furnace lining condition monitoring system, including a high-temperature industrial camera and a laser thickness gauge, monitors the critical impact areas in real time. The high-temperature industrial camera observed obvious erosion marks on the surface of the local furnace lining; the laser thickness gauge measured the current remaining thickness of the furnace lining in that area to be 150 mm.

[0076] Based on the monitoring results, the system dynamically adjusts the subsequent steel replenishment amount to 60kg to achieve precise maintenance. In this embodiment, the initial design thickness of the furnace lining is 200mm, and the preset thickness safety threshold T... 安全 It is 75% of that, which is 150mm. The actual thickness T measured by the laser thickness gauge. 实测 It is 150mm, which is exactly in the "T" position. 实测 ≥T安全 And <120%T 安全 The interval of “”.

[0077] Meanwhile, the "obvious erosion marks on the surface of local furnace lining" observed by the high-temperature industrial camera correspond to the "moderate" erosion level according to the morphology classification standard.

[0078] Based on the monitoring results above, the thickness is at the critical point of the safety threshold, and the erosion morphology is moderate. According to the preset dynamic adjustment rules, the decision corresponding to this combination of conditions is to increase the replenishment amount by 20% to 30%.

[0079] Therefore, the system calculated and adjusted the initial replenishment amount of 50kg by increasing it by 20%, resulting in a new replenishment amount of 50kg × (1 + 20%) = 60kg. This adjustment precisely matched the real-time wear and tear of the furnace lining, ensuring the protective effect while avoiding excessive material use.

[0080] S5. Monitoring data shows that after applying this method, the main raw material charging cycle was shortened from 8 minutes before optimization to 3.5 minutes, and the amount of slag running from the furnace mouth was reduced by 85%.

[0081] Based on the feedback data, the inner diameter of the water-cooled furnace opening was further fine-tuned, for example, increased by 5mm, to maintain stable charging efficiency. In this embodiment, the main raw material charging cycle has been optimized to 3.5 minutes. Based on the preset cycle threshold of 3 minutes, the current cycle exceeds the threshold by 0.5 minutes. Therefore, the inner diameter of the water-cooled furnace opening was selected as the target for fine-tuning. The excess ratio is >5% and ≤20%, so the inner diameter of the water-cooled furnace opening is increased by 5mm; the slag runoff is reduced by 85%, and the number of visible slag runoff streams per furnace is ≤1. The slag runoff does not exceed the preset slag runoff threshold, so no adjustment to the replenishment amount is required.

[0082] At the same time, data recording is performed, and key process parameters such as water-cooled furnace mouth temperature of 120℃, tapping temperature of 1650℃, and feeding amount of 60kg are stored in the database for subsequent trend analysis and optimization iteration.

[0083] Through the implementation of the above integrated methods, the 210-ton converter has shortened the main raw material charging cycle, reduced the amount of slag runoff at the furnace mouth by 85%, and reduced the molten steel loss rate by 3%, which can reduce cost losses by about 13.59 million yuan per year. Based on the calculation of a benefit of 100 yuan per ton of steel, it also reduces the pollution of slag to the environment, achieving a dual improvement in economic and social benefits.

[0084] The above technical solutions of the present invention are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the patent scope of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made under the technical concept of the present invention using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included in the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An integrated method for controlling the converter furnace opening, characterized in that, Including the following steps: S1. Structural optimization: The diameter of the water-cooled furnace opening was expanded and the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap was adjusted accordingly; S2. Furnace charge preparation: Prepare the furnace charge for furnace lining patching, wherein the furnace charge has a particle size of 20-80 mm and a bulk density of 2.50-3.2 kg / cm³. 3 Magnesium refractory materials; S3. Charge replenishment: During the converter tapping process, the tapping angle is monitored in real time, and when the tapping angle reaches the preset range of -80° to -85°, the charge replenishment is directionally replenished to the critical area of ​​slag impact. S4: Feedback control: Based on the real-time monitoring results of the furnace lining status in the critical area of ​​slag impact, dynamically adjust the amount of replenished furnace charge in step S3; and, S5: System Fine-tuning: Based on the monitoring data of slag runoff at the furnace mouth after the addition and the monitoring data of the main raw material charging cycle, a closed-loop feedback fine-tuning is performed on the adjustment strategy of the water-cooled furnace mouth inner diameter in S1 or the addition amount mentioned in S4.

