Implementation of a Tuyere Leak Detection Soft Sensor on USS Blast Furnace No. 14
(Room 405)
06 May 19
10:00 AM
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10:30 AM
Leaking tuyeres damage hearth refractories, chill the hearth and cause production losses. U. S. Steel and Hatch implemented a soft sensor at blast furnace No. 14 to identify small water leaks as early as possible. The soft-sensor detects leaks by statistically comparing inlet and outlet water flows for each tuyere. Leaks are found quickly by tracking fast and slow drifts in the differential water flowrates. The soft sensor captured 100% of the leaks in advance of traditional testing over a six-month period. This paper will discuss the development of the soft sensor and present examples of the leak events that were successfully detected.