Model-based slopping monitoring by change detection

The most common steel-making process in the world is the Lintz-Donawitz converter. During operation, a slag foam is created to improve the converter performance. Problems arise when the foam level exceeds the height of the vessel and overflows, causing metal loss, process disruption and environmental pollution. The goal of this study is to design a model-based algorithm exploiting real-time process data to give an early warning to the operator, before the slopping is visible, so that appropriate actions can be taken. The algorithm was tested on data from the LD process at SSAB Oxelösund and found to work well.