Report about:

Misr national steel reheat furnace (SIMAC)

Made by:
Eng. Mohamed Makram Abdelkader.

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 1
Contents:
1. Introduction
2. Re-heating Furnace in steel plant.
2,1- Function of Re-heating furnace
3. (SIMAC) walking hearth furnace.
4. Fuel furnace.
5. Furnace temperature.
5,1- Heat Recovery.
5,2- Principle of heat.
5,3- Quality of heating.
6. Decarburization.
7. Furnace delay strategies.
8. Furnace Components.
9. Furnace measuring device.

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 2
 1- Introduction:
Re-heating billets is an integral part of the mill rolling process.
Definition of a re-heat furnace into its simplest form: “a re-heat furnace is a large refractory
lined oven, in which billets are brought to rolling temperature (1200oc)”.

Type of re-heat furnace

There are two types of re-heating furnace in use today
1- Pusher furnace
2- Walking hearth furnace.

In the “pusher type furnace”, the billets are charged into the back or charging end of the
furnace and all the billets are pushed together by means of a heavy pusher, which is
hydraulically operated. As a new billet is pushed into the furnace the billet at the front (which is
now at rolling temperature) is pushed out the front door by means of a peel bar.

The “walking hearth furnace” re-heat furnaces move the billets through the furnace by raising
them up in the furnace and moving them forward a fixed distance before lowering them back
on to the furnace floor.

One of the principal differences between the two types of furnace is that space can be made
between each billet in the furnace. This mill allows improved heating of the billets compared to
the pusher type furnace, where there is no gap between the billets.
Great advantage of the walking hearth type over the pusher furnace is that the furnace can be
easily emptied for repairs.

Two primary fuels are usually used to generate the heat necessary to heat the billets up to
rolling temperature (1100°C - 1220°C). natural gas (methane), furnace gas and various grades of
fuel oil are generally used for re-heating billets.
Whichever fuel is used, it must be mixed with the oxygen in the air to create combustion.

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 3
 2- Re-heating Furnace in steel plant:

In steel plants reheating furnaces are used in hot rolling mills to heat the steel stock (Billets,
blooms or slabs) to temperatures of around 1200o C which is suitable for plastic deformation of
steel and hence for rolling in the mill. The heating process in a reheating furnace is a continuous
process where the steel stock is charged at the furnace entrance, heated in the furnace and
discharge at the furnace exit. Heat is transferred to the steel stock during its traverse through
the furnace mainly by means of convection and radiation from the burner gases and the furnace
walls.

2,1- Function of Re-heating furnace:

The reheating action of the steel billets to the Austenite region (which is above 723 deg. C) and convert
the crystal lattice from (BCC) to (FCC) lead to change microstructure and properties.

Raise temperature above recrystallization during deformation properties (1200oc) to C. to

ensure that all the alloying elements being dissolved to avoid creating internal stresses while
rolling. This is important because recrystallization keeps the materials from strain hardening,
which ultimately keeps the yield strength and hardness low and ductility high so reduce the
rolling energy needed.

Iron carbon diagram.

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 4
 3- (SIMAC) walking hearth furnace:
The type of the reheat furnace used in (NS) rolling factory is walking hearth furnace.
The furnace consists of steel body of (5 mm) thickness covered from inside with refractories (for
floor) and insulations to (for walls) to withstand the high temperature and keep the furnace
heat unlost.
The furnace is divided into recovery zone and three main heating zones:

- Recovery zone: has no burners and temp. of (600oC)

- Three main heating zones:
1. Preheating zone: has 18 burner and temp. of (1050OC) With air to fuel ratio equal to (10:1)
2. Heating zone: has 27 burner and temp. of (1150OC) With air to fuel ratio equal to (10.5:1)
3. Soaking zone: has 18 burner and temp. of (1180O C) With air to fuel ratio equal to (10:1)
The furnace has a recuperative (heat exchanger)
Used to raise air temperature inside to furnace by reused exhausted heat lead to increase the
furnace heating efficiency and the fuel consumption.
Furnace dimensions and capacity:
The furnace is rectangle outer shape of dimensions (27m * 14.34m)
inner dimensions of (17.750 m * 13 m).
And the max. Load of the furnace is (138 ton).
The furnace productivity is (60 ton/hr). Which produces about (40 billet/hr).

