PJSC "AZOVSTAL IRON & STEEL WORKS" of Metinvest Group was the first Ukrainian enterprise to implement ladle slag thickness automated measurement project. Now the measurement results are more precise and treatment process is controlled to the maximum. Investments to purchasing of measurement manipulators amounted to UAH 2 mln, and another UAH 200 ths. were allocated to their additional equipping for slag thickness measurement.
BOF slag is the main reason for increase in aluminium loss. That is why slag thickness monitoring is one of the main activities to reduce aluminium consumption rate. In addition, slag optimization plays one of the key roles in steel ladle treatment and makes it possible to reduce consumption rate of deoxidizers as well as to reduce consumption of slag-forming additives.
Ladle slag thickness during steel ladle treatment was previously determined manually. "AZOVSTAL IRON & STEEL WORKS" was the first in Ukraine to implement slag thickness automated measurement project aimed at facilitating of helper steel makers' work and achieving a more precise value.
Additional sensors were purchased for BOF shop for multifunctional manipulators to measure metal temperature. Now, in order to calculate slag thickness, it is sufficient that a helper steel maker connect a required sensor to the manipulator, and the device will determine for itself which of the sensors is currently in operation. Then the steel maker makes required measurements by means of a PC.
In addition to surface slag thickness automated determination, the system allows to calculate BOF slag thickness in a ladle with subsequent record of the data obtained in a relevant heat passport.
"The system for ladle slag thickness automated measurement at a ladle furnace plant allows to make measurements with an error not more than 10 mm and perform corrective measures to minimize both the amount of BOF slag getting into a teeming ladle during tapping and total amount of ladle slag. This system has made the work of the area employees considerably less hazardous", Dmytro ZOTOV, Director for technology and quality of PJSC "AZOVSTAL IRON & STEEL WORKS", emphasized.
