BlueScope Steel has traditionally controlled product sinter chemistry via a feedback statistical process control (SPC) scheme utilising four hourly product chemistry determined by x-ray fluorescence (XRF). While stable sinter chemistry could be achieved with consistent bed blending, variations in practise or contamination issues typically resulted in long periods to regain stability. To improve sinter chemical stability, a Thermo Scientific CB Omni Fusion online sensor was installed following the mixing and rolling drum, measuring the full green feed to the sinter plant and allowing a much shorter control loop. Limestone and manganese ore PID control has been fully commissioned for continuous control. The present work examines the limestone control. Continuous measurement also provides additional value by detecting unexpected events such as raw material contamination and optimising transitions across blended bed changes.
CITATION:Di Giorgio, N, Pinson, D and Noble, G, 2019. Optimising the sintering process at Port Kembla using real time feed composition, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2019, pp 6876 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).