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 5
 4- Fuel furnace:
Fuel is used, it must be mixed with the oxygen in the air to create combustion.
➢ Preheating zone: has 18 burner and temp. of (1050OC) With air to fuel ratio equal to (10:1)
➢ Heating zone: has 27 burner and temp. of (1150OC) With air to fuel ratio equal to (10.5:1)
➢ Soaking zone: has 18 burner and temp. of (1180OC) With air to fuel ratio equal to (10:1)
Total heat inside furnace is determined by

Q total = Q chemical + Q physical

Q total: Total heat inside furnace.
Q chemical: heat result from fuel consumption.
Q physical: heat carried by hot air.

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 6
 5- Furnace temperature:
Much talk is made about the most effective rolling temperature. When the cost of fuel was low,
furnaces were often operated with the highest possible temperature. Several years ago, because
of the increased price of fuel it became a major cost in the rolling of steel, a major re-think of
furnace heating practice, took place.

Now, the steel grade being rolled, and the resulting metallurgical considerations dictate the rolling
temperature. This, however, is not normally a problem, when rolling carbon steels.

Mill configuration will play a major part in deciding at how low a temperature can be achieved
rolling mills are often not capable mechanically or electrically to handle the increase loading those
results from colder rolling.
Reducing the temperature of the billets from the furnace increases the electrical costs, because
of increased loading of the mill motors.

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 7
5,1- Heat Recovery:

Recuperators are heat exchangers that pre-heat the furnace combustion air. Their advantage is
that they can provide up to nearly 50% in fuel usage by heating the combustion air. Combustion
air temps can be raised to levels as high as 340° C.

Furnace Recuperator

5,2- Principle of heat:

Heat transfer is the flow of energy in the form of heat. In order to get heat transfer, you need a
temperature difference. The bigger the temperature difference, the more heat will be transferred.
If there is no difference, no matter what other condition exist, there will not be any heat transfer.
Type of heat transfer:
1- Radiation
2- Conduction
3- Convection

➢ Radiation:
In walk hearth furnace heat is transfer by radiation also heat transfer to billet and refractory.
Radiation heat transfer also occurs between the hot refractories and the cold billets.

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 8
The amount of heat absorbed by each object depends on a property of its surface called
emissivity. The emissivity of an object or material can vary on a scale from 0 to 1. The higher the
emissivity of the hot object, the more energy it can transmit by radiation heat transfer.
In a furnace, hot refractories have a high emissivity of about 0.9, so that the refractories are
capable of transmitting high rates of radiation heat transfer. Steel, which has an emissivity of
0.8, which means that is it capable of receiving high rates of radiation heat.

➢ Conduction:
Conduction heat transfer is generally heat transfer through a material that has a temperature
difference.
Conduction also occurs through the furnace refractory, from the inside to the outside.
The conductivity of the refractory is low, so that it resists the flow of heat out of the furnace.

➢ Convection:
Convection heat transfer generally occurs when you have a fluid or gas at one temperature
moving past a surface, which is at another temperature.

Type of convection:
1- Natural convection 2- Force convection

Natural convection: occurs when the gas or liquid moves as a result of a change in its density,
as it is heated.
Forced convection: occurs when the gas on liquid is forced past the surface and more rapid heat
transfer occurs. Forced convection occurs between the products of combustion and the billets in
the furnace and between the combustion air and the recuperator metallics.

T [°C] Passive Pre-heating Heating Soaking

Targ.4 Billet
Targ.2 Average

Targ.2

Targ.1

Position

Target Temperatures
Eng: Mohamed Makram
pg. 9
5,3- Quality of heating

heating quality in the case of steel involves:

1. Nominal temperature level

2. Temperature uniformity
3. Surface quality

1- Nominal temperature:
This is the temperature that the steel needs to be heated to give the required rolling performance.
This temperature will depend to a great extent on the billet quality and mill horsepower
available.

2- Temperature uniformly:

It is most important that the billets are heated uniformly from end to end and right through the
thickness. As we have seen when considering the fundamentals of rolling, lower temperatures
can result in increased spread.
3- Surface quality:

Surface of heated steel should have minimum scale formation.

The high temperature and increase of air lead to increase of scale formation.

