Czech steel plant advances critical cooling water measurement

Wellingborough, UK - A steel production plant in the Czech Republic has installed electromagnetic flowmeters to improve its performance in measuring the critical flow of cooling water in a 50-tonne electric arc furnace.

When the furnace was re-equipped, plant engineers opted to install eight Krohne Optiflux electromagnetic flowmeters with different nominal diameters. These provide real-time measurement of flow in various parts of the cooling system, allowing operators to ensure the temperature of the furnace components remain within safe limits.

At the plant, steel is melted in the furnace from scrap and other materials by generating an electric arc between an electrode and the scrap. The upper vessel of the furnace - consisting of wall elements, door and a swing roof - is a steel structure. To prevent it being destroyed by the enormous heat, it has to be kept cool by an intricate and expensive cooling system.

The individual elements of the upper vessel contain closely-packed chambers and pipes which have cooling water flowing through them. The flow volume is about 150 to 180 litres of water per minute for every square metre of area to be cooled and it is essential that there is a continual flow of the right volume and temperature of water.

The cooling must be continuous even in the event of a power failure, so emergency generating sets and high-level service tanks are provided to ensure the supply of water. The reliability of the flow measurement is vital to ensure the correct operation of the cooling system.