Blast Furnace Smelting Simulation and Analysis System
In steel smelting, the blast furnace ironmaking mechanism is complex, and it‘s difficult for traditional methods to accurately perceive the internal state of the furnace. Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) simulation technology is the core technology in the blast furnace field. Through Finite Element Analysis (FEA), the structural stress and erosion patterns of the furnace body can be analyzed; with the aid of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), the flow characteristics of internal airflow and temperature fields can be reproduced, providing an in-depth analysis of physical fields and reaction mechanisms. However, due to the abstract nature of analysis results and difficulties in implementation, the value of this technology is difficult to fully realize.
Final Product Hightopo Software, based on its self-developed 2D/3D visualization graphics engine “HT for Web”, builds high-precision 3D blast furnace models that dynamically present key elements such as furnace body structure, tuyere distribution, and burden surface movement. The system deeply integrates multidimensional simulation modules, including isobaric lines, thermal loads, and isothermal lines, transforming the core blast furnace data and complex physical field data from CAE simulation calculations into intuitive visualization scenes, providing technical support for solving the blast furnace “black box” problem.
We use lightweight 3D modeling technology based on CAD drawings, aerial views, and equipment diagrams from the steel plant site. This allows us to model factory equipment — including furnace walls, hot blast stoves, and feeding and conveying systems. The appearance, texture, and structural features closely replicate the actual equipment, creating an immersive visual experience of the industrial scene.
System Analysis Isobaric Lines In the field of blast furnace smelting, isobaric surfaces and pressure contour lines on specific cross-sections are core tools for describing the spatial distribution of gas pressure inside the furnace. Among them, an isobaric surface refers to the curved surface formed by points with equal gas pressure inside the furnace at the same moment, while pressure contour lines refer to the connection of points with equal gas pressure on a specific cross-section. Both can accurately present the distribution characteristics of the pressure field and serve as key indicators for judging the stability of gas flow inside the furnace.
This system is based on real-time data collected from the furnace body sensor network, coupled with CAE pressure field simulation results for validation. It constructs real-time pressure contour lines and isobaric surface models, intuitively displaying core data such as maximum pressure and pressure range at key locations, including the furnace body, furnace waist, furnace belly, and hot blast main through a dedicated data panel. When extreme pressure points are detected in various regions, the 2D panel automatically triggers alarms and precisely locates abnormal points, facilitating a rapid response by operators.
Historical Data Playback
The system can dynamically render the gas pressure gradient distribution patterns at various parts of the blast furnace in the 3D visualization model, clearly presenting gas pressure change trends. Combined with charting tools, it visualizes historical gas pressure data for each sensor point, supports a data playback function on the 3D model, and helps operators trace back gas pressure change processes and analyze the causes of anomalies.
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Thermal Load Blast furnace thermal load is a key technical parameter in the ironmaking process, specifically referring to the amount of heat removed from the inside of the furnace body through the blast furnace cooling system per unit time. Its value directly reflects the thermal state balance inside the furnace and the energy transfer efficiency.
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Through the thermal load scenario, operators can intuitively grasp the thermal balance state inside the furnace and the airflow distribution situation. If the thermal load is too high, it means that there is local overheating inside the furnace, posing a risk of refractory material damage; if too low, it indicates insufficient reaction efficiency inside the furnace, which may involve problems such as incomplete fuel combustion and poor heat transfer effects of the furnace charge.
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Data Monitoring Display
This system uses real-time data collected by the cooling system — including inlet and outlet temperatures of the cooling medium, flow rates, and cooling wall surface area — as the core monitoring focus, employing interpolation algorithms to accurately calculate cooling wall thermal load values.
When the thermal load exceeds the set threshold, the system will automatically trigger a location alarm. By clicking the location icon in the upper right corner of the panel, the problem area can be immediately located. This provides operators with an accurate basis for timely scientific assessment, thereby avoiding refractory material failure caused by local overheating and ensuring the structural safety of the furnace body.
Isothermal Lines By collecting temperature data inside the furnace and combining it with data assimilation algorithms and 3D temperature field reconstruction technology, this system achieves precise visual positioning of the isothermal platform in the blast furnace cohesive zone, providing key support for determining the cohesive zone morphology and optimizing smelting parameters.
Data Monitoring Display
At the data display level, after the system integrates and analyzes real-time temperature data, it displays the top five temperature points ranked by location, height, angle, and specific temperature values. By clicking the interactive panel, operators can navigate directly to the target points in the 3D model, facilitating quick comprehension of high-temperature area distribution.
Similarly, based on historical temperature data, it is also possible to implement a simulation playback function for temperature changes during the blast furnace production process, thereby helping operators trace back temperature evolution trends and analyze furnace condition patterns.
Flow Field Flow field visualization is the core module for understanding the reaction environment inside the furnace, primarily encompassing three dimensions: temperature field, velocity field, and pressure field. The data originates from real-time sensing networks and CAE flow field simulation results — where the core simulation logic for the temperature field and velocity field is based on CFD technology, capable of accurately simulating gas flow trajectories and temperature gradient diffusion patterns; the pressure field combines coupled analysis of FEA and CFD, taking into account both structural loading and fluid pressure transfer characteristics, comprehensively presenting the dynamic reactions inside the furnace.
