IIT-Kanpur Prof Devices New Method to Improve Steel Quality

Kanpur: Professor Brahma Deo of Department of Material Science and Engineering of Indian Institute of Technology – Kanpur (IIT-K) has devised an algorithm beta supersonic blow control, in collaboration with the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant.

The collaboration is done in order to further develop and test the algorithm. It is anticipated that the collaboration between premier academic institutions like IIT-Kanpur and the heavy industries like steel plants is desirable not only for financial reasons, but also for developing the cutting edge technologies which we can then sell to the world.

The IIT-Kanpur authorities declared that the institute has been working in collaboration with some steel plants in India and abroad since the last two decades. Moreover, they have also stated that the institute and Visakhapatnam Steel Plant have been working to improve various aspects of steel making process since 2002 and there has been a continuous exchange of knowledge between the two.

In addition, the institute authorities informed that on the basis of analysis of the operating practices at various Steel Plants, Professor Brahma Deo came out successful in developing a new algorithm to control the process, called Beta Supersonic Blow Control. The algorithm is now being used as part of the implementation of Level-II control at Steel Melting Shop-I of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP).

Prof Brahma Deo has said that interestingly, the Beta Supersonic Blow Control algorithm steers the steel making process such that it avoids/reduces or suppresses, the Chaotic attractors which lead to operational problems of either dry slag formation or intense foaming of slag, popularly known as slopping.

He also informed that the beta supersonic blow control algorithm directs, dynamically, the changes required in the process control parameters such as lance height and oxygen flow rate, and advises the timely additions of iron ore and fluxes, while the blow is in progress, so as to arrive at the desired temperature and composition. Under the new scheme of Level-II control at VSP, the recording and processing of data is done on-line. The algorithm makes use of the on-line data provided and takes into account the changing process conditions with time.