New strategies for clogging prevention for improved productivity and steel quality : final report

This was a cooperative project involving Betriebsforschungsinstitut, Comdicast AB, Voestalpine Stahl, RIVA Acciaio, Scuola Superiore di Studi Universitari e di Perfezionamento Sant'Anna, RWTH Aachen, Arcelor España and Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan. The focus was to develop innovative improvement measures for clogging prevention or minimisation. The developments are based on results of the analysis of operational praxis and on new basic knowledge concerning the clogging mechanism. Various databases were generated and proper statistical analyses on the influence of operational and metallurgical parameters on clogging were performed. Investigations on clogging mechanisms were carried out by theoretical studies and the use of a confocal scanning laser microscopy. Clogging rate deposition measurements were carried out by a clogging simulator. XBasic information on possible influences of physical processes on clogging was studied by means of physical modelling and numerical simulation. Investigations concerning new feeding systems designs and gas injection strategies were performed. Methods to predict clogging by suitably defined clogging indices based on operational parameters as well as a neural network-based predictor for steel castability and a clogging prediction model were developed. Operational trials were performed to validate optimisation measures. Important findings were developed which can be directly used by other European steel producers or at least can be used as an offset for activities adjusting methods and measures to their individual operational situation.