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EP3642369B1 - Four à cuve et d'injection d'agent oxydant dans celui-ci - Google Patents

Four à cuve et d'injection d'agent oxydant dans celui-ci Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3642369B1
EP3642369B1 EP18731118.8A EP18731118A EP3642369B1 EP 3642369 B1 EP3642369 B1 EP 3642369B1 EP 18731118 A EP18731118 A EP 18731118A EP 3642369 B1 EP3642369 B1 EP 3642369B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
spot
section
oxidizing agent
hot
injectors
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
EP18731118.8A
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP3642369A1 (fr
Inventor
Frank Rheker
Philippe Blostein
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Air Liquide Deutschland GmbH
LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Original Assignee
Air Liquide Deutschland GmbH
Air Liquide SA
LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from EP17177494.6A external-priority patent/EP3418401A1/fr
Application filed by Air Liquide Deutschland GmbH, Air Liquide SA, LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude filed Critical Air Liquide Deutschland GmbH
Publication of EP3642369A1 publication Critical patent/EP3642369A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP3642369B1 publication Critical patent/EP3642369B1/fr
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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F27—FURNACES; KILNS; OVENS; RETORTS
    • F27B—FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • F27B1/00—Shaft or like vertical or substantially vertical furnaces
    • F27B1/10—Details, accessories or equipment specially adapted for furnaces of these types
    • F27B1/16—Arrangements of tuyeres
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21B—MANUFACTURE OF IRON OR STEEL
    • C21B11/00—Making pig-iron other than in blast furnaces
    • C21B11/02—Making pig-iron other than in blast furnaces in low shaft furnaces or shaft furnaces
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21B—MANUFACTURE OF IRON OR STEEL
    • C21B13/00—Making spongy iron or liquid steel, by direct processes
    • C21B13/02—Making spongy iron or liquid steel, by direct processes in shaft furnaces
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21B—MANUFACTURE OF IRON OR STEEL
    • C21B5/00—Making pig-iron in the blast furnace
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21B—MANUFACTURE OF IRON OR STEEL
    • C21B5/00—Making pig-iron in the blast furnace
    • C21B5/006—Automatically controlling the process
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F27—FURNACES; KILNS; OVENS; RETORTS
    • F27B—FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • F27B1/00—Shaft or like vertical or substantially vertical furnaces
    • F27B1/10—Details, accessories or equipment specially adapted for furnaces of these types
    • F27B1/26—Arrangements of controlling devices
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F27—FURNACES; KILNS; OVENS; RETORTS
    • F27D—DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES OF FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS, IN SO FAR AS THEY ARE OF KINDS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN ONE KIND OF FURNACE
    • F27D19/00—Arrangements of controlling devices
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21B—MANUFACTURE OF IRON OR STEEL
    • C21B2300/00—Process aspects
    • C21B2300/04—Modeling of the process, e.g. for control purposes; CII
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21B—MANUFACTURE OF IRON OR STEEL
    • C21B7/00—Blast furnaces
    • C21B7/16—Tuyéres
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F27—FURNACES; KILNS; OVENS; RETORTS
    • F27D—DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES OF FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS, IN SO FAR AS THEY ARE OF KINDS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN ONE KIND OF FURNACE
    • F27D19/00—Arrangements of controlling devices
    • F27D2019/0006—Monitoring the characteristics (composition, quantities, temperature, pressure) of at least one of the gases of the kiln atmosphere and using it as a controlling value

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the operation of shaft furnaces.
  • shaft furnace refers to vertical shaft- or column-shaped furnaces.
  • Shaft furnaces are used in a wide range of processes. Examples of such processes include, but are not limited to the burning of solid waste, the reduction of iron ore to produce pig iron, the melting of metals and mineral wool, etc., whereby a solid charge is fed to the furnace via the top.
  • combustion oxidant or oxidizing agent such as air
  • injectors distributed around the circumference of the furnace.
  • the location of a hot spot may be constant or invariable, for example when the charge-loading system systematically creates the same non-homogeneous distribution of the charge across the furnace, or may vary over time, for example, when the nature of the charge varies over time.
  • the presence of one or more such hot spots can lead to reduced furnace efficiency, a lower or less constant quality of the product of melting processes and damage to the refractory furnace wall at or near the hot-spot area.
  • cold spots have also been observed in shaft furnaces.
  • the temperature drops below the optimum temperature for the process taking place inside the furnace, thereby affecting the efficiency of the furnace and the quality of the product in case of melting processes.
  • the presence of a cold spot in a shaft furnace may lead to the formation of so-called "bridges" and prevent a uniform descent of a solid charge within the furnace.
  • AU-B-660238 discloses a blast furnace for producing molten iron from iron ore with tuyeres, which continuously blow hot blast into the blast furnace, located at a lower part of the furnace. As explained in AU-B-660238 , where scabs form on the wall of the furnace above the tuyeres, the temperature of the wall is detectably lower. In order to remove said scabs, it is proposed in AU-B-660238 to reduce the volume of hot blast injected by one or more tuyeres underneath the colder area of the furnace wall for a number of days.
