Proceedings of the Ironmaking, Iron Ore and Agglomeration Seminars

Title

OPERATIONAL ASSISTANCE AND PROCESS SUPPORT: HOW TO SECURE KNOW-HOW AND EXPERIENCE REGARDING SPECIAL SITUATIONS IN BLAST FURNACE IRONMAKING

Authorship

Opbergen, Rob van; Engel, Edo

Opbergen, Rob van

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Engel, Edo

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DOI

10.5151/2594-357X-33396

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Abstract

The highly dynamic economic climate of recent years has tightened the operating envelope for steel producers world-wide. Steel producers continue to experience immense pressure to respond quickly to changing circumstances and the focus has shifted towards efficiency improvement and maximizing flexibility in operations. The ability to safely stop, restart and ramp-up production facilities has become essential. Establishing this level of flexibility, without sacrificing efficiency, requires sound process control, fit-for-purpose process management practices and solid know-how and experience regarding special situations in blast furnace ironmaking operations. The same business environment that demands this increased flexibility has made it increasingly difficult for steel producers to sustain sufficient knowledge about these situations. While many experienced, senior operational staff have retired, a new generation of ironmaking specialists has acquired its hands-on experience over more recent decades, during which these process situations have been much less frequent than before. Over the past 10-15 years, the requirement in the industry for external operational support during e.g. blast furnace blow–downs, salamander tapping and restarts after planned and especially unplanned stops, has become increasingly frequent. This article presents a number of these cases from a process management perspective as well as with regard to project organization and optimized cooperation between internal and external teams of experts.

Keywords

Blast furnace operation, Critical Events, Process Restart