2019 Pittsburgh AISTech

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Reheat Furnace Efficiency at Laverton Rod Mill (Room 320)

Significant rises in natural gas prices and increased demand for Australian steel production have resulted in a renewed focus on reheat furnace efficiency. As reheat furnaces frequently operate above their rated design capacity, research was focused on determining the relationship between mill production rate and furnace energy efficiency. An energy balance was developed to predict the effect on furnace efficiency during future increases in production rate. The study included plant trials in which measurements of gas composition, temperature profiles and flowrates were carried out over a range of production conditions. The findings were then available to be used to propose furnace upgrades.