Experimental and industrial method of synthesis of optimal control of the temperature region of cupola melting

Abstract

The object of research is the temperature regime of melting in a cupola. The synthesis of optimal control of such an object is associated with the presence of a problem consisting in the complexity of its mathematical description and the absence of procedures that allow one to obtain optimal control laws. These problems are due to the presence of links with a pure delay, non-additive random drift, and difficulties in controlling the process parameters, in particular, accurately determining the temperature profile along the horizons and the periphery of the working space of the cupola. The proposed conceptual solution for the synthesis of optimal temperature control allows the use of two levels of control: the level controller solves the problem of maintaining the constant height of the idle charge, and the problem of increasing the temperature of cast iron is solved by controlling the air supply to the tuyere box. It is shown that the problem of regulating the upper level of an idle charge can be solved by reducing the model of the regulation process to a typical form, followed by the use of the Pontryagin maximum principle. A procedure for the synthesis of optimal air flow control is proposed, which makes it possible to obtain the temperature regime control law on the basis of experimental industrial studies preceding the synthesis process. This takes into account the time delay between the impact on the object and its reaction, which makes it possible to predict the temperature value one step acharge, equal to the time interval during which the lower surface of the fuel charge reaches the upper surface of the level of the idle charge. A procedure for temperature profile control based on the use of D-optimal plans for selecting sensor installation points is proposed. Due to this, it becomes possible to determine the temperature profile of the cupola according to its horizons and the periphery of the working space of the cupola with maximum accuracy. The proposed synthesis method can be used in iron foundries equipped with cupolas, as it is a tool for studying a real production process, taking into account its specific conditions. This will allow developing or improving control systems for cupola melting, implementing different control modes: manual, automated or automatic.