  • the present invention proposes an improved method of injecting oxidizing agent into a vertical shaft furnace in which a combustion process takes place.
  • Said shaft furnace presents n injectors (at least 3), distributed around the circumference of the shaft furnace at a level or height [h, h + ⁇ h] of the shaft furnace.
  • Each one of said n injectors is adapted for sonic or supersonic injection of a gaseous fluid into one of n sections of a cross-section of the shaft furnace at level [h, h + ⁇ h].
  • n injectors and the n sections are thus in a one-to-one relationship, with each injector being associated with one of the sections into which the injector is capable of injecting the fluid, and each section being associated with one of the injectors by which the section can be supplied with the fluid.
  • the n sections together form the internal cross-section of the shaft furnace at level [h, h + ⁇ h].
  • the shaft furnace is part of an installation including a source of an oxidizing agent and a control unit.
  • the source of oxidizing agent is adapted to supply an oxidizing agent with an oxygen content higher than 21%vol and at most 100%vol, said source being fluidly connected to each of the n injectors.
  • the oxygen content of the oxidizing agent supplied by said source is preferably at least 50%vol, more preferably at least 90% and even more preferably at least 95%vol.
  • the control unit is programmed to control both:
  • the sum of the amounts of oxidizing agent injected into the shaft furnace by each one of the n injectors at a given moment in time corresponds to the total amount of the oxidizing agent injected into the shaft furnace by means of the n injectors at said moment in time.
  • the control unit controls the total amount of the oxidizing agent injected by the n injectors so as to meet a demand for oxidizing agent by the combustion process which takes place in the shaft furnace.
  • the control unit controls the injection of oxidizing agent by each one of the n injectors so that each one of the n injectors injects oxidizing agent in a sequenced fashion, i.e. in a fashion alternating between an active phase and a passive phase. More specifically, the control unit controls the injection of oxidizing agent by each one of the n injectors so that the injection of oxidizing agent by each one of the n injectors alternates between:
  • control unit can ensure that oxidizing agent is injected at sonic or supersonic velocity in each section of the cross-section of the shaft furnace at level [h, h + ⁇ h] at some point during cycle duration t c .
  • the present invention relates to a method of injecting oxidizing agent into a vertical shaft furnace in which a combustion process takes place and whereby at least one of the n sections has been identified as a hot-spot section or as a cold-spot section.
  • the control unit controls the injection of oxidizing agent by the injector corresponding to the hot-spot section so that the active duration t a of said injector is shorter than the active duration t a of the injectors not corresponding to a hot-spot section (so that the passive duration t p of a hot-spot section injector is in turn longer than the passive duration t p of an injector corresponding to a section which is not a hot-spot section).
  • the amount of oxidizing agent injected per cycle into a hot-spot section is lower than the amount of oxidizing agent injected per cycle into a section which is not a hot-spot section. This in turn makes it possible to reduce the intensity of combustion in the hot-spot section and to lower the temperature within a hot-spot section or to prevent a further increase of said temperature.
  • the control unit controls the injection of oxidizing agent by the injector corresponding to the cold-spot section so that the active duration t a of said injector is longer than the active duration t a of the injectors not corresponding to a cold-spot section (and the passive duration t p of a cold-spot section injector is consequently shorter than the passive duration t p of an injector corresponding to a section which is not a cold-spot section).
  • the amount of oxidizing agent injected per cycle into a cold-spot section is higher than the amount of oxidizing agent injected per cycle into a section which is not a cold-spot section. This makes it possible to intensify the combustion in the cold-spot section and to increase the temperature within a cold-spot section or to prevent a further decrease of said temperature.
  • the penetration of the oxidant in the furnace is maintained in that, during each cycle, the n injectors continue to inject oxidant with sonic or supersonic velocity during their active phase.
  • the control by the control unit of the injection of oxidizing agent by injectors corresponding to cold-spot sections may be omitted from the method.
  • control by the control unit of the injection of oxidizing agent by injectors corresponding to hot-spot sections may be omitted from the method.
  • the passive flow rate is preferably less than half the active flow rate, more preferably less than 30% and even more preferably at most 15% of the active flow rate.
  • the reason for injecting some (subsonic) oxidizing agent during the passive phase of an injector is generally to protect the passive injector against overheating and/or to prevent the formation of solid deposits onto and into the passive injector.
  • the control unit controls the number of the n injectors which is in the active phase at any one time, the other injectors of the set of n injectors being in the passive phase.
  • the active duration t a of each of the injectors not corresponding to a hot-spot section or to a cold-spot section is identical.
  • the active duration t a of each of the injectors corresponding to a hot-spot section can be identical and/or the active duration t a of each of the injectors corresponding to a cold-spot section can be identical.
  • the control unit may activate the start of the active phase of the n injectors so that the next injector for which the active phase starts is located in clockwise succession around the circumference of the furnace of the last injector to have started its active phase (as seen from above).
  • the control unit may alternatively activate the start of the active phase of the n injectors so that the next injector for which the active phase starts is located in counterclockwise succession around the circumference of the furnace of the last injector to have started its active phase (as seen from above).
