Thermal tracking of a ladle during production cycles

Abstract Temperature control is important for the steel making process. Knowledge of the amount of thermal energy stored in the ladle allows for better predictions of the steel temperature during the process. This has a potential to improve the quality of the steel. In this work, we present a mathematical model of the heat transfer within a ladle during the production process. The model can be used to compute the current, and also the future, thermal status of the ladle. The model is simple and can be solved efficiently. We also present results from numerical simulations intended to illustrate the model.