Disadvantage of scale formation:

1- Increase of maintenance.
2- Defect of rolling operation.
3- Decrease of yield (metal loss).
4- Scale act as insulation lead to prevent heat transfer to center of billet.
The factors that affect scale formation are:
1- Time.
2- Temperature.
3- Atmosphere

ways to minimize scale formation:

1- Heating time: reducing time for heating.
2- Fir on ratio: by reduce amount of oxygen.
3- Furnace pressure: negative furnace pressure will allow air to be drawn into the furnace,
making more oxygen available for scale formation.

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 10
 4- Balance burner: this will help to give even effective heating and decrease the chances of
localized overheating.

6- Decarburization:

Decarburization is a process by which the carbon atoms are taken out of the outside surfaces of
the steel billets.
The amount carbon which go out of the steel billets depends on:
1- Time: the amount of decarburization increases with time.
2- Temperature: : as temperature increases, the rate of decarburization increases
decarburization does not take place under 800°C.
3- Atmosphere: Decarburization will occur in a reducing atmosphere as the atmosphere
contains CO2, To minimize the decarburization of the finished product, a slightly
oxidizing atmosphere must be maintained.

Note:
The depth of decarburization is important, we must reduce the amount such that it is not a
problem.
Different steel grades will give allowances on the depth.
So what can we do to minimize decarburization? The Furnace operating conditions given for
reducing scale formation are exactly the same for decarburization, thankfully then if we operate
to a low scale growth we can also have low or minimum decarburization.

7- FURNACE DELAY STRATEGIES:

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 11
 8- Furnace Components:

1. The charging table:

Consist of four constant stands and two moving cart -connected to two hydraulic cylinders- that
could move forward and backward, to transfer the billet until the extractor could sense the billet
and put it on the charging rollers.

charging table

2. The extractor:
It is two steel (L) shaped arm which move by use of hydraulic cylinders and controlled using
proximities for up and down motion control. (Figure.1)
The extractor cycle: down is the home position (forward, up, backward, down, backward).
The extractor function: is to transport the billets from the charging table to the charging rollers
of the furnace to transform the billets into the furnace.

Figure.1-The Extractor
Eng: Mohamed Makram
pg. 12
 3. Charging and discharging gates:
It is a steel block derived by a pneumatic cylinder for opening and closing and limit switch
proximity for controlling the stroke. (Figure,2)

Figure,2-Charging gate

4. Charging rollers:
Ten Rollers derived by AC motors to transfer the billet to the furnace rollers.

Charging rollers

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 13
 5. furnace rollers:
Receive the billet from the charging rollers inside the furnace, the rollers made from chromium
steel for wear resistance and there is a circulating water inside the roller for cooling derived by a
pump.

6. Intermediate & final stopper:

Function: to stop the moving billet at the end of the furnace and give the signal for the kick in
device to start its cycle and the charging gate to close.

stopper

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 14
 7. Kick in:
Used to transport billet from furnace rollers to furnace hearth to start cycle of furnace.
Moving by two hydraulic positions (up - down – forward – backward).

Kick in

8. Furnace hearth:
The furnace floor consists of two types:
- Fixed floor (5 slabs) of (160 cm) thickness. - Movable floor (4 slabs) of (120 cm) thickness. With
(5 cm) distance between each fixed and movable slab

Furnace hearth

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 15
 Design of furnace hearth

The movable slabs connected to steel body move (up, down, forward and backward) by use of
two hydraulic cylinders.

Walking Furnace ‘Horizontal’ Cylinder Walking Furnace vertical ramp

The furnace rollers have three height levels:

(1) intermediate (home position). (2) down position. (3) up position.

The floor is covered with refractories to prevent heat transfer to furnace body.

9. Furnace lining:
Refractory: material can withstand corrosion at high temperature.
The refractories not only keep the heat inside the furnace but also affect how uniformly the
billets are heated and how much fuel it takes to heat them.

Characteristics of refractory:
• Mechanical stable at high temperatures

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 16
The material must retain strength at high temperatures.
• Chemical stable at high temperatures
The material must retain its chemical make up and not combine with the furnace atmosphere or
slag to from compounds that will melt or otherwise deform and become unstable.
• Resistance to heat flow:
Unfortunately, compounds that have high strength and chemical integrity generally do not resist
heat flow.
Insulation has a high resistance to heat flow but cannot withstand high temperatures, which is
exactly the opposite to refractory material.