  • the control unit may activate the start of the active phase of the n injectors so that the next injector for which the active phase starts is located in a semi-circumference of the furnace opposite the last injector to have started its active phase. This may result in a more even instantaneous distribution of the injectors in active phase across the cross section of the shaft furnace.
  • the identification of the one or more hot-spot sections may be predetermined and/or the identification of the one or more cold-spot sections in the method according to the invention may be predetermined and the corresponding data may be stored as predetermined data in the memory of the control unit, i.e. independently from any real-time feedback from the shaft furnace. For example, only one of the n sections may thus have been identified as a hot-spot section and/or only one of the n sections may have been identified as a cold-spot section in a predetermined manner.
  • the active duration t a of an injector corresponding to a hot-spot section and/or the active duration t a of an injector corresponding to a cold-spot section may be predetermined, in which case said active duration(s) t a and the corresponding passive duration(s) t p are stored as predetermined data in the memory of the control unit and are not varied on the basis of real-time feedback from the shaft furnace.
  • the active duration t a of an injector corresponding to a hot-spot section and/or the active duration t a of an injector corresponding to a cold-spot section may be varied in function of real-time feedback from the shaft furnace.
  • the method may advantageously further comprise a step of continuously or intermittently determining a hot-spot temperature inside the hot-spot section or of a wall element adjacent the hot-spot section.
  • the control unit compares the thus determined hot-spot temperature with a predetermined upper hot-spot limit value. When the hot-spot temperature exceeds a predetermined upper hot-spot limit value, the control unit reduces the active duration t a of the injector corresponding to said hot-spot section.
  • the control unit also compares the hot-spot temperature with a predetermined lower hot-spot limit value. When the hot-spot temperature is below said predetermined lower hot-spot limit value, the control unit increases the active duration t a of the injector corresponding to said hot-spot section.
  • the method may advantageously further comprise a step of continuously or intermittently determining a cold-spot temperature inside the cold-spot section or of a wall element adjacent the cold-spot section.
  • the control unit compares the thus determined cold-spot temperature with a predetermined lower cold-spot limit value. When the thus determined cold-spot temperature is below said predetermined lower cold-spot limit value, the control unit increases the active duration t a of the injector corresponding to said cold-spot section.
  • the control unit also compares the cold-spot temperature with a predetermined upper cold-spot limit value and when the determined cold-spot temperature exceeds the predetermined upper cold-spot limit value, the control unit decreases the active duration t a of the injector corresponding to said cold-spot section.
  • the upper hot-spot limit value is higher than the lower hot-spot limit value and the upper cold-spot limit value is higher than the lower cold-spot limit value. Both hot-spot limit values are normally higher than both cold-spot limit values.
  • the present invention also includes a method of injecting oxidizing agent into a vertical shaft furnace in which a combustion process takes place and whereby the occurrence of one or more hot-spot sections and/or cold-spot sections is detected in real time.
  • the method further comprises the step of continuously or intermittently determining a control temperature inside each of the n sections or of a wall element adjacent each of the n sections.
  • each control temperature is compared with a hot-spot reference temperature.
  • the control temperature of a section exceeds the hot-spot reference temperature, said section is identified by the control unit as a hot-spot section.
  • each control temperature is compared with a cold-spot reference temperature and when the control temperature of a section lies below the cold-spot reference temperature, said section is identified as a cold-spot section by the control unit.
  • the hot-spot reference temperature and/or the cold-spot reference temperature are generally predetermined. However, said reference temperature(s) may also usefully be determined in real-time, for example in function of the average of the control temperatures of the n sections.
  • the hot-spot reference temperature could then be a first predetermined number of degrees above said average or a first predetermined percentage above said average.
  • the cold-spot reference temperature could be a second predetermined number of degrees below the average or a second percentage below the average, whereby, when both hot-spot sections and cold-spot section are determined, the first and second predetermined number of degrees or the first and second percentage may be identical or different.
  • first and/or second predetermined number of degrees or the first and/or second percentage will depend on the sensitivity to differences in temperature of the process taking place in the furnace and/or of the furnace refractories. Indeed, differences in temperature which do not produce a noticeable detrimental effect on the process nor on the refractories do not as a rule justify the adjustment of the injection of the oxidizing agent into the furnace.
  • the determination of the control temperatures may be done manually or automatically. When the control temperatures are determined intermittently, this may be done manually or automatically. When the control temperatures are determined continuously, this is normally done automatically.
  • the identification of hot-spot sections and/or cold-spot sections and in particular the comparison between the control temperatures and the reference temperature(s) may be performed by the furnace operator and the results (temperature difference or the identification of the hot- and/or cold-spot sections) may be inputted into the control unit by the operator.
  • the control unit automatically receives the determined control temperatures, compares same with the reference temperature or temperatures and automatically identifies any hot-spot sections and/or cold-spot sections in function of said comparison.
  • the control unit preferably has at least one information output element which discloses which of the n sections is a hot-spot section and/or which of the n sections is a cold-spot section or which of the n injectors corresponds to a hot-spot section and/or which of the n injectors corresponds to a cold-spot section.
  • the control unit may, for example, comprise, by way of output element, a screen with a schematic representation of the cross section of the shaft furnace in which any hot-spot sections and/or cold-spot sections are highlighted.
