Improvement of the design of water-cooled panels of arc steelmaking furnaces of foundry class.

Abstract

The article outlines the importance of the foundry industry and the role of arc steelmaking furnaces (ASFs) in it. It was noted that water-cooled panels in EAFs are key elements that ensure the structural integrity and safety of furnaces by removing excess heat during steelmaking. An analysis of literature sources has revealed that there are certain issues that characterize the imperfections of certain structural parts of modern water-cooled panels, such as insufficient cooling efficiency, corrosion, and leaks, which lead to a decrease in the performance of the BF and an increase in energy consumption. These factors have been analyzed and some optimization ways have been identified to improve overall efficiency and durability. The article emphasizes that modern technologies can reduce the consumption of energy and refractory materials by reducing the capacity of the steelmaking bath and optimizing the heat balance. Particular emphasis is placed on the potential for modernizing water-cooled panels to improve the efficiency of the steelmaking process. The paper reveals the mechanism of operation of water-cooled chipboard panels as a spatial system of steel tubes connected by means of transition elements and placed with different densities and a layer of thermal insulation material in the intertube space. This determined the need to improve the design of the panels by optimizing their spatial structure to ensure a more efficient heat transfer process. Improving the energy efficiency of chipboard means reducing heat energy losses, which, among other things, ensures more stable operation during melting, reduces component wear and extends the service life of water-cooled panels. The design of the water-cooled panels has been improved by varying the distance between the axes of the water-cooled tubes depending on their diameter and spatial location. This design makes it possible to optimize the layer of heat-insulating material and minimize unproductive heat loss. Failure to comply with the calculated value of the pipe spacing can lead to increased heat loss. The calculations and graphical dependencies demonstrate the efficiency of heat flow distribution and minimization of heat losses. The new design reduces heat loss by 45% and improves the performance of water-cooled panels.