Amidst the global steel industry’s energy transition and increasingly stringent environmental regulations, enhancing process control precision in steelmaking has become a key indicator of core competitiveness. Addressing complex operating conditions characterized by high temperatures, heavy dust, and corrosive gases, FPI has launched its industrial-grade Laser Gas Analysis (LGA) solutions. Designed to overcome the limitations of traditional monitoring methods in terms of real-time performance and accuracy, these solutions leverage high-reliability Process Analytical Technology (PAT) to support steel enterprises in achieving digitized and refined process monitoring.
Critical Process Stage Monitoring: Optimizing Process Control and Safety Management In Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) gas recovery and transmission systems, the real-time availability of gas composition data directly impacts resource recovery efficiency and system safety. FPI provides customized process monitoring solutions based on Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) technology for critical nodes such as the Induced Draft Fan (IDF) and Gas Holder.
Monitoring Before and After the Induced Draft Fan: Enhancing Recovery Efficiency and Explosion Safety As the critical power equipment in BOF gas recovery systems, gas monitoring in the Induced Draft Fan area is vital for process control.
Monitoring CO Before the Induced Draft Fan — Second Response for Optimized Recovery Control Accurate measurement of CO concentration before the IDF is the decisive parameter for initiating and terminating gas recovery. Leveraging the high sensitivity of TDLAS technology, FPI LGA series analyzers achieve a second-level response speed (T90 < 1s). This technical characteristic provides the Distributed Control System (DCS) with near real-time process data, enabling the system to precisely capture the optimal recovery window and minimize gas venting caused by instrumentation lag, thereby improving resource recovery rates.
Monitoring O₂ After the Induced Draft Fan — Real-time Data Supporting Safety Interlocks Trace changes in O₂ concentration after the IDF are critical indicators of potential explosion risks. FPI LGA’s in-situ measurement technology eliminates the time delay associated with sample conditioning, enabling high-frequency, continuous output of oxygen content data. This real-time monitoring capability provides a reliable trigger basis for safety interlock systems, ensuring rapid execution of cutoff logic during abnormal oxygen fluctuations to safeguard system operation.
Monitoring at Gas Holder Inlet and Outlet: Ensuring Accuracy of Energy Management Data The Gas Holder is the core hub for secondary energy distribution in steel plants, where gas composition monitoring is directly linked to energy balance and storage safety.
Monitoring CO at Inlet/Outlet — Long-term Stability Supporting Calorific Value Calculation Continuous monitoring of CO concentration at the gas holder inlet and outlet forms the basis for calculating the calorific value of mixed gas. FPI LGA analyzers feature excellent long-term stability and anti-interference capabilities, consistently delivering high-precision composition data under complex operating conditions. Accurate monitoring data provides reliable feed-forward signals for the Energy Management System (EMS) to schedule plant-wide energy balance and control subsequent combustion processes.
Monitoring O₂ at Inlet/Outlet — High-Reliability Design for Unattended Operation O₂ monitoring in the gas holder area is a necessary measure to prevent combustion and explosion accidents. Addressing the monitoring requirements of this area, FPI adopts a modular and maintenance-free design, significantly improving the Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) in harsh environments. This high-reliability design ensures data continuity and integrity while drastically reducing the frequency of personnel entry into high-risk areas, meeting the high standards for intrinsic safety in industrial sites.
Looking Ahead: Data-Driven Energy Efficiency Optimization and Sustainable Development As the global steel industry accelerates its transition toward low-carbon manufacturing, refined process control has become a critical path for achieving energy savings and emission reductions.
FPI is committed to supporting the sustainable development of the steel industry through advanced sensing technologies. Across the entire steelmaking process, high-precision LGA sensor networks provide critical combustion and recovery data, assisting enterprises in optimizing energy utilization efficiency and reducing resource waste. This data-driven process optimization not only enhances production economics but also provides solid technical support for enterprises to reduce their carbon footprint at the source and respond to international environmental trends.
FPI will continue to drive the integration of sensing technologies and digital solutions, providing the technical engine for the efficient, safe, and low-carbon transformation of the steel industry.