AISTech 2019 — Proceedings of the Iron & Steel Technology Conference

6–9 May 2019, Pittsburgh, Pa., USA

DOI 10.1000.377.032

U. S. Steel – Gary Works’ No. 14 Blast Furnace SOMA Installation

Ralph Albanese1, Jason Entwistle1, Mark Anthony2, Jean-Francois Stumper 3

1
US Steel Gary Works
One North Broadway, IN, USA, 46402
Phone: 219-888-5435
Email: RAlbanese@uss.com
2
Paul Wurth
2800, E.Evans Avenue Valparaiso, IN, USA, 46383
Phone: 219-850-1305
Email: Mark.Anthony@paulwurth.com
3
TMT Tapping Measuring Technology Sàrl
32, rue d’Alsace, L-1122 Luxembourg, Luxembourg
Phone: +352 261920-2818
Email: Jean-Francois.Stumper@tmt.com

INTRODUCTION
On 4/21/2016 US Steel blast furnace # 14 at Gary Works experienced an extended unplanned shutdown due to an
unidentified water leak on one of the three above burden probes. This prompted us to search for a device that could give us a
top temperature profile without using a probe that requires water cooling. The SOMATM system is such a device which met
this requirement.
United States Steel Corporation, headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, is an integrated steel producer with major production
operations in the United States and Central Europe. The company manufactures a wide range of value-added steel sheet and
tubular products for the automotive, appliance, container, industrial machinery, construction, and oil and gas industries.
U. S. Steel’s integrated steel facilities include:
• Gary Works
• Great Lakes Works
• Mon Valley Works
• Granite City Works
• U. S. Steel Kosice (Slovakia)

DISCUSSION

Project Objectives:
Although the main objective of this project was to eliminate the water cooled above burden probes that have the potential to
leak water into the furnace, we also wanted to upgrade to a system that would give us a complete 2D temperature profile
across the burden. For these reasons we chose to install the SOMATM system.

What is SOMATM:
SOMATM: (Sonic Mapping) is an above burden top gas temperature measurement system. The measurement principle of this
system is based on acoustic temperature measurement. Ten (10) transceivers/horns are installed around the blast furnace wall
below the top cone. These transceivers/horns emit and receive acoustic signals from each other. Since temperature can be
calculated by the speed of sound the complete top temperature above the burden can be mapped out in 2D and made available

© 2019 by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology. 321

to the control room operator. The 2D temperature profile refreshes every 60 seconds. The acoustic sound can be generated
by means of an electrical speaker or by a short burst of nitrogen. The horns are nitrogen fed by a ring main installed around
the furnace. The nitrogen is also utilized to clean the horns. Each horn has a preamplifier control box mounted near it.
Since sound is used to measure the gas temperature there is no physical device extending into the furnace that would
interference with charging of the burden. The SOMATM system also measures the “true gas” temperature instead of the
temperature of a device like a thermocouple, which measures itself, and is subject to heat radiation and prone to drift over
time.
The system is also virtually maintenance free. There is no equipment that requires scheduled replacement or signal
calibration. Redundant systems such as signal paths, sound generation methods, and software averaging allow minor issues to
have little effect on measurement accuracy.

322 © 2019 by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology.

Installation and Commissioning:
The complete SOMATM system was installed and commissioned between September 2017 and May 2018 on six (6) short
outages, these outages ranged from 12-36 hours. In addition to the work that was completed during outages some electrical
work was done during blast furnace operation. Below is a breakdown of the work activities completed on each outage.

Outage 1:
• All 10 holes drilled in the FCE, 4 drill machines utilized.
• All flanges installed with survey assistance and final survey done at weld completion to show
exact location of flanges.
• Pulling of electrical wiring.

Pictures from outage 1

© 2019 by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology. 323

Outage 2:
• Nitrogen ring main installed.
• Electrical cables continued to be pulled from Horn location to I/O room on charging deck.

