Application of Engineering Methods for Calculation of Parameters of Methodological Furnaces for Modes with Reduced Productivity

Abstract

A method has been developed for determining the rational operating parameters of continuous furnaces for rolling production, under which, under conditions of reduced productivity, a given temperature and uniformity of metal heating are ensured and excessive fuel consumption is excluded. The development is based on the improvement of well-known engineering methods for calculating methodical furnaces. The establishment of rational heating modes is a reserve for reducing fuel consumption, reducing economic costs and increasing the level of energy efficiency of the process as a whole. The use of engineering calculation methods to achieve this goal is due to the need to alleviate the problems associated with solving the inverse problem of thermal conductivity and the direct use of the developed algorithms within the ACS to control processes in real time.

To check the correctness of the results obtained using the improved engineering technique, their verification is implemented using a mathematical model that solves the direct problem of thermal conductivity according to an explicit finite-difference scheme. The results obtained showed that in the investigated range of decrease in furnace productivity, the establishment of the proposed temperature profile allows reaching the required characteristics of the temperature field of the blanks.

The threshold value of productivity has been determined, below which the required temperature of the workpieces is guaranteed to be reached. It is concluded that it is necessary to continue research to adapt the calculation method to the conditions of real production, as well as to optimize modes with productivity below the threshold value. The results obtained can be used to design new automated process control systems (APCS) or to improve existing ones.