Ressourceneffiziente Optimierung der Produktionskapazitäten eines Blockwalzwerkes durch Implementierung einer Vorwärmstrategie

The present study analyzes and optimizes the heating process of steel ingots in the cogging and blooming mill of voestalpine BÖHLER Edelstahl GmbH & Co KG. The objective of this study was to enhance furnace capacity and operational flexibility through the adaptation of a novel preheating strategy. To this end, three simulation scenarios were executed using the company's internal simulation program BTS2 and their practical potential was assessed. The third test demonstrated that a targeted preheating strategy involving a furnace maintained at a constant 700°C followed by transfer to a second furnace to achieve rolling temperature, enabled substantial optimization. Consequently, the total heating time for the ingots was reduced leading to a decrease in energy consumption by approximately 1 MWh per furnace cycle. Concurrently, the reduced heating time enabled a more efficient utilization of the furnace's capacity. A cost-benefit analysis indicates that such a measure becomes financially viable within a brief timeframe. Given that the third experiment was conducted exclusively with the material grade N701, it can be deduced that this strategy offers additional savings potential when applied to other materials with comparable heating behavior. In sum, the present study offers practical insights into strategies for enhancing efficiency and production flexibility within industrial contexts.