  • the control element may also have an output element which transmits said information to a remote device, in particular a hand-held or mobile device.
  • the cross section of the shaft furnace is substantially circular, though different cross sections, such as a rectangular cross section, is also possible.
  • the n injectors are substantially evenly or uniformly distributed around the circumference of the shaft furnace.
  • the number n of said injectors is generally greater than 3. A number of up to 14 or 16 injectors may be useful. However, the number n of injectors may also be significantly higher, for example up to 24 or even up to 36.
  • the source of oxidizing gas may be an installation for enriching air with oxygen, typically when the oxygen content of the oxidizing gas is relatively low, for example more than 21%vol and not more than 90%vol.
  • the source of oxidizing gas may also be an air separation unit, a reservoir of liquefied oxygen or a pipeline transporting liquefied oxygen, for example when the oxygen content of the oxidizing gas is between 90%vol and 100%vol, preferably at least 95%vol.
  • the control unit usefully controls the total amount of the oxidizing agent injected into the shaft furnace by means of an adjustable control valve unit.
  • an adjustable control valve unit may for example control the total amount of oxidizing agent which is supplied to a gas distributor which is in fluid connection with each one of the n injectors, typically a gas supply ring which surrounds the shaft furnace.
  • the control unit advantageously controls the amount of oxidizing gas to each of the n injectors by means of n individual valve units, each of the n individual valve units controlling the supply of oxidizing agent to a single one of the n injectors.
  • Said n individual valve units may, for example, be positioned on the n fluid connections between the gas distributor (or ring) and the n injectors, one individual valve unit per fluid connection.
  • individual valve units are preferably on-off valve units.
  • a first flow rate of oxidizing agent is supplied to the corresponding injector so that said injector injects oxidizing agent at said first flow rate (active flow rate) and at sonic or supersonic velocity into the shaft furnace.
  • no oxidizing agent is supplied to the corresponding injector or oxidizing agent is supplied to said corresponding injector at a second flow rate which is lower than the first flow rate so that said injector injects no oxidizing agent into the shaft furnace or injects oxidizing agent at said second flow rate (passive flow rate) and at subsonic velocity into the melting zone.
  • the injectors are advantageously equipped with a convergent-divergent nozzle or laval nozzle.
  • the shaft furnace may be a waste combustion furnace.
  • the invention is particularly useful when the furnace is a furnace in which a charge material, other than the fuel which is combusted with the oxidizing agent, is transformed.
  • the invention is thus particularly useful when the shaft furnace is a glass-melting furnace, a mineral-wool-melting furnace or a metal-melting furnace.
  • the shaft furnace may be a cupola.
  • the shaft furnace may also be an ironmelting blast furnace.
  • the present invention also relates to an installation for effecting a combustion process in a vertical shaft furnace.
  • This installation comprises the shaft furnace, a source of oxidizing agent and a control unit.
  • the shaft furnace presents n injectors distributed around the circumference of the shaft furnace at a level [h, h + ⁇ h] of the shaft furnace, whereby n is at least 3, each injector being adapted for sonic or supersonic injection of a gaseous fluid into one of n sections of a cross-section of the shaft furnace at level [h, h + ⁇ h].
  • the oxidizing agent which the source of oxidizing agent is capable of supplying has an oxygen content higher than 21%vol and at most 100%vol. Said source is furthermore fluidly connected to each of the n injectors.
  • the control unit of the installation according to the invention is programmed to control both (a) a total amount of the oxidizing agent injected into the shaft furnace by means of the n injectors so as to meet a demand for oxidizing agent by the combustion process and (b) an amount of oxidizing agent injected into the shaft furnace by each one of the n injectors, said control unit being more specifically programmed to control the amount of oxidizing agent injected by each one of the n injectors in accordance with any one of the embodiments of the method of the invention as described above.
  • the shaft furnace 10 of figures 1 and 2 has a substantially circular cross section.
  • a charge 20 of metal (cast iron) to be melted and coke is introduced into the top end 11 of the shaft furnace 10.
  • the charge 20 is introduced into shaft furnace 10 via a feed opening 21 in the mantle 17 of the shaft furnace at its top end 11.
  • the charge 20 is introduced via the roof 18. Flux materials are generally also introduced in this manner.
  • the charge 20 is typically introduced so as to form successive substantially horizontal layers inside shaft furnace 10, for example a layer of metal, followed by a layer of coke, followed by a layer of flux material, followed by a layer or metal, etc.
  • the coke is combusted with combustion oxidizing agent in a combustion zone 12 located further down in the shaft furnace 10.
  • the combustion oxidizing agent is injected into the shaft furnace 10 by means of injectors or tuyeres 30 which are positioned around the combustion zone 12 at a level [h, h + ⁇ h] from the bottom 19 of the furnace 10.
  • injectors or tuyeres 30 are positioned around the combustion zone 12 at a level [h, h + ⁇ h] from the bottom 19 of the furnace 10.
  • Each one of the six injectors 30 is adapted to inject oxidizing agent at sonic or supersonic velocity into one of six sections, identified as sections 1 to 6 in figure 4 , of the cross-section of the combustion zone 12 of the shaft furnace 10 at level [h, h + ⁇ h].
