Method for operating an anode furnace and control device

Abstract

A method and to a control device 10 for operating an anode furnace including an extraction ramp arranged in a section of a heat-up zone and a burner ramp arranged in a section of a firing zone of the furnace unit, wherein operation of ramps is controlled by means of a control device of the furnace unit, wherein the ramps each have a read unit, wherein the section each have at least one stationary transponder unit, wherein the read units of the ramps communicate with the transponder units of the sections in which the ramps are arranged, wherein the respective transponder units are identified by means of the control device, and wherein a respective position of the ramps is determined by allocating the ramps to the respective transponder units.

Claims

1. A method for automatic operating an anode furnace (10), wherein the anode furnace is formed from a plurality of heating ducts (12) and furnace chambers, wherein the furnace chambers serve for receiving anodes and the heating ducts serve for controlling the temperature of the furnace chambers, wherein the anode furnace comprises at least one furnace unit (11), wherein the furnace unit comprises a heating zone (20), a firing zone (21) and a cooling zone (22), which are in turn formed from at least one section (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38) comprising furnace chambers, wherein a suction ramp (14) is arranged in a section of the heating zone and a burner ramp (15) of the furnace unit is arranged in a section of the firing zone, wherein ramps are movable and operation of the ramps (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 45) is controlled by means of a control apparatus of the furnace unit characterized in that the ramps include one reading unit (46) each, wherein the sections include at least one stationary transponder unit (43) each, wherein the reading units of the ramps communicate with the transponder units of the sections in which the ramps are arranged, wherein the respective transponder units are identified by means of the control apparatus, and wherein a respective position of the ramps is determined by allocating the ramps to the respective transponder units.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that upon initiation of operation, a control unit of the control apparatus activates the reading units (46) of the ramps (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 45), wherein the reading units read out information stored by the transponder units (43) which are allocated to the ramps.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the information is displayed by the control unit for inspection.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the information is inspected by the control unit, wherein a plausibility check of position-independent information is effected.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the information is corrected by the control unit.

6. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the information is inspected by the control unit, wherein a plausibility check of position-dependent information is effected, wherein a presupposed position of the ramps (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 45) is compared to an actual position of the ramps.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that initiation of operation of the ramps (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 45) is only effected after successfully having checked the position of the ramps.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that a numerical designation of the section (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38) of the transponder unit, a numerical designation of the anode furnace (10) of the transponder unit and a total number of the sections (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38) of the anode furnace of the transponder unit are stored by the transponder unit (43).

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the transponder unit (43) is programmed by a portable reading instrument.

10. An automatic control apparatus for operating an anode furnace (10), wherein the anode furnace is formed from a plurality of heating ducts (12) and furnace chambers, wherein the furnace chambers serve for receiving anodes and the heating ducts serve for controlling the temperature of the furnace chambers, wherein the anode furnace comprises at least one furnace unit (11), wherein the furnace unit comprises a heating zone (20), a firing zone (21) and a cooling zone (22), which are in turn formed from at least one section (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38) comprising furnace chambers, wherein a suction ramp (14) is arranged in a section of the heating zone and a burner ramp (15) of the furnace unit is arranged in a section of the firing zone, wherein ramps are movable and operation of the ramps (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 45) is controlled by means of the control apparatus of the furnace unit, characterized in that the ramps include one reading unit (46) of the control apparatus each, wherein the sections include at least one stationary transponder unit (43) of the control apparatus each, wherein the reading units of the ramps can communicate with the transponder units of the sections in which the ramps are arranged, wherein the control apparatus is embodied in such a way that the respective transponder units can be identified by means of the control apparatus, and wherein a respective position of the ramps can be determined by allocating the ramps to the respective transponder units.

11. The control apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the control apparatus includes a control unit, wherein the control unit is a PLC installation.

12. The control apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the transponder unit (43) is a passive RFID transponder unit.

13. The control apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the transponder unit (43) has a transponder range of 15 cm to 45 cm.

14. The control apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the transponder units (43) are arranged in regular rows in the longitudinal direction of the anode furnace (10) and in common positions in the sections (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38).

15. The control apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that a position of an antenna (47) of the reading unit (46) at the ramp (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 45) can be set relative to the position of the transponder unit (43).

16. The control apparatus according claim 10, characterized in that every section (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38) includes two transponder units (43) which are arranged relative to one possible ramp position each.

17. The control apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the transponder unit (43) is fixedly arranged in an upper assembly floor (40, 41) of the anode furnace (10).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

(1) A preferred embodiment of the invention will be explained in greater detail below in reference to the accompanying drawings.

