Thanks to Symeo's maintenance-free radar sensor technology, the steel plant Georgsmarienhütte GmbH was able to reliably automate its slag disposal for the first time and significantly reduce manual intervention in the process.
Georgsmarienhütte GmbH, headquartered in Georgsmarienhütte, Lower Saxony, is one of Europe’s leading suppliers of crude steel, engineering steels, and bright steel bars made from quality and engineering steels. For this pioneer in sustainable steel production, efficient processes