  • Each section 1 to 6 has one corresponding tuyere 30 and each tuyere 30 has one corresponding section 1 to 6. Together, the six sections 1 to 6 cover the entire cross section of the shaft
  • all tuyeres 30 are located at a same level h' from the bottom of the furnace.
  • injectors may be present at different levels around the combustion zone 12 within an area of height ⁇ h upwards from level h.
  • the heat of combustion causes the metal in the charge immediately above the combustion zone 12 to melt and the molten metal trickles through the combustion zone 12 to the bottom area 13 of the furnace 10.
  • the combustion gases generated in combustion zone 12 travel further upwards through the layered charge, thereby preheating the charge, until they are removed from the shaft furnace 10.
  • the combustion gases leave the furnace 10 via a gas outlet in the roof 18, in the embodiment illustrated in figure 2 via a flue gas outlet 16 in the mantle 17 of the furnace 10.
  • the molten metal is removed from the bottom area 13 of the shaft furnace 10 via tapping spout 14.
  • the slag which is formed during the melting process is removed from the shaft furnace 10 via slag spout 15 located at a level above the level of tapping spout 14.
  • a control unit 40 controls the operation of the shaft furnace 10.
  • tuyeres 30 for oxidizing agent are evenly distributed around the combustion zone 12 of the shaft furnace 10.
  • Each tuyere 30 is individually connected to an distributor for oxidizing agent in the form of an oxidant ring 31 which surrounds the shaft furnace 10.
  • tuyeres 30 are tuyeres for the injection of oxygen with a degree of purity of between 90%vol and 100%vol, preferably of at least 95%vol.
  • each tuyere 30 is equipped with a laval nozzle 34.
  • Combustion oxidant (oxidizing agent) is supplied to the oxidant ring 31 from a source of oxidizing agent, such as an air separation unit or an oxygen reservoir (not shown).
  • Valve 32 is used to control the flow of oxidizing agent from the source of oxidizing agent to the distributor 31, and, in this manner, the instantaneous total amount of the oxidizing agent injected into the shaft furnace 10 by means of the six injectors 30.
  • Valves 33 are used to control the flow of oxidizing agent from distributor 31 to the individual tuyeres 30, one valve 33 per tuyere 30. The functioning of the individual valves 32, 33 is controlled by or through control unit 40.
  • Control unit 40 more specifically controls the total amount of the oxidizing agent injected into the shaft furnace 10 by means of the six injectors/tuyeres 30 so as to meet a demand for oxidizing agent by the combustion process taking place in the shaft furnace 10.
  • control unit 40 moreover controls the injection of oxidizing agent by each one of the six injectors 30 so that each injector 30 injects oxidizing agent into the furnace 10 in a pulsed fashion, i.e. in a manner whereby said injector 30 alternates between
  • the sum of the active duration t a and the passive duration t b is equal to the cycle duration t c .
  • the number of tuyeres 30 may be greater or smaller than in the illustrated embodiment.
  • Additional fuel such as coal, fuel oil or gaseous fuel, may also be introduced into the combustion zone 12.
  • the additional fuel may be introduced into the furnace 10 via burners, via fuel tuyeres, which may be separate from the tuyeres or which may form a tuyere ensemble with (some of) the tuyeres 30, or, in particular in the case of solid particulate additional fuel, directly through (some of) the tuyeres 30.
  • the furnace 10 may also comprise multiple sets of tuyeres for combustion oxidant.
  • a set of air tuyeres for the injection of air which may or may not be enriched with oxygen, may be connected to a wind ring around the shaft furnace and a set of tuyeres for an oxidizing agent such as oxygen with a purity of between 90%vol and 100%vol may be connected to a separate oxygen ring around the shaft furnace.
  • an oxidizing agent such as oxygen with a purity of between 90%vol and 100%vol
  • control unit 40 reduced the active duration t a of the tuyere 30 corresponding to the predetermined hot-spot section, while increasing the identical active duration t a of all other tuyeres 30 so as to compensate for the reduced amount of oxidizing agent injected by the first tuyere 30, until an optimum active duration t a was found for the tuyere 30 corresponding to the predetermined hot-spot section, i.e. until no significant difference could be detected between the mantle temperature adjacent the pre-determined hot-spot section and the mantle temperature adjacent the other sections.
  • control unit 40 continued to control the individual valves 33 so as to maintain the thus determined shorter optimum active duration t a for the tuyere 30 corresponding to the predetermined hot-spot section and the identical, somewhat longer active duration t a for the other tuyeres 30.
  • control unit 40 continued to control the individual valves 33 so as to maintain the thus determined shorter optimum active duration t a for the tuyere 30 corresponding to the predetermined hot-spot section and the identical, somewhat longer active duration t a for the other tuyeres 30.
  • the furnace 10 shown in figure 2 is operated at varying loads and with a charge of somewhat varying composition.
  • the total oxidizing agent requirement of the process or of the different stages of the process are stored in the memory of the control unit 40.