(2) In the figures:

(3) FIG. 1: shows a schematic illustration of a furnace unit of an anode furnace in a longitudinal sectional view;

(4) FIG. 2: shows a partial sectional view of a mounting base of an anode furnace having a ramp;

(5) FIG. 3: shows a flow chart for an embodiment of the method for operating an anode furnace.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an anode furnace 10 having a furnace unit 11, which furnace is only illustrated in portions here. The anode furnace 10 includes a plurality of heating ducts 12 which run in parallel along furnace chambers that are located inbetween and that are not shown here. In this case, the furnace chambers serve for receiving anodes which are not visibly illustrated here, either. The heating ducts 12, presenting the shape of a meander, run in the longitudinal direction of the anode furnace 10 and include evenly spaced heating duct openings 13, which are respectively covered by a heating duct covering which is not illustrated in greater detail here. The furnace unit 11 furthermore comprises a suction ramp 14, burner ramps 15 and 16, a cooling ramp 17 as well as a zero point ramp 18 and a measuring ramp 19. Their position at the anode furnace 10 is in each case defined, in a manner conditioned by function, by a heating zone 20, a firing zone 21 and a cooling zone 22. Over the course of the production process of the anodes, the furnace unit 11 is displaced relative to the furnace chambers or to the anodes by tramming the ramps 14 to 19 in the longitudinal direction of the anode furnace 10, above the heating ducts 12, such that all anodes that are situated in the anode furnace 10 pass through the zones 20 to 22.

(7) The suction ramp 14 is substantially formed from a collecting duct 23 which is connected to a waste gas cleaning system via an annular duct, which is not illustrated here. The collecting duct 23, in each case via a connecting duct 24, is in turn connected to a heating duct opening 13. A measuring sensor 25 for measuring the temperature in every heating duct 12 is furthermore directly arranged in front of the collecting duct 23, being connected to the same via a data line 26. The measuring ramp 19 is also equipped with measuring sensors 27. The burner ramps 15 and 16 are formed from a plurality of burners 28 and measuring sensors 29 in each case. The zero point ramp 18 also possesses measuring sensors 30, and the cooling ramp 17 is formed from a distributing duct 31 having connecting ducts 32 for the heating duct openings 13.

(8) The ramps 14 to 19 are arranged in sections 33 to 38 in each case, wherein the sections 33 to 38 are in turn formed from heating duct portions 39 in each case. Sections which adjoin the sections 33 to 38 are not illustrated in greater detail here, for the purpose of simplification of the figure. Within the sections 33 to 38 as well as within the sections which are not illustrated here, too, at least one transponder unit each, which unit is not shown here, is arranged in a mounting base 40 of the anode furnace 10.

(9) FIG. 2 shows a partial sectional view of a portion 41 of the mounting base 40 having a recess 42 and a transponder unit 43 which is received in the recess 42. The recess 42 or the transponder unit 43 is provided with a sealing covering 44, such that the transponder unit 43 is protected against environmental influences. Here, the transponder unit 43 marks a mounting position of a ramp 45 which is illustrated in a transverse sectional view here. At the ramp 45, a reading unit 46 is arranged which is formed from an antenna 47 having a reading instrument 48. Via a connection line 49, the reading instrument 48 is connected to the antenna 47 and, via a connection line 50, to a PLC installation, which is not shown here. By means of a mounting device 51, the antenna 47 can be mounted at the ramp 45 in such a manner that it can be directly arranged above the transponder unit 43. In this way, by means of the mounting device 51, imprecisions in the positioning of +/30 cm in the longitudinal direction and +/24 cm in the transverse direction relative to an anode furnace can be compensated for.

(10) With the sequence of the method which is illustrated by way of example in FIG. 3, it is now possible to automatically check respective positions of ramps always when putting the furnace unit into operation or when operating the anode furnace of an anode furnace. Referring to the anode furnaces according to FIGS. 1 and 2, the ramps 14 to 19 are initially positioned on the mounting base 40 within the respective sections 33 to 38. When turning on an electricity supply and thus when commencing to put into operation, the PLC installation and the reading instrument are started. The PLC installation activates all reading instruments which read out the transponder units in the area of the ramps 14 to 19 via the antenna. The information which is read out is passed on to the PLC installation and the same checks the information in respect of consistency thereof. If an inconsistency is recognized, a correction, for example of an expected position, can be effected. In this way, it is ensured that the transponder units are situated in the expected positions. In the following, the information is further processed within the PLC installation or is passed on to a further PLC installation, wherein a plausibility check of a position of the ramps 14 to 19 is performed here. This is effected by comparing a determined position to a presupposed position. If one of the ramps 14 to 19 is not situated in the presupposed position, the furnace unit 11 cannot be started. Here, a correction of the respective ramp position or a tramming of the respective ramp 14 to 19 is then required. If no error is recognized during the plausibility check or if the check is successful, initiation of operation of the furnace unit 11 can be completely started, amongst other things, by igniting the burner 28.