Determination of the heat-loaded zone of the cupola furnace and the level of the idle chargebased on the construction of an analytical description of the physical and chemical parameters of the melting

The object of the study is the cupola melting process, which was determined by the phase composition and temperature in the working space of the cupola furnace. The subject of the study is the distribution of the values of physicochemical parameters along the cupola furnace horizons. The problem of a reasonable choice of the cupola furnace cooling zone and control of the upper level of the idle charge as a factor for choosing a rational control of the furnace loading system was solved. A procedure for determining the zone of the greatest thermal load of the cupola furnace lining is proposed, which is based on the equation of the cupola furnace temperature profile, built on the basis of the D-optimal design on the segment. This allows to calculate the required cooling zone and accordingly select the zone that should be covered by the cooling system. A procedure for determining the position of the upper level of the idle charge is proposed, which is based on the identified cupola furnace horizon, at which the reduction reaction in the C–O2–CO–CO2 system is completed. It is shown how such a procedure can be implemented on the basis of an analytical description of the distribution of physicochemical parameters of melting over the cupola furnace horizons in the form of a system of equations constructed using D-optimal design. This can allow indirect control of the idle charge level and the selection of a rational option for controlling the furnace loading system based on this. Based on generalized data from industrial smelters, it was determined that the zone of the greatest thermal load of the cupola furnace lining is (0; 910) mm from the tuyere axis, and the cupola furnace horizon at which the reduction reaction stops is 1425 mm for the following values of physicochemical parameters of melting: СОmax=12.2 % at Т=1,085 °C. The obtained solutions can be useful in iron foundries equipped with cupola furnaces