  • a temperature sensor 60 is installed in or near the furnace mantle 17 adjacent each of the six sections of the combustion zone 12 and the temperatures detected by sensors 60 are transmitted to control unit 40 where they are compared, on the one hand, with a hot-spot reference temperature significantly above the normal or target temperature of the furnace mantle 17 and, on the other hand, with a cold-spot reference temperature significantly below said normal or target temperature.
  • the section when the detected temperature is higher than a predetermined hot-spot temperature, the section is identified as a hot-spot section and when the detected temperature is lower than a predetermined cold-spot temperature, the section is identified as a cold-spot sections.
  • the detected temperature lies within the range between the predetermined cold-spot temperature and the predetermined hot-spot temperature, the corresponding section is neither a hot-spot section nor a cold-spot section.
  • control unit 40 ensures that all six tuyeres 30 operate with identical active durations t a (and thus also with identical passive durations t p ) so that each tuyere 30 injects one sixth of the total amount of oxidizing agent injected into the furnace 10.
  • Control unit 40 may for example activate tuyeres 30 in clockwise succession (seen from above) with a first tuyere 30 starting its active phase at the start t o of a cycle duration, the next tuyere 30 starting its active phase at t o + 1/6 ⁇ t c , the following tuyere 30 starting its active phase at t o + 2/6 ⁇ t c , etc.
  • the active duration of the corresponding injector 30 is reduced to a value t a' which is smaller than the previously mentioned active duration t a by a predetermined fraction. As a consequence, the amount of oxidizing agent injected per cycle by said tuyere 30 into the corresponding hot-spot section is reduced.
  • the active duration of the corresponding injector 30 is reduced to a value t a" which is greater than the previously mentioned active duration t a by a predetermined fraction.
  • the amount of oxidizing agent injected per cycle by said tuyere 30 into the corresponding cold-spot section is increased.
  • control unit 40 advantageously adjusts, where necessary, the active duration of the remaining tuyeres 30 (via which oxidizing agent is injected into the sections which are neither hot-spot sections nor cold-spot sections) so that the total amount of oxidizing agent injected into the furnace 10 per cycle corresponds to the actual oxidizing agent requirement of the process taking place in the furnace 10.
  • Figure 4 shows a touchscreen with a schematic representation of a cross section of shaft furnace 10 at the level of tuyeres 30, the corresponding valves 33 and the corresponding sections numbered 1 to 6 in the figure. Oxidant ring 31 and valves 32 are equally shown.
  • General information regarding the furnace 10 and the process taking place therein are permanently displayed, for example information regarding the charge and regarding the total amount of oxidizing agent injected per cycle or per time unit. Additional information may include the cycle duration t c and or the standard active duration t a of the six tuyeres 30.
  • the touchscreen may display the detected furnace mantle 17 temperature for said section and the actual amount of oxidizing agent injected into said section per cycle or per time unit through the corresponding tuyere 30, or the difference between the actual oxidizing agent injection rate and the standard oxidizing agent injection rate.
  • section 3 is a hot-spot section
  • section 4 is a normal section, i.e. neither a hot-spot section nor a cold-spot section
  • section 5 is a cold spot section.
  • a colour code is preferably used to permanently display the status of each section. For example, a section may be shown in blue when it has been identified as a cold-spot section and as red when it has been identified as a hot-spot section, a different standard colour, such as white, being used for sections which are neither hot-spot nor cold-spot sections.
  • control unit 40 information stored in control unit 40 regarding the evolution over time of the detected mantle temperature of each section and the amount of oxidizing agent injected per cycle into said section (or the cycle-averaged amount of oxidizing agent injected into said section) can also be visualized.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Furnace Details (AREA)
  • Vertical, Hearth, Or Arc Furnaces (AREA)
  • Heat Treatment Of Articles (AREA)

Claims (12)

  1. Procédé d'injection d'oxydant dans un four à cuve verticale (10) dans lequel un processus de combustion a lieu, le four à cuve (10) présentant :
    • n injecteurs (30) répartis autour de la circonférence du four à cuve (10) à un niveau [h,h+Δh] depuis le bas du four à cuve (10), avec n ≥ 3, chaque injecteur (30) étant adapté pour l'injection sonique ou supersonique d'un fluide gazeux dans une de n sections (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) d'une section transversale du four à cuve au niveau [h,h+Δh],
    le four à cuve faisant partie d'une installation comportant :
    • une source d'un oxydant ayant une teneur en oxygène supérieure à 21 % en volume et au maximum de 100 % en volume, ladite source étant raccordée fluidiquement à chacun des n injecteurs (30),
    • une unité de contrôle (40) programmée pour contrôler :
    (a) une quantité totale de l'oxydant injecté dans le four à cuve (10) au moyen des n injecteurs (30) de manière à répondre à une demande en oxydant par le processus de combustion et
    (b) une quantité d'oxydant injecté dans le four à cuve (10) par chacun des n injecteurs (30),
    dans lequel :
    • l'unité de contrôle (40) contrôle l'injection d'oxydant par chacun des n injecteurs (30) cycliquement avec une durée de cycle tc ;
    • l'unité de contrôle (40) contrôle l'injection d'oxydant par chacun des n injecteurs (30) de telle sorte que chacun des n injecteurs (30) injecte l'oxydant d'une manière pulsée, en alternant entre :
    (a) une phase active ayant une durée active ta et durant laquelle l'injecteur (30) injecte l'oxydant à un débit actif et avec une vitesse sonique ou supersonique, et
    (b) une phase passive ayant une durée passive tp et durant laquelle l'injecteur (30) soit n'injecte pas d'oxydant, soit injecte l'oxydant à une vitesse subsonique et à un débit passif qui est inférieur au débit actif,