Outage 3:
• 3 preamplifier boxes installed, the other 7 preamplifier boxes installed under breathing air during BF operation due
to this outage being cut short.
• Electrical cabling continued to be run from preamp boxes to I/O room on charging deck.

Picture from outage 3 preamplifier installation

324 © 2019 by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology.

Outage 4:
• SOMATM control unit cabinet was mounted in I/O room on charging deck.
• All 10 SOMATM horns installed.
• Terminations started in the control unit cabinet, terminations continued under breathing air during BF operation until
completed.

Pictures from outage 4 control unit cabinet mounting and horn installation

Outage 5:
• All piping and electrical connections to horns were completed.
• A flow meter and a pressure transmitter was installed in the main nitrogen supply.
• System was ready to be commissioned on next outage.

Pictures from outage 5 completion of piping and electrical connections to horns

Outage 6:
• With the assistance from Paul Wurth North America and TMT from Germany the system was successfully
commissioned in May 2018.

© 2019 by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology. 325

 Pictures from outage 6

Results and Benefits:

The benefits of SOMATM have been recognized in both an increase in furnace efficiency and early indication of potential
problems.
The SOMATM system allows us to evaluate the size and effectiveness of our coke chimney. Burden distribution trials were
conducted to decrees the size of the coke chimney to achieve better burden gas utilization. We were also able to see if the
chimney was too small and determine if we were getting proper wall flow. After trialing different distribution changes, we
were able to increase the furnace efficiency.

Coke Chimney Screen Shots

The SOMATM System also allows us to identify and find problems that occur within the furnace. On July 7th 2018 at 9 PM
the stockline of the furnace started to became unstable (see graph 1 below), immediately after that we noticed Top gas CO &
CO2 split apart significantly (see graph 2 below). Next the hot metal temperature dropped quickly. At 10:30PM the HMT
was 2717˚F and at 11:30PM the HMT was 2590˚F. SOMATM aided us in determining where to start to look for sources of
water entering the furnace. Looking at the top temperature profiles generated every minute by SOMATM, the trend indicated
that the most likely source of the leak was in the lower stack on the South side of the furnace (see Cold Event picture 1
below). Upon visual inspection of the stack, the source of the leak was quickly located and measures were taken to isolate
the leak. The furnace was kept on line, thus avoiding further loss of production. Typically an event like this would have
forced us to shut down the furnace for 6 to 8 hours to pressure test the entire stack. A similar event happened on July 1st 2018

326 © 2019 by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology.

with the same furnace characteristics unstable stockline, low hot metal temperatures and top gas CO & CO2 split. SOMATM
again aided us in determining where to start looking for sources of water. By looking at the top temperature profiles
SOMATM showed higher temps at the wall on the south side of the furnace (see Cold Event Picture 2). Two failed bosh
staves were found in this area and repaired with minimal down time.

Graph 1

Graph 2

Cold Event Picture 1

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 Cold Event Picture 2

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, by using SOMATM in addition to our other data sources (EtaCO, stock line behavior, Hydrogen utilization,
etc.) we were able to use a data driven approach to diagnose the furnace conditions, rectify problems and increase furnace
efficiency. SOMATM has also eliminating the risk of water going into the furnace by eliminating the water-cooled above
burden probes. The above burden probes, which have limited temperature measurement capabilities have been replaced with
this new technology, providing the operators with a high level of detailed information.
Due to the benefits seen with the SOMATM system on #14 blast furnace, the decision was made to install the same system on
#4 blast furnace at Gary Works in the fall of 2019 on its extended outage.

DISCLAIMER
The material in this paper is intended for general information only. Any use of this material in relation to any specific
application should be based on independent examination and verification of its unrestricted availability for such use and a
determination of suitability for the application by professionally qualified personnel. No license under any patents or other
proprietary interests is implied by the publication of this paper. Those making use of or relying upon the material assume all
risks and liability arising from such use or reliance.

328 © 2019 by the Association for Iron & Steel Technology.