Model based control for a fine coal injection plant

Modeling, control, and gas leakage detection in the coal injection process are discussed. It is shown that by use of model-based methods, the flow and pressure of the coal injection vessel are reliably controlled. With the new control law, the coal mass flow can be used as a control parameter for the blast furnace. High injection rates can be used and more coke substituted, This is expected to yield a cost reduction in the iron production. An experimental comparison of the conventional control unit with the one suggested in this article shows that an improvement of the process efficiency can be reached by other means than increasing the capacity of the plant.