Measuring the Casting Rate of Molten Iron Discharged from a Blast Furnace via Digital Imaging*

Estimating the real-time casting rate of molten iron released from the taphole of a blast furnace is crucial to maintaining a steady and efficient iron-producing operation. This research is dedicated to developing a real-time, non-contact method for measuring the casting rate without interrupting the normal operation of the blast furnace. The images of the released iron jet are initially recorded via a machine vision camera. Then the key parameters such as jet velocity and cross-sectional area are extracted through a real-time image processing algorithm. Lastly, the volume flow rate is estimated based on the gathered information, and a calibration process considering the viewing angle, image distortion, and jet profile is employed to ensure precise measurements. A laboratory experiment using a simulated water jet is performed to validate the accuracy and reliability of the proposed method. Furthermore, the designed measurement system has been successfully tested at a blast furnace which shows its potential for practical industrial implementation.