Method for operating an oxygen blowing lance in a metallurgical vessel and a measurement system for determining a measurement signal used in the method

Abstract

A method for operating a blowing lance for blowing a gas in a metallurgical vessel, wherein the head of the blowing lance includes at least one supersonic nozzle, operating parameter measurement signals used for the purpose of process control are continuously acquired. The inlet pressure and/or the inlet temperature of the gas at the supersonic nozzle and/or the vibration amplitude and/or the vibration frequency of the blowing lance and/or the time at which ignition occurs during the oxygen blowing process and/or the location at which ignition occurs during the oxygen blowing process is detected and/or measured in the head of the lance by a detector or sensor arranged in the head of the lance near the supersonic nozzle during operation of the blowing lance. The measurement signal(s) are transmitted to a control unit connected to the detector or sensor and made available for controlling the operation of the blowing lance.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for operating a blowing lance for blowing a gas in a metallurgical vessel, wherein a replaceable head of the blowing lance comprises at least one supersonic nozzle, the method comprising the steps of: detecting and/or measuring inlet pressure and/or inlet temperature of the gas at the at least one supersonic nozzle and/or vibration amplitude and/or vibration frequency of the blowing lance and/or a time at which ignition occurs during an oxygen blowing process and/or a location at which ignition occurs during the oxygen blowing process, in the head of the lance with a detector or sensor arranged in the head of the lance in an area of the supersonic nozzle during operation of the blowing lance; and transmitting measurement signal(s) thus acquired during the operation of the blowing lance, to an evaluation and/or process control unit connected to the detector or sensor and making the signals available for controlling the operation of the blowing lance. 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the inlet pressure of the gas at an entrance to the at least one supersonic nozzle is detected and/or measured in the head of the lance by at least one pressure sensor arranged in the head of the lance in the area of the at least one supersonic nozzle during operation of the blowing lance. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the inlet temperature of the gas at an entrance to the at least one supersonic nozzle is detected and/or measured in the head of the lance by at least one temperature sensor arranged in the head of the lance in the area of the at least one supersonic nozzle during the operation of the blowing lance, especially during a blowing process, preferably an oxygen blowing process. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising simultaneously detecting and/or measuring feed pressure of the gas at a gas feed station located a distance away from the at least one supersonic nozzle. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the vibration amplitude and/or the vibration frequency of the blowing lance is detected and/or measured in the head of the lance by at least one vibration sensor arranged in the head of the lance in the area of the at least one supersonic nozzle during the operation of the blowing lance. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising detecting optical emission(s) occurring upon ignition of oxygen jets in the head of the lance by at least one light sensor arranged in the head of the lance in the area of the at least one supersonic nozzle during the operation of the blowing lance. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising detecting optical emissions occurring outside the blowing lance in the head of the lance by at least one light sensor or at least one camera equipped with a light sensor, which is arranged in the head of the lance in the area of the at least one supersonic nozzle and is optically aimed directly through an orifice open of the blowing lance. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the lance is a multi-hole lance comprising several supersonic nozzles, at least one detector or sensor being assigned to each supersonic nozzle. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one detector or sensor selected from the group consisting of pressure sensors, temperature sensors, vibration sensors, and/or light sensors, is assigned to the blowing lance. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , including transmitting the acquired measurement signal(s) from the detector or sensor to the evaluation and/or process control unit in hardwired fashion by a cable arranged in or on the blowing lance or in wireless fashion by a radio module connected to the detector and/or sensor and arranged in the blowing lance. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , including supplying the detector(s) or sensor(s) with electric power by an energy-harvesting module arranged in the blowing lance. 
     
     
         12 . A measurement system for determining measurement signals used for process control during operation of a blowing lance for blowing gas in a metallurgical vessel, wherein the measurement system comprises: a blowing lance with a replaceable head having at least one supersonic nozzle; an evaluation and/or process control unit for receiving and processing measurement signals; and a detector or sensor arranged in the head of the lance in an area of the at least one supersonic nozzle, which detector or sensor is connected to the evaluation and/or process control unit, detects and/or measures in the head of the lance during the operation of the blowing lance inlet pressure and/or inlet temperature of gas at the at least one supersonic nozzle and/or vibration amplitude and/or vibration frequency of the blowing lance and/or a time when ignition occurs during an oxygen blowing process and/or a location where ignition occurs during the oxygen blowing process, and transmits the measurement signal(s) acquired during operation of the blowing lance to the evaluation and/or process control unit connected to the at least one detector or sensor so that the signals are available for controlling operation of the blowing lance. 
     
     
         13 . The measurement system according to  claim 12 , wherein the detector or sensor is at least one pressure sensor arranged in the head of the lance in the area of the at least one supersonic nozzle, which sensor detects and/or measures, in the head of the lance, the inlet pressure of the gas at an entrance to the at least one supersonic nozzle during operation of the blowing lance, and transmits the measurement signal(s) to the evaluation and/or process control unit for controlling the operation of the blowing lance. 
     
     
         14 . The measurement system according to  claim 12 , wherein the detector or sensor is at least one temperature sensor arranged in the head of the lance in the area of the at least one supersonic nozzle, which sensor detects and/or measures, in the head of the lance the inlet temperature of the gas at an entrance to the at least one supersonic nozzle during the operation of the blowing lance, and transmits the measurement signal(s) to the evaluation and/or process control unit for controlling the operation of the blowing lance. 
     
     
         15 . The measurement system according to  claim 12 , wherein the detector and sensor is a vibration sensor arranged in the head of the lance in the area of the at least one supersonic nozzle, which sensor detects and/or measures, in the head of the lance, the vibration amplitude and/or the vibration frequency of the blowing lance during operation of the blowing lance, and transmits the measurement signal to the evaluation and process control unit for controlling the operation of the blowing lance. 
     
     
         16 . The measurement system according to  claim 12 , wherein the detector or sensor is at least one light sensor or at least one camera equipped with a light sensor arranged in the head of the lance in the area of the at least one supersonic nozzle, which sensor or sensor-equipped camera detects and/or measures, in the head of the lance, optical emission(s) occurring when oxygen jets ignite during the operation of the blowing lance, and transmits the measurement signal(s) to the evaluation and/or process control unit for controlling the operation of the blowing lance. 
     
     
         17 . The measurement system according to  claim 12 , wherein the detector or sensor is at least one light sensor or at least one camera equipped with a light sensor arranged in the head of the lance in the area of the at least one supersonic nozzle, which sensor or sensor-equipped camera is optically aimed directly through an orifice of the blowing lance, detects and/or measures, in the head lance, optical emissions occurring outside the lance during the operation of the blowing lance, and transmits the measurement signal(s) to the evaluation and/or process control unit for controlling the operation of the blowing lance. 
     
     
         18 . The measurement system according to  claim 12 , wherein the blowing lance is a multi-hole lance with multiple supersonic nozzles, wherein at least one detector or sensor is assigned to each of the supersonic nozzles. 
     
     
         19 . The measurement system according to  claim 12 , wherein the blowing lance comprises at least one detector or sensor selected from the group consisting of pressure sensors, temperature sensors, vibration sensors, and/or light sensors. 
     
     
         20 . The measurement system according to  claim 12 , wherein the detector or sensor is connected to the evaluation and/or process control unit in a hardwired manner by a cable arranged in or on the blowing lance or in a wireless manner by a radio module arranged in the blowing lance, wherein when the detector or sensor is wirelessly connected to the evaluation and/or process control unit the detector or sensor is connected to an energy-harvesting module installed in the blowing lance.