Method and apparatus for controlling bath level and measurement of bath characteristics

An apparatus for controlling a continuous steelmaking process comprising:

• an electric arc steelmaking furnace for melting and refining metallic charge therein and for containing a molten steel bath;
• a conveyor connected to said furnace for introducing metallic charge to the interior of said furnace;
• a feed rate detector for measuring a mass and a velocity of the metallic charge introduced to said furnace, said feed rate detector positionable in view of the metallic charge introduced by said conveyor;
• a computer electrically connected to said feed rate detector for determining a feed rate based on the mass and the velocity of the metallic charge;
• a bath level probe removably positionable on the surface of the steel bath for detecting a steel bath level, said bath level probe comprising two electrodes insulated by slag-repelling material;
• a temperature probe removably insertable into the steel bath for measuring a steel bath temperature;
• and
• a plurality of lances removably positionable in said furnace for injecting materials into the steel bath;
• wherein said electrodes of said bath level probe are electrically connected to a potentiometer and a DC voltage source, wherein said potentiometer and said DC voltage source are electrically connected to said computer, and wherein said computer determines and stores the bath level when the measured electrical potential is within a pre-determined DC voltage range.

An apparatus for controlling a continuous steelmaking process wherein the process includes an electric arc steelmaking furnace containing a molten steel bath and a conveyor connected to the furnace for introducing metallic charge to the interior of the furnace, said apparatus comprising:

• a mass detector for determining a mass of the metallic charge introduced by the conveyor, said mass detector positioned in view of the conveyor;
• a laser-based velocity detector for measuring a velocity of the metallic charge introduced by the conveyor, said velocity detector positioned in view of the conveyor;
• and
• a bath level probe removably insertable in the furnace for continuously determining a steel bath level.