Electric Furnace Feed Control Using Electrode Gap Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of maintaining uniform operation in electric furnaces due to variations in resistance and current path caused by direct reduced iron with high metallic iron content, leading to issues like oversupply of current, changes in current path, and decreased operating rates.
Innovation Solution
The electric furnace equipment includes a body part with an input part, a photographing part, and an input control part that detects the spacing distance between the electrode and the raw material pile, controlling the input of raw material to maintain a uniform current flow and prevent contact between the electrode and the material pile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If direct reduced iron with high metallic iron content is used as raw material, then the heating efficiency is improved, but the current flow becomes unstable due to resistance variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system that continuously monitors the spacing distance between the electrode and raw material pile using a photographing part, and adjusts the raw material input amount based on the detected distance to maintain stable current flow and prevent contact between electrode and raw material
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts the raw material input amount based on real-time spacing distance detection, transitioning from static input control to dynamic control that adapts to changing conditions to maintain optimal operating parameters
2Reliability
If the spacing distance between electrode and raw material pile is large, then the current flow is stable, but the operating rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts raw material input to maintain optimal spacing distance, preventing both excessive distance (which reduces operating rate) and contact (which causes current instability), thereby optimizing productivity while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the input amount parameter of raw material based on detected spacing distance to maintain the optimal spacing between electrode and raw material pile, balancing current stability and operating rate
3Ease of operation
If the spacing distance between electrode and raw material pile is not controlled, then the operation is simple, but current hunting occurs and uniform operation is impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a feedback control mechanism that automatically adjusts raw material input based on spacing distance detection, eliminating the need for manual intervention while ensuring uniform operation and preventing current hunting
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution ensures uniform heating of raw materials, prevents current hunting at the electrode, and maintains a stable operating rate by adjusting the spacing distance, thereby improving the efficiency of the electric furnace operation.
Implementation Method 1
detects a spacing distance Dm between the electrode part and a raw material pile generated by the raw material piled around the electrode part by using a photograph image acquired by the photographing part
Implementation Method 2
The direct reduced iron is melted by the heat generated at an electrode part of the electric furnace equipment
Data Source
AI summary
An electric furnace equipment including: a body part having an inner space capable of processing a raw material; an electrode part installed to be inserted into the inner space of the body part; an input part installed in the body part to be capable of inputting the raw material to the inner space of the body part; and a photographing part installed in the body part to be capable of photographing the area around the electrode part in the inner space of the body part; and an input control part which detects a spacing distance (Dm) between the electrode part and a raw material stack formed by the raw material stacked around the electrode part by using a photograph image acquired by the photographing part and controls an input of the raw material input to the body part from the input part according to the detected spacing distance (Dm).