On-line computer control for the blast furnace

The initial work done by IRSID (Institut de Recherches de la Sidérurgie Francaise) toward online computer control of the blast furnace was described in Part I of this article, appearing in the January issue of Journal of Metals. An account was given of how a mathematical model of the blast furnace was developed, and a method of continuously controlling the thermal balance of furnace operations was defined in terms of this model. Part II outlines the results obtained thus far from the application of this theoretical approach to two actual blast-furnace operations: one using 100% self-fluxing sinter, and the other using a burden of ore and sinter.