    dans lequel, pour chacun des n injecteurs, ta + tp = tc ;
    caractérisé en ce que :
    • au moins une des n sections (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) est identifiée comme une section de point chaud (3) et/ou au moins une des n sections (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) est identifiée comme une section de point froid (5),
    - dans lequel l'identification de la ou des sections de point chaud (3) est prédéterminée et/ou l'identification de la ou des sections de point froid (5) est prédéterminée
    ou
    - dans lequel le procédé comprend en outre l'étape de détermination continue ou intermittente d'une température de contrôle à l'intérieur de chacune des n sections (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) ou d'un élément de paroi adjacent à chacune des n sections (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), et dans lequel :
    ▪ chaque température de contrôle est comparée à une température de référence de point chaud et quand la température de contrôle d'une section (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) dépasse la température de référence de point chaud, ladite section est identifiée par l'unité de contrôle (40) comme une section de point chaud (3) et/ou
    ▪ chaque température de contrôle est comparée à une température de référence de point froid et quand la température de contrôle d'une section (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) est inférieure à la température de référence de point froid, ladite section est identifiée comme une section de point froid (5) par l'unité de contrôle (40) ;
    et
    • quand une section (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) a été identifiée comme une section de point chaud (3) : l'unité de contrôle (40) contrôle l'injection d'oxydant par l'injecteur (30) correspondant à une section de point chaud (3) de telle sorte que la durée active ta dudit injecteur (30) est plus courte que la durée active ta des injecteurs (30) ne correspondant pas à une section de point chaud (3),
    • quand une section (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) a été identifiée comme une section de point froid (5) : l'unité de contrôle (40) contrôle l'injection d'oxydant par l'injecteur (30) correspondant à une section de point froid (5) de telle sorte que la durée active ta dudit injecteur (30) est plus longue que la durée active ta des injecteurs (30) ne correspondant pas à une section de point froid (5).
  2. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel la durée active ta de chacun des injecteurs (30) ne correspondant pas à une section de point chaud (3) ou à une section de point froid (5) est identique.
  3. Procédé selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans lequel la durée active ta de chacun des injecteurs (30) correspondant à une section de point chaud (3) est identique et/ou la durée active ta de chacun des injecteurs (30) correspondant à une section de point froid (5) est identique.
  4. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3, dans lequel soit (a) l'unité de contrôle (40) active le démarrage de la phase active des n injecteurs (30) de telle sorte que l'injecteur suivant (30) pour lequel la phase active démarre est situé en succession horaire autour de la circonférence du four (10) du dernier injecteur (30) à avoir démarré sa phase active, soit (b) l'unité de contrôle (40) active le démarrage de la phase active des n injecteurs (30) de telle sorte que l'injecteur suivant (30) pour lequel la phase active démarre est situé en succession antihoraire autour de la circonférence du four (10) du dernier injecteur (30) à avoir démarré sa phase active.
  5. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 3, dans lequel n ≥ 5, de préférence ≥ 6, et dans lequel l'unité de contrôle (40) active le démarrage de la phase active des n injecteurs (30) de telle sorte que l'injecteur suivant (30) pour lequel la phase active démarre est situé dans une semi-circonférence à l'opposé du dernier injecteur (30) à avoir démarré sa phase active.
  6. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 5, dans lequel une température de contrôle est déterminée de façon continue ou intermittente à l'intérieure de chacune des n sections (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) ou d'un élément de paroi adjacent à chacune des n sections (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), et dans lequel :
    • quand la température de contrôle d'une section (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) dépasse la température de référence de point chaud, ladite section est identifiée par l'unité de contrôle (40) comme une section de point chaud (3) et/ou
    • quand la température de contrôle d'une section (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) est inférieure à la température de référence de point froid, ladite section est identifiée comme une section de point froid (5) par l'unité de contrôle (40),
    et dans lequel l'unité de contrôle (40) effectue la comparaison entre chaque température de contrôle et la température de référence de point chaud et/ou la température de référence de point froid.
  7. Procédé selon la revendication 6, dans lequel :
    • l'unité de contrôle (40) sélectionne la durée active ta d'un injecteur (30) correspondant à une section de point chaud (3) en fonction de la différence entre la température de contrôle de ladite section de point chaud (3) et la température de référence de point chaud de telle sorte qu'une plus grande différence entre la température de contrôle et la température de référence de point chaud se solde par une durée active ta plus courte et une plus petite différence entre la température de contrôle et la température de référence de point chaud se solde par une durée active ta plus longue et/ou
    • l'unité de contrôle (40) sélectionne la durée active ta d'un injecteur (30) correspondant à une section de point froid (5) en fonction de la différence entre la température de contrôle de ladite section de point froid (5) et la température de référence de point froid de telle sorte qu'une plus grande différence entre la température de contrôle et la température de référence de point froid se solde par une durée active ta plus longue et une plus petite différence entre la température de contrôle et la température de référence de point froid se solde par une durée active ta plus courte.