2. The integrated method for controlling the converter furnace opening according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step S1 includes: determining the target inner diameter based on the nominal capacity of the converter, and expanding the water-cooled furnace opening to the target inner diameter. Based on the target inner diameter, the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap is optimized to form a charging channel that smoothly connects with the expanded water-cooled furnace opening; The step of optimizing the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap based on the target inner diameter includes: constructing a coupled model of the furnace cap and the water-cooled furnace opening using 3D modeling software, simulating the flow trajectory of the main raw material under different furnace cap lengths, and determining the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap based on the simulation results.

3. The integrated method for controlling the converter opening according to claim 1, characterized in that, With a nominal converter capacity of 210 tons, the target inner diameter of the water-cooled furnace opening is 5400-5500 mm, and the lengths of the last three layers of the furnace cap are 580-620 mm, 640-670 mm, and 680-720 mm, respectively.

4. The integrated method for controlling the converter furnace opening according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preparation of the supplementary furnace charge includes the following steps: A mixed raw material with a chemical composition satisfying SiO2≤10%, MgO≥45%, and S≤0.1% is obtained. The mixed raw material includes magnesite, a binder, and a flux, wherein the binder accounts for 3%-5% of the mass fraction of the mixed raw material, and the flux accounts for 1%-2% of the mass fraction of the mixed raw material. The mixed raw materials are crushed and screened to obtain the supplementary furnace charge.

5. The integrated method for controlling the converter opening according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S4, the real-time monitoring of the furnace lining condition is performed by a furnace lining condition monitoring system, which includes: A high-temperature industrial camera is used to capture surface morphology images of the key areas impacted by the slag online in order to identify erosion morphology; A laser thickness gauge is used to measure the residual thickness of the furnace lining in the critical area of ​​slag impact online. Furthermore, the dynamic adjustment is based on the comparison result between the surface morphology image and / or the residual thickness data of the furnace lining and a first preset threshold, the first preset threshold including a thickness threshold and / or a morphology threshold.

6. The integrated method for controlling the converter furnace opening according to claim 1, characterized in that, Step S5 includes: monitoring and obtaining the amount of slag runoff from the furnace mouth after the replenishment and the main raw material charging cycle; When the main raw material loading cycle is longer than the preset cycle threshold, or the amount of slag running from the furnace mouth is higher than the preset slag running threshold, the fine-tuning mechanism is triggered. The fine-tuning mechanism corrects at least one parameter in the adjustment strategy of the water-cooled furnace inlet inner diameter, furnace cap length, or the amount of feed according to preset adjustment rules. The magnitude of the correction is related to the degree to which the cycle or slag run exceeds the corresponding threshold.

7. The integrated method for controlling the converter furnace opening according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method also includes step S6: data management and analysis step, which involves real-time collection and storage of key process parameters involved in steps S1 to S5 to form an operating database, and trend analysis and optimization iteration of the target inner diameter, the length of the last three furnace caps, the supplementary amount adjustment strategy and fine-tuning parameters based on historical data.

8. The integrated method for controlling the converter furnace opening according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the method is applied to converters with different nominal caps, the target inner diameter in step S1, the length of the last three layers of the furnace cap, and the amount of feed in step S3 are determined by proportional scaling calculation based on the ratio of the nominal cap of the target converter to that of the reference converter.

9. The integrated method for controlling the converter furnace opening according to claim 1, characterized in that, The "critical area of ​​slag impact" is a three-dimensional conical area extending from the center of the taphole to the converter mouth. The central axis of this conical area has an angle of 70°-110° with the horizontal plane, and the apex angle is 20°-40°.

10. The application of an integrated method for controlling the converter furnace mouth as described in any one of claims 1-9 in improving the efficiency of converter steelmaking operations.

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