Furnace Fuel Gas Pressure Control

Producing steel is an energy intensive process. Utilizing byproduct gases as a fuel source is vital to the plant’s operational efficiency. These byproduct gases, which are recovered from blast furnaces and coke ovens, are commonly used as a mixed gas fuel source throughout the plant. Reheat furnaces can use mixed gas as the primary fuel source. Mixed gas feed lines can have variable incoming pressure and constantly changing gas demand due to heating cycles and exit door losses. This creates challenges in regulating air/fuel mixture and temperature within the reheat furnace. Reheat furnace operation directly impacts steel properties. Austenite grain structure, which is sensitive to time and temperature, directly effects the strength and mechanical properties of steel.

Minimal variation of incoming mixed gas pressure feeding the reheat furnace is critical to producing high quality steel. Accurate and responsive mixed gas pressure control enables efficient combustion for a controllable temperature profile within the furnace. Efficient combustion will reduce SOx emissions and gas
consumption. This leads to stable slab heat up and soak, resulting in a more efficient furnace producing a higher quality finished product with fewer slab defects.