Guide Vane Opening Prediction for Constant Speed Axial Blowers in Blast Furnace Ironmaking with Variation Information

Abstract

Determining appropriate guide vane openings (GVOs) of axial blowers under varying industrial conditions is vital for smooth operations in blast furnace ironmaking. This work analyses the influence GVO variations have on outlet air flow rate and pressure by using data taken from operating, industrial blast furnaces, based on which a support vector machine (SVM)-based GVO prediction model is developed. Outcomes reveal that the change status of GVOs, i.e., whether the GVO angle increases or decreases, is critical in determining the relationship between air flow and pressure. By introducing the change status and removing the transition outliers, predictions for the optimal GVOs required to meet the desired air flow rate and pressure in real time can be more accurately determined. The measured values of GVOs range from 0% to 100%, and the SVM-based model developed in this work predicted the GVOs with an RMSE of 0.2480%, significantly improving upon the baseline model which had an RMSE of 0.6047%. The resulting method can provide insights into the operation of complex ironmaking processes, enabling a more efficient adjustment of GVOs.