Effect assessment of charging conditions on energy consumption and slab heating quality in an industrial-scale reheating furnace

The effect of charging conditions on energy consumption and slab heating quality in reheating furnaces has traditionally relied on empirical knowledge, lacking robust theoretical guidance. To address this, a slab energy evaluation model integrating dynamic control is established for an industrial-scale walking-beam reheating furnace. The model can dynamically adapt and track the variations in heat load requirements caused by different charging conditions, to track the overall energy consumption of the furnace. Simulation results are validated against on-site measurements, confirming the model’s accuracy and reliability. Based on this model, five kinds of charging conditions are compared and analyzed. During the study period, a 100 % hot charging rate led to a 15.8 GJ (1.54 %) reduction in energy consumption. The results also suggest a marginal effect on energy savings with increasing hot charging rates, though maintaining the hot charging rate above 37.36 % remains a cost-effective choice. Furthermore, hot charging slabs achieved a 1456 s (13.48 %) reduction in the working period and 8.36 K (29.75 %) reduction in the section average temperature difference compared to cold charging slabs. Increasing both the hot charging rate and charging temperature proves to be an effective strategy for improving slab heating quality.