The use of chemical energy in the EAF has increased significantly in recent years, both for enhancing productivity and reducing electricity consumption. However, these tools are operated following pre-set patterns, without any feedback information from the process. This leads both to non-optimized operations and to occasional blowback problems, resulting in damages to burners, lances, watercooled panels and refractory lining.
CRM has developed an on-line “distance-to-scrap” measurement technique that can be fitted inside annular burners. This measurement allows monitoring the melting of scrap in front of each burner, and thus detecting blow-back occurrences before any damage is created. This sensor was successfully tested in the Esch-Belval steel plant of ArcelorMittal Profil Luxembourg. Industrial implementation is under way.