Method and arrangement for operating a metallurgical furnace and computer program product

1. A method for operating a metallurgical furnace, wherein the method comprises:

a feeding step for feeding metal-containing feed material and optionally at least one of reaction gas, reduction agent, coolant, and hydrocarbon based fuels into a furnace space of the metallurgical furnace to form a molten metal-containing layer and a slag layer on top of the molten metal containing layer in the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace, and

a temperature controlling step for controlling the temperature of the molten metal layer and the slag layer in the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

wherein the temperature controlling step comprises

a first measuring step for directly measuring the slag temperature (T slag ),

a second measuring step for directly measuring the slag liquidus temperature (T slag, liquidus ), and

a calculating step for calculating a superheat temperature (T superheat ) by calculating the temperature difference between the slag temperature (T slag ) and the slag liquidus temperature (T slag, liquidus ),

and in case the calculated superheat temperature (T superheat ) is outside a predefined superheat temperature range (T superheat set ), the method comprises an adjusting step for adjusting at least one of the following:

(i) feed rate of the metal-containing feed material, that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

(ii) composition of the metal-containing feed material that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

(iii) feed rate of the reaction gas that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

(iv) composition of the reaction gas that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

(v) feeding rate of coolant that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

(vi) composition of coolant that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

(vii) feed rate of hydrocarbon based fuels that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

(viii) composition of hydrocarbon based fuels that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

(ix) temperature of any of the solid, liquid or gas material that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace, and

(x) heating by different amounts of electrical energy

to raise the actual superheat temperature if the calculated superheat temperature (T superheat ) is below the predefined superheat temperature range (T superheat set ) or to lower the actual superheat temperature if the calculated superheat temperature (T superheat ) is above the predefined superheat temperature range (T superheat set ),

a forming step for forming and maintaining a semi-solidified or solidified protective layer or coating at the inner walls of the metallurgical furnace, and

wherein the temperature controlling step includes keeping the calculated superheat temperature (T superheat ) within the predefined superheat temperature range (T superheat set ) so as to maintain the semi-solidified or solidified protective layer or coating at the inner walls of the metallurgical furnace.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predefined superheat temperature range (T superheat set ) is between −30° and 250° C.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predefined superheat temperature range (T superheat set ) is between −10° and 150° C.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predefined superheat temperature range (T superheat set ) is between −10° and 100° C.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predefined superheat temperature range (T superheat set ) is between 30° and 250° C.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring the slag liquidus temperature is measured indirectly by performing a slag analysis.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring the slag liquidus temperature is measured directly.

8. An arrangement for operating a metallurgical furnace, wherein the arrangement comprises:

feeding means configured to feed metal-containing feed material and optionally at least one of reaction gas, reduction agent, coolant, and hydrocarbon based fuels into a furnace space of the metallurgical furnace to form a molten metal containing layer and a slag layer on top of the molten metal-containing layer in the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

a processor configured to control the temperature of the molten metal-containing layer and the slag layer in the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

a first measuring means configured to directly measure the slag temperature (T slag ), and

a second measuring means configured to directly measure the slag liquidus temperature (T slag, liquidus ), wherein

the processor is configured to calculate a superheat temperature (T superheat ) by calculating the temperature difference between the slag temperature (T slag ) and the slag liquidus temperature (T slag, liquidus ),

and in case the calculated superheat temperature (T superheat ) is outside a predefined superheat temperature range (T superheat set ), the processor is configured to generate a control signal for controlling at least one of the following:

(i) feed rate of the metal-containing feed material, that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

(ii) composition of the metal-containing feed material that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

(iii) feed rate of the reaction gas that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

(iv) composition of the reaction gas that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

(v) feeding rate of coolant that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

(vi) composition of coolant that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

(vii) feed rate of hydrocarbon based fuels that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

(viii) composition of hydrocarbon based fuels that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace,

(ix) temperature of any of the solid, liquid or gas material that is fed into the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace, and

(x) heating by different amounts of electrical energy

to raise the actual superheat temperature if the calculated superheat temperature (T superheat ) is below the predefined superheat temperature range (T superheat set ) or to lower the actual superheat temperature if the calculated superheat temperature (T superheat ) is above the predefined superheat temperature range (T superheat set ),

the processor being configured to control the temperature of the molten metal-containing layer and the slag layer in the furnace space of the metallurgical furnace so that a semi-solidified or solidified protective layer or coating is formed and maintained at the inner walls of the metallurgical furnace, and

the processor being configured to generate the control signal for the processor to maintain the calculated superheat temperature (T superheat ) within the predefined superheat temperature range (T superheat set ) so as to maintain the semi-solidified or solidified protective layer or coating at the inner walls of the metallurgical furnace.

9. The arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the predefined superheat temperature range (T superheat set ) is between −30° and 250° C.

10. The arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the predefined superheat temperature range (T superheat set ) is between −10° and 150° C.

11. The arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the predefined superheat temperature range (T superheat set ) is between −10° and 100° C.

12. The arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the predefined superheat temperature range (T superheat set ) is between 30° and 250° C.