To overcome the heat loss problem, a technique was developed, which uses at least two layers
of refractory and insulation. Insulation material generally has a resistance to heat flow of 5/10
times greater than refractory. Refractory is put on the hot face of the furnace with insulation on
the cold face (the outside) next to the steel frame.
Refractories classification:
➢ Acidic refractories (based on silica content) ex: (silica, aluminosilicate)
➢ Basic refractories (based on magnesium oxide content) ex: (magnetite, chrome magnetite)
➢ Neutral refractories (does not combine with acids nor bases) ex: (pure alumina, chrome)
Insulating material Can be classified into the following groups:
➢ Insulating bricks
➢ insulating castable
➢ Ceramic fiber
➢ calcium silicate
➢ Ceramic coating
Note: Insulation materials prevent leakage 1.5 more than refractories but cannot withstand high temp.
Like refractories.

10. Burners:

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 17
Of the re-heat furnace are mechanical pieces of equipment, where the combustion air and
natural gas are mixed and where combustion takes place.

Burner installation

11. Fans
The most important fan in the furnace system is the combustion air fan, which supplies all the
combustion air to the individual burners.
Furnaces equipped with recuperators are often fitted with a dilution air fan system, which is part
of the protection system for the recuperators. If the temperature of the recuperator becomes too
high, the dilution air fan will switch in and blow cool air into the furnace exhaust gas stream and
reduce the temperature of waste gases and thereby protect the recuperator.

12. Recuperator (heat exchanger): (Figure,1)

The main function of the Recuperator is to raise the furnace efficiency and fuel consumption by
using the exhaust temperature to heat the fresh air from (20 to 400) deg. Cel. And deliver the
fresh air at the combustion temp. and as a result the temp. Of the exhaust decrease from (667
to 468) deg. Cel. (Figure,2)

The Recuperator type is indirect recovery of heat.

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 18
 Figure.1- Recuperator (heat exchanger)

Figure.2- Furnace Schematic of Air Flow

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 19
 Reheat Furnace Auto Controls

13. Chimney:
The function of the chimney is to withdraw the exhaust gases from the furnace to maintain the
furnace pressure at certain level and prevent the pressure from getting to high.
The idea of the chimney depend on the bouncy force as a result of density difference between
the air and the exhaust and the main aim is to create negative pressure at the top of chimney.
The design of the chimney can be extracted from the following equation:
1.3 × ∆𝑝
ℎ=
(𝜌𝑎 − 𝜌𝑔 )

ℎ: ℎ𝑖𝑔ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑦
𝜌𝑎 − 𝜌𝑔 : 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑔𝑎𝑠

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 20
 14. Kick off & touch billet:
It is a mechanism used to get the billet out of the furnace when it completes its cycle inside and
reach the desired temperature.
Touch billet function:(figure,1) to sense the billet position at the end of the furnace cycle using a
pneumatic cylinder for the forward, backward motion and pressure switch that read a pressure
difference when it touch the billet giving the kick off the order to start its cycle.
Kick off function: (figure,2) when the touch billet device sense the position of the billet the kick
off arm rise the billet from the furnace hearth and put it on the furnace exit rollers using hydraulic
cylinder.
Kick off cycle: (forward, up, backward, down).

Figure,1 Touch billet. Figure,2 kick off.

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 21
9- Furnace measuring device:
➢ Flow measure transducer device.
➢ Pressure measure transducer device.
➢ Temperature measuring device (thermocouple).

➢ Temperature measuring device (thermocouple):(figure,1)

There is a thermocouple device to measure the the temp. For each furnace heating zone by
converting the physical quantity (heat) to a voltage range (0-24) volt calibration has been made
to determine the volt corresponding to the right temp.

(figure,1 -thermocouple)

➢ Pressure measure transducer device: (figure,2)

For the main gas pipe and the air form compressor (pneumatic
system) there is a pressure transducer device to sense the main
lines pressure.

(figure,2)

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 22
 ➢ Flow measure transducer device: (figure,3)
For flow measurement device: For air and gas there is a flow transmitter device to measure the
flow rate for each zone in the furnace by transmitting the physical quantity sensed to a volt
signal calibrated.

figure,3- air flow transmitter

Eng: Mohamed Makram

pg. 23