Towards intelligent steel processing

In recent times there has been a rapid increase in the use of dynamic models and artificial intelligence to control steelmaking processes. These developments have created a heightened awareness of the importance of developing diagnostic sensors to provide input into, or to validate process models. Of fundamental importance in various steelmaking processing steps is the control of the oxygen potential. Reliable and accurate sensing of the oxygen potential is a mandatory requirement if intelligent processing techniques are to be used. Brimacombe (1989) pioneered the validation of many mathematical models and sensing devices designed for metallurgical process control by experimental measurement in the laboratory and on production plants. The accurate measurement of the oxygen potential in liquid steel is considered. The significance and experimental measurement of electronic conduction in electrochemical sensors will be highlighted, with special reference to the small zirconia sensors used in commercial practice