Temperature Field
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Enter your email Subscribe Based on multi-element sensing components, the system obtains real-time temperature data from various areas inside the furnace. It simultaneously applies Hightopo particle dynamic rendering technology to intuitively present the temperature gradient distribution inside the furnace. Through temperature change trends, it is possible to predict morphological changes such as upward/downward movement of the cohesive zone position and thickening/thinning of thickness, providing a data basis for adjusting smelting strategies such as burden distribution angle and blast temperature.
Velocity Field
Based on real-time gas flow data inside the furnace and referencing the airflow patterns from CAE flow field simulations, this system dynamically simulates the flow trajectories and flow velocities of gas inside the furnace. Through streamlined animations, it can clearly identify airflow dead zones, which are areas where gas flow is stagnant or velocity is too low. This prevents uneven airflow distribution from affecting reaction efficiency inside the furnace and ensures sufficient contact reaction between gas and furnace charge.
Pressure Field
The pressure field presents the pressure changes inside the furnace in the form of “a single diagram”, monitoring in real-time the pressure fluctuations at key locations such as the furnace top, furnace body, and hearth. When pressure imbalances such as sudden increases or decreases occur at the furnace top, the system will promptly issue warnings to remind operators to adjust the tuyere area and optimize the tapping rhythm.
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About HT 3D Particle System
Hightopo’s 3D particle system is designed for digital twins and simulation, consisting of particle emitters, particle properties, particle behaviors, rendering methods, particle lifecycle management, and more, achieving effects such as fire, smoke, rain, snow, explosions, dust, light trails, and magic. It has been performance-optimized on top of the “HT for Web” engine, supporting large-scale particle effects applications, supporting physical characteristics (gravity, wind force, collision) simulation, and supporting particle interaction characteristics. Particles can interact with objects in the scene through collision, adsorption, and other interactive properties, and can be applied in digital twin and simulation applications to simulate dynamic processes such as weather, fire, leakage, airflow, ocean currents, object stress, and deformation.
Heat Map To achieve a comprehensive perception of temperature distribution inside the furnace, we use the actual blast furnace dimensions as a baseline to create a 1:1 restored 3D model of the blast furnace. We then apply interpolation algorithms to spatially interpolate the discrete temperature measurement data, ensuring continuity and completeness in the temperature field presentation. By employing Hightopo Software’s heat rendering engine, temperature values are mapped into multi-color gradient heat maps. The scene supports rotation and viewing of the 3D model from any angle, allowing operators to grasp temperature distribution details inside the furnace from different perspectives.
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Additionally, the measurement point supports click interaction. Clicking on a target measurement point allows retrieval of its recent historical data, and the data will be presented in the form of a line chart visualization, clearly displaying the data change trajectory to facilitate efficient analysis.
Hearth Erosion As the core component of the blast furnace, the hearth’s erosion problem affects the blast furnace’s lifespan. Relying on our self-developed simulation analysis technology, we integrate real-time hearth erosion data with molten iron solidification data. Through in-depth integration and secondary analysis of CFD flow-state heat dissipation simulation results and FEA structural stress coupling analysis results, we dynamically generate high-fidelity hearth simulation models. The system can provide a sectioning function, allowing operators to view the erosion degree and molten iron solidification conditions of each cross-section of the hearth by adjusting the sectioning angle, enabling timely understanding of hearth erosion trends.
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The system is built with hearth erosion data as the core and temperature data as auxiliary support, combined with the actual structural parameters of the hearth. It can intuitively display the erosion depth at different angles of the hearth and the temperature distribution in corresponding areas, providing a data basis for assessing erosion risks and formulating targeted protection schemes.
Solidification Line Model
The system relies on the hearth structural framework, with hearth molten iron solidification data as the core and temperature data as auxiliary support, clearly presenting the molten iron solidification range and temperature distribution characteristics at various angles of the hearth, providing an intuitive reference for optimizing molten iron solidification control strategies and avoiding aggravated hearth erosion due to uneven molten iron solidification.
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Burden Distribution Hightopo’s 3D scene supports operators in real-time observation of the dynamic process of raw materials being precisely distributed from the charging equipment into the blast furnace. Through “HT for Web” 3D visualization technology, it clearly tracks the landing positions and burden layer accumulation patterns of different raw materials such as ore and coke, ensuring that the raw material distribution status can be monitored in real-time.
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The system displays key parameters such as burden thickness and raw material distribution uniformity through 3D models and 2D data panels. When abnormalities like uneven burden distribution or raw material landing point deviation are detected, the platform immediately triggers alarms and generates optimized strategies for adjusting charging equipment angle, rotation speed, and other parameters, enabling precise monitoring of the burden distribution process.
Summary The blast furnace 3D simulation platform relies on a real-time sensing network, combined with 5G + Industrial PON dual-channel transmission, to achieve efficient data collection. The system employs dynamic 3D reconstruction technology and a thermodynamic simulation engine to realize full-domain visualization functions such as furnace body transparency adjustment and all-angle observation. At the same time, equipped with a comprehensive early warning mechanism and fault diagnosis mechanism, it can promptly identify risks such as abnormal pressure, excessive thermal load, and hearth erosion, helping enterprises achieve intelligent and efficient operation of blast furnace smelting.