In an example implementation, a method of operating a sintering furnace includes receiving information about a green object load to be sintered in a sintering furnace, determining a sintering profile based on the information, and performing a sintering process according to the sintering profile. During the sintering process, a sensor reading that indicates a degree of densification of a green object in the load is accessed from a densification sensor. The method includes initiating a cool down phase of the sintering process if the sensor reading has reached a target sensor reading.

Techniques regarding a fan friction oven are provided. For example, one or more embodiments described herein can regard an apparatus comprising a processing chamber in fluid communication with a heating blower and a circulation blower. The heating blower can heat air adjacent to the processing chamber by fan friction. Also, the circulation blower can circulate the air heated by the heating blower into the processing chamber.

Techniques regarding a fan friction oven are provided. For example, one or more embodiments described herein can regard an apparatus comprising a processing chamber in fluid communication with a heating blower and a circulation blower. The heating blower can heat air adjacent to the processing chamber by fan friction. Also, the circulation blower can circulate the air heated by the heating blower into the processing chamber.

A microprocessor-based controller for pellet burners is disclosed that provides a level of safety and reliability to any pellet burner by implementing a feed forward control scheme using sensor detected information in a formula to determine proper processing results, utilizing feedback for proper combustion, such that temperature is effectively controlled, thereby greatly reducing the chance of a fire or an explosion.

A microprocessor-based controller for pellet burners is disclosed that provides a level of safety and reliability to any pellet burner by implementing a feed forward control scheme using sensor detected information in a formula to determine proper processing results, utilizing feedback for proper combustion, such that temperature is effectively controlled, thereby greatly reducing the chance of a fire or an explosion.

A control system includes a vision system including an imaging device and a VAR monitoring system configured to determine a power adjustment phase of the VAR process based on the images from the vision system and a process parameter. The VAR monitoring system includes a vision analysis module configured to analyze the images from the vision system to detect a melt marker based on a remelt image process model, and a prediction module configured to predict an operational characteristic of the VAR process that is associated with the power adjustment relative to a melt marker location and a remelt prediction model. The VAR monitoring system is configured to initiate the power adjustment phase in response to the melt marker satisfying a predetermined melt marker condition, the operational characteristic of the VAR process satisfying a predetermined operational condition, or a combination thereof.

A continuous process provides direct reduction of iron ore in a solid state. Briquettes of iron ore fragments and biomass are transported through a preheating chamber and preheated to a temperature of at least 400° C. The preheated briquettes are transported through a heating/reduction chamber that has an anoxic environment, and iron ore and biomass in the briquettes are exposed to electromagnetic energy in the form of microwave energy under anoxic conditions. Microwave energy generates heat within iron ore, and biomass acts as a reductant and reduces iron ore in a solid state, as the briquettes move through the heating/reduction chamber.

A continuous process provides direct reduction of iron ore in a solid state. Briquettes of iron ore fragments and biomass are transported through a preheating chamber and preheated to a temperature of at least 400° C. The preheated briquettes are transported through a heating/reduction chamber that has an anoxic environment, and iron ore and biomass in the briquettes are exposed to electromagnetic energy in the form of microwave energy under anoxic conditions. Microwave energy generates heat within iron ore, and biomass acts as a reductant and reduces iron ore in a solid state, as the briquettes move through the heating/reduction chamber.

Disclosed is a method for estimating a blast furnace throat temperature based on a multilayer ore-to-coke ratio distribution model. According to the method, blast furnace equipment parameters and a burden distribution matrix are utilized, the burden layer profile of each layer is calculated according to the burden distribution movement process, a burden layer distribution model is established in combination with the descending process, and the ore-to-coke ratio of each burden layer is obtained. According to the method, the ore-to-coke ratio distribution of multiple layers and main parameters of a blast furnace are used as input, a generalized regression neural network is used for estimating the temperature at the corresponding measurement position of throat temperature, so as to realize the monitoring of throat temperature in the blast furnace process.

An overflow system for a doorway exhaust hood on a metal melt furnace having an eductor gas circulator. The system includes a manifold with an inlet near the hood's lower lip, and a conduit between the manifold and eductor. A blower draws gas into the manifold and urges that gas through the conduit, into the eductor, and into the furnace. Sensors detect when the door is open and the volatiles level under the hood. An electronic controller instructs the blower to draw exhaust gases through the manifold when the door is open and the volatiles level exceeds a predetermined level.