Furnace and a method of controlling a furnace

Abstract

The invention provides a furnace having a frozen lining inbetween a furnace lining and a furnace charge, the furnace having means to control the operation of the furnace, including means to measure the temperature in a wall of the furnace adjacent the frozen lining, and to estimate the thickness of the frozen lining as a function of the temperature in the wall, and means to control the rate of heat production in the furnace to urge a thickness of the frozen lining towards a predetermined value. Variables including side wall thermocouple measurements, gas plant instrument measurements, cooling system measurements and electrical, in-feed and chemical composition recordings are monitored, analysed and manipulated. There is also provided means to estimate a future furnace charge composition, perform chemistry control, estimate a material balance of the furnace, and perform inventory control over the furnace.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.