On-line optimization of induration of wet iron ore pellets on a moving grate

A system for optimizing the operation of an induration furnace, said system comprising:

• interactive means to monitor and control the furnace using an on-line non-linear predictive optimization algorithm for predicting the internal conditions of the furnace and optimizing the manipulated variables corresponding to the operation of the furnace to provide an optimized furnace operation, said interactive means selected from a group consisting of a programmable logic controller (PLC), a distributed control system (DCS), a supervisory control and data acquisition system (SCADA), and a laboratory information system (LIS), said interactive means adapted to communicate with the furnace, to retrieve, in real-time, online process data, and adapted to send, in real-time, the online process data for processing, and to generate an optimizing signal, based on the processing of real time, online process data and the data obtained from the laboratory information system and the data corresponding to dimensions and configuration of the induration furnace, to alter at least one process condition of the furnace to be communicated, to the furnace, for altering the process condition of the furnace with reference to the optimization signal;
• calibration means for simulating of induration of iron ore pellets inside the moving furnace for generating a plurality of ideal set points for validation purposes and generating a set of ideal set points after calibrating using the induration mathematical model, the parameters of the furnace model being manipulated during calibration to make the furnace work at an optimized level, said calibration means comprising a laboratory information system for receiving process information relating to the furnace, said process information being at least one selected from a group consisting of fired pellet quality parameters, physical characteristics of the iron ore, chemical characteristics of the iron ore, physical characteristics of the fuel (coal or coke), chemical characteristics of the fuel (coal or coke), physical characteristics of the flux (limestone) and chemical characteristics of the flux (limestone), data corresponding to operating conditions of the induration furnace and data corresponding to dimensions and configuration of the induration furnace with respect to recycling of exhaust gases, and adapted to process the information to generate and set the plurality of ideal set points to calibrate the furnace to operate at an optimized level, and setting a plurality of ideal set points for calibrating the operation of a furnace based on process information selected from the group;
• and
• a processing unit adapted to compare at least one active real time set point calculated based on the online process data derived from the furnace, the data obtained from the laboratory information system, data corresponding to operating conditions of the induration furnace and data corresponding to dimensions and configuration of the induration furnace with respect to recycling of exhaust gases with at least one of the plurality of ideal set points to perform real-time process optimization based on constraints on final product quality/process parameters, characteristics of raw materials used, process conditions of the induration furnace, induration furnace dimensions and configuration with respect to recycling of exhaust gases, said processing unit adapted to receive, in real-time, the online process data and the plurality of ideal set points, and comprising:
• computational means configured to compute a plurality of real-time active set points, using the online process data and laboratory analyses data obtained from the laboratory information system;
• corroboration means configured to match at least one of the plurality of real-time active set points with a corresponding ideal set point;
• alerting means configured to generate a signal, for optimization of at least one process condition, if at least one of the plurality of real-time active set point does not match the corresponding ideal set point;
• and
• optimization means configured to, on receiving the signal from said alerting means, generate at least one optimizing signal, which is communicated to said interactive means, for optimizing the operation of the furnace.