The Minstral

ARC MONITOR
system
Overview
The Arc Monitor, or Arcmon, is an adjunct to the Minstral control system for submerged-arc ferro-alloy furnaces. Arcmon provides additional information about the conduction behaviour within the burden. It distinguishes nonlinear arcing from linear resistive conduction. It can also distinguish between certain modes of arcing. Arcmon provides an indication of the individual reactances in each of the three phases.

Arcing within the Burden of a Furnace

L1 (X1) R1 Va1 L2 (X2) R2 Va2 L3 (X3) R3 Va3

The ability to distinguish between arcing and resistive conduction provides useful information about the behaviour of the burden within the reaction zone of the furnace. Several researchers have reported the direct use of harmonics to quantify arcing. However, simple measurements of the harmonics provide misleading results, as they depend on the balance of the furnace and do not adequately decouple the three phases. Arcmon avoids the direct use of harmonics. Instead, it identifies each circuit element directly. Arcmon is thus able to quantify how the power dissipation under each electrode is divided between resistive and arcing conduction. This provides, among other things, quantitative information about the carbon balance, and so can be used as part of the carbon-balance control for the furnace. Furthermore, the carbon balance of the zone around each electrode can be controlled individually.

Reactance (Inductance) and the Electrode Length

Unlike the Minstral, the Arcmon can provide an independent estimate of the reactance of each electrode separately. The inductive reactances in a submerged-arc furnace are caused by the magnetic fields around the conductors. The largest part arises from the magnetic field around each electrode, from where the flexibles split apart down to an effective 'conduction floor' in the furnace, where the currents through the burden interconnect with the other electrodes in the hearth. The estimates of the reactances produced by Arcmon therefore provide an indication of the lengths of these main conduction paths, which in turn indicate the location of the conduction floor within the burden beneath each electrode. This information may then also be used to estimate the lengths of the electrodes.

Electrical Connections
0-5 A a.c. or 0-1 A a.c. current loops (4 off). 0-110V a.c. voltage signals (4 off). 4-20 mA tap position signals. (3 off) Star-delta sensing Mains power in. Terminal Strips

Signal conditioning, including isolation, surge Communication Communication protection, link to Minstral link to a SCADA & calibration. system

PC-based computer system with dataacquisition facility

The Arcmon system uses the a.c. current and voltage signals directly transducers are no longer required. Like Minstral, it does not require a connection to the furnace hearth.

Availability
Mintek is currently finalising the development of the Arcmon system. It is anticipated that the Arcmon will be released commercially during the first half of 2004. For further information, contact: Telephone: +27 (0) 11 709 4379 Fax: +27 (0) 11 793 1606 E-mail: arcmon@mintek.co.za Webpage: www.plantstar.net

Mintek, January 2004.