  8. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel l'unité de contrôle (40) contrôle la quantité totale de l'oxydant injecté dans le four à cuve (10) au moyen d'une unité de vanne de commande réglable (32).
  9. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel l'unité de contrôle (40) contrôle la quantité d'oxydant vers chacun des n injecteurs (30) au moyen de n unités de vanne individuelles (33), chacune des n unités de vanne individuelles (33) contrôlant la fourniture d'oxydant à un seul des n injecteurs (30).
  10. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel les n unités de vanne individuelles (33) sont des unités de vanne de type ouvert/fermé, dans lequel, quand l'unité de vanne individuelle (33) est dans une position ouverte, un premier débit d'oxydant est fourni à l'injecteur correspondant (30) de telle sorte que ledit injecteur (30) injecte l'oxydant audit premier débit et à une vitesse sonique ou supersonique dans le four à cuve (10) et dans lequel, quand l'unité de vanne individuelle (33) est dans une position fermée, aucun oxydant n'est fourni à l'injecteur correspondant (30) ou l'oxydant est fourni audit injecteur correspondant (30) à un deuxième débit qui est inférieur au premier débit de telle sorte que ledit injecteur (30) n'injecte pas d'oxydant dans le four à cuve (10) ou injecte l'oxydant audit deuxième débit et à une vitesse subsonique dans le four à cuve (10).
  11. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le four à cuve (10) est un cubilot.
  12. Installation destinée à effectuer un processus de combustion dans un four à cuve verticale (10), l'installation comprenant :
    • le four à cuve verticale (10) qui présente n injecteurs (30) répartis autour de la circonférence du four à cuve (10) à un niveau [h,h+Δh] depuis le bas du four à cuve (10), avec n ≥ 3, chaque injecteur (30) étant adapté pour l'injection sonique ou supersonique d'un fluide gazeux dans une de n sections (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) d'une section transversale du four à cuve (10) au niveau [h,h+Δh] ;
    • une source d'un oxydant ayant une teneur en oxygène supérieure à 21 % en volume et au maximum de 100 % en volume, ladite source étant raccordée fluidiquement à chacun des n injecteurs (30) ;
    • une unité de contrôle (40) programmée pour contrôler :
    (a) une quantité totale de l'oxydant injecté dans le four à cuve (10) au moyen des n injecteurs (30) de manière à répondre à une demande en oxydant par le processus de combustion et
    (b) une quantité d'oxydant injecté dans le four à cuve (10) par chacun des n injecteurs (30), selon un procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 11.
EP18731118.8A 2017-06-22 2018-06-20 Four à cuve et d'injection d'agent oxydant dans celui-ci Active EP3642369B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP17177494.6A EP3418401A1 (fr) 2017-06-22 2017-06-22 Four à cuve et d'injection d'agent oxydant dans celui-ci
EP17001675 2017-10-11
PCT/EP2018/066490 WO2018234416A1 (fr) 2017-06-22 2018-06-20 Four à cuve et injection d'agent oxydant à l'intérieur de celui-ci

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EP3642369B1 true EP3642369B1 (fr) 2023-10-04

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JP2914072B2 (ja) * 1993-03-02 1999-06-28 日本鋼管株式会社 高炉の炉壁付着物の除去方法
US5997596A (en) * 1997-09-05 1999-12-07 Spectrum Design & Consulting International, Inc. Oxygen-fuel boost reformer process and apparatus
UA32635C2 (uk) * 1999-10-19 2001-02-15 Науково-Виробниче Товариство З Обмеженою Відповідальністю З Іноземними Інвестиціями "Донікс" Спосіб управління доменною плавкою (варіанти)
DE19954556A1 (de) * 1999-11-12 2001-05-23 Messer Griesheim Gmbh Verfahren zum Betreiben eines Schmelzofens
CN1144882C (zh) * 1999-11-30 2004-04-07 宝山钢铁股份有限公司 冶金竖炉鼓风方法及其设备
DE10249235B4 (de) 2002-10-23 2005-07-21 Air Liquide Deutschland Gmbh Verfahren zum Betreiben eines Schachtofens
DE102005031019A1 (de) * 2005-07-02 2007-01-11 Messer France S.A.S Verfahren zur Ultraschall-Eindüsung eines Oxidationsmittels in einen Schmelzofen
EP1939305A1 (fr) * 2006-12-29 2008-07-02 L'AIR LIQUIDE, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude Procédé de production de fonte dans un haut fourneau
CN103866061B (zh) * 2012-12-18 2015-09-23 宝山钢铁股份有限公司 一种高炉炉缸侵蚀偏差监测方法

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ES2963951T3 (es) 2024-04-03
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RU2765476C2 (ru) 2022-01-31
CN111315900A (zh) 2020-06-19
EP3642369A1 (fr) 2020-04-29

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