Arc furnace SmartArc control automation

INFOCOM ASIA offers delivery of the ARCING CONTROLLER as a separate subsystem of the whole control system for “ladle furnace”, EAF, DSV.

ARCING CONTROLLER SMART-ARC should support the following requirements:

  • Compliance of the implementers with the analogous state-of-the-art systems;
  • Improvement of the quality and efficiency of the steelmaking.

The main function of the system is control of the production process of the high quality metals of melt through the optimizing of the energy supply and temperature stabilization before teeming.

  • Note: Interfaces with the automation systems should be performed over the bus Profibus, Industrial Ethernet, or should support the standard 24 V, 4-20 mА or ± 10 V.
  • If the technology includes signal transmission/reception from the equipment, which is not included to our scope of delivery, the interface with the last one should be carried out acc. to the clause 1.

 General description

ARCING CONTROLLER «SMART-ARC» - is the electrode control device for AC devices of the electric arc furnaces or ladle furnaces on the basis of the programmable logic controller SIMATIC S7-400.

 Control philosophy

The main algorithm of the electrode controlling SMART-ARC is based on the application of three independent apparent resistance controllers for three phases with the overcurrent protection controller, which is general for all three phases.

 The system ARCING CONTROLLER «SMART-ARC» executes the following main functions:

  •  Three independent impedance controller (one for each phase);
  • One additional overcurrent control device;
  • Short circuit detection and accelerated electrode lifting;
  • Storage of the preset value;
  • Protection functions for the furnace switch, tap changing device etc.

 Hardware

Electrode controller is based on SIMATICS7-400. The supplied coil voltage transformers and Rogowski integrators as the current sensors serve for collection of the secondary voltage and current data.

 Communication

Communication interface Industrial Ethernet serves for transmission of the relevant operational data and parameters to other programmable logic controllers or PC.

 Current data collection

Secondary current measurement is carried out through the Rogowski coils:

  • Rogowski coils – 3 pcs
  • Rogowski integrator – 3 pcs
  • Measuring transducers – 3 pcs

Measuring transducers convert low-voltage circuit signals into the normalized signals 4 – 20 mA for transmission to the controller.

Voltage data collection

Secondary voltage data collection is carried out through the transformer cabinet, which is equipped with three voltage transformers, arrester and fuse system, measuring signal transducers. Measuring transducers convert low-voltage circuit signals into the normalized signals 4- 20 mA for transmission to the controller.

System software

 Controller software is based on the standard design package STEP7, using the language of graphic design CFC (Continuous Flow Chart).
System software is used as a framework, which can implement the new control philosophy and which meets the requirements of the future.

 The offered software package should be considered as the off-the-shelf software, which doesn’t include the engineering documentation. Package allows access to all the parameters and control points, needed for running, that’s why there is no need for modification implementation in any program steps. Updating and/or package upgrading are carried out only by Contractor.

 Advantages of the ARCING CONTROLLER

 ARCING CONTROLLER SMART-ARC makes possible to perform such the most important modern requirements, as quality and cost optimization. The main advantages are:

The time reduction of the power consumption

  • Reduction of the power consumption
  • Reduction of the electrode consumption
  • Minimal coefficient of the electrode breakdown
  • Increase of the service life of the ladle furnace walls
  • Reduction of the ladle furnace loads


Schematic structure:

Scheme SmartArc

INFOCOM ASIA has a wealth of experience of implementation of the arc control automation projects for the electric steel making furnaces, using the technology SMART-ARC. You can see the list of the performed projects in the column “Projects”.