SLAGMONQUALITY-BASED TAPPING THROUGHINFRARED SLAG IDENTIFICATION
Minimized slag transfer is essential for maximizing
steel output and increasing steel quality. Knowledgeof slag conditions reduces quantities of deoxidizing
and alloying agents, lowers rephosphorization andimproves steel desulphurization. Steel analyses are far
more accurate when the amount of transferred slag
is reduced to a minimum, and the lieftime of the steel
ladle refractory can also be significantly increased.

OUR SOLUTION
The thermographic slag identification system, SlagMon, is arapid and reliable method of early slag detection. It offers
real-time, permanent monitoring of the tapping stream
using an infrared camera through which a quick and reliable
differentiation between steel and slag is achieved. Detectedslag leads to a trigger signal for the activation of a tap holeclosing unit and/or an alarm signal.

YOUR CHALLENGE
Slag detection equipment should be installed without any
modifications of the converter. This equipment should befree of wear parts and be accessible for maintenance at
all times. The system should be compatible with common
process control systems and all available gate units, andalso be applicable as a stand-alone device.
The slag detection equipment should distinguish itself
through high availability, long maintenance cycles andvirtually failure-proof operation. The equipment should
consist of an infrared camera with long calibration cycles
and the entire construction must be able to withstandextreme operating conditions.
The system should include data archives for offline
analysis in order to store data files containing all
significant values files for every tap.

SlagMon overview

primetals.com

Positioning of SlagMon in safe area of the converter

Steelstream with ROI - Region Of Interest

PROCESSThe thermographic slag detection system, SlagMon,
represents an accurate method of exploring the tapping
stream. Due to the different emissions of radiation in theinfrared range, it is easy to differentiate between steel andslag.
The system, including an infrared camera, visualization,industrial PC and an evaluation unit, offers continuous
and real-time observation and visualization of tapping
operation.
SlagMon generates an alert signal if slag is detected, which
can be utilized to control the locking device of the tap
hole. Depending on the site situation, it is also possible touse this measuring principle during slag dumping in orderto recognize flow of steel and subsequently maximize theoutput.
PROPERTIES
The infrared camera is set up at a protected, easily
accessible location at a certain distance (up to 30 meters)from the converter. It is well protected by its watercooled
housing which includes an intergral air-jet lens cleaningsystem. Operating personnel can follow the tapping andslag-dumping operations on site and obtain all significant
process parameters (e.g. tapping duration, converter angle,tapping weight, system status) from the visualization
screen.
A special image processing algorithm continuously
evaluates and archieves the generated image. In caseof slag carry-over, an alarm is generated, triggering therespective gate unit (e.g. slag stopper).
The use of fiber optic cables guarantees safe and steadydata transmission for accurate, real-time detection of slag.

MAIN BENEFITS• Improved steel quality thanks to accurate slag
detection• Reduced conversion costs due to reduced
quantities of dexoidizing and alloying agents• Operator-friendly visualization of all
significant process parameters• The device can be used with all known gate
units or as a stand-alone device• Accessible for maintenance at all times
thanks to its positioning in distance from theconverter• Detailed offline analyses containing all
significant values of every tap, stored in dataarchives
TECHNICAL DATA
Wave length

3,9 µmProfibus linkyes

TCP/IP data transfer

yes

LWL
Power supply

230 VHigh availability

98 %Frame rate
Camera resolution

RANGE OF APPLICATIONSlagMon can be used for BOF as well as EAF plants.

50 and 62.5 µm

Motor driven focus lens

50 n frames per second
640 x 480 pixel
yesInfrared camera made in Europe
Primetals Technologies
Austria GmbHA joint venture of Mitsubishi Heavy
Industries and partners
Turmstrasse 44 | 4031 Linz | Austria
primetals.com
Order No. T02-4-N380-L2-P-V2-EN
Printed in Linz | © 2020

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