Improved Monitoring of the Water-Cooled Upper Shell of an Electric Arc Furnace Using Fiber-Optic Sensors

Modern Electric Arc Furnaces (EAF) employ ultra-high-power electrical input to minimize the scrap melting time. Increasing the operating voltage increases arc length and enhances the active power, but radiation energy losses also increase if the arc is exposed to the furnace, resulting in a drop in thermal efficiency and causing hot spots in the furnace. The present work introduces a novel approach using fiber optic sensors to create a real-time, spatially distributed thermal map of the EAF’s water-cooled upper shell, which can be helpful in detecting operational anomalies and improving EAF energy efficiency. Lab-scale testing using fiber-optic sensors on a spray-cooled steel plate achieved a remarkable spatial resolution of 2.3mm and a 1Hz data acquisition rate, paving the way for industrial-scale implementation. These sensors, providing reliable spatial temperature measurements, offer early detection of sidewall hot spots and precise adjustments to voltage and burner positioning based on granular data from the scrap melting stages. This study strongly advocates the use of fiber optic sensors in EAFs, would enhance efficiency and safety in steelmaking.