Open-Hearth and Basic-Oxygen Furnaces: An Allocation Model for Production Planning

In a steelworks where both open-hearth and basic-oxygen furnaces are available, there is a genuine problem of allocation of total steel production between the two processes. After briefly explaining the two processes, an attempt is made to develop a linear programming model for obtaining optimum allocation of total steel production between the two processes for production planning purposes. Equations and inequations describing the various technological constraints for the furnaces have been incorporated in the model. A linear cost function is minimized. Procedures for evaluating various technological and cost coefficients (used in the model) have been explained indicating the nature of the difficulties that are encountered in such evaluations under normal operational conditions. The model can also predict the required operation levels of blast furnaces and lime burning plants at different levels of total steel production.