The project includes Level 2 automation systems for LD converters (BOF), ladle furnaces, and RH plants, enabling centralized, high-automation steel production – also referred to as “one-button steelmaking.” Thanks to the new system, 95% of the steel production process at Rizhao Steel is now automated, allowing operators to manage the entire steel plant with minimal manual intervention, significantly improving process consistency, efficiency, and product quality.
The automation system combines advanced metallurgical models, dynamic process control, and precise material input calculations. Solutions such as BOF Optimizer, LF Optimizer, and RH Optimizer guide operators at every process step, calculating all key parameters in real time. Additionally, the LOMAS off-gas analysis system optimizes carbon capture rates and end-of-blow control.
A key objective of the project was to minimize manual intervention. In the BOF system, oxygen volume, distribution patterns, material additions, and mixing parameters are automatically set. In the LF, processes such as slag modification, alloy additions, and energy input are dynamically optimized. For the RH plant, automatic vacuum and gas adjustments, along with oxygen and alloy wire applications, are also managed by the system.
Founded in 2003 as a subsidiary of Rizhao Steel Holding Group, Rizhao Steel operates in southern Shandong Province with an annual crude steel capacity of 12 million tons and employs 12,000 people. Its product portfolio includes hot-rolled coils, wires, bars, and small I-profiles.
The implementation of energy-efficient Arvedi ESP (Endless Strip Production) technology by Primetals Technologies has further reinforced Rizhao Steel’s leadership position in China’s steel industry.
The project not only enhances the facility’s production efficiency but also serves as a benchmark for automation and digitalization in the steel sector.
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