Structure optimization for link suspension system of a 180t BOF vessel

The link suspension system has been used to install a BOF vessel shell in the trunnion ring and has been adopted widely in many steelmaking workshops all over the world. This system is a key component of the oxygen steelmaking process and combines the advantages of well-proven suspension systems with the design philosophy of static determinacy in any operating condition and status of deformation. Recent researches and publications focus on the application of the system and rarely involve in the design mechanics of the system. This paper describes an investigation into the load of link using ADAMS to model the tilting process of BOF. The factors of influencing the link load are also discussed. The indications are that the distribution and parameters of the vertical and the horizontal links have great impact on the laws of loads. An optimization model including these parameters has been constructed to obtain a reasonable load distribution of these links. The optimization results show that vertical links should be assembled vertically and distributed uniformly along circumference of the trunnion ring to reduce theoretically the link loads.