Spray Cool Wall RBS Data

Spray-cooled shells of electric arc furnaces (EAF) experience dynamic and intense thermal fluctuations that, if undetected, can lead to significant operational challenges, including structural damage and compromised safety. In this study, we demonstrate the use of fiber optic sensors (FOS) for real-time, distributed thermal monitoring of an EAF shell wall. The work herein leveraged on Rayleigh-based optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR), with high spatial resolution (up to 1.3 mm) and 1 Hz data acquisition in detecting and mapping thermal hot-spots across a section of the EAF’s spray shell wall. The instrumentation with Rayleigh FOS enables the early identification of hot-spots, providing operators with actionable insights to optimize spray cooling strategies, adjust burner orientations, and fine-tune electrical and chemical energy inputs (which may pose a danger to the integrity of the shell wall) dynamically in enhancing operational efficiency, extending the lifespan of the EAF shell wall, and bolstering safety in steel mills. The result herein, collected for a two-day period on a 165-ton DC EAF in operation, underscore the transformative potential of in-situ monitoring systems with FOS, and paves the way for smarter, safer, cost-effective and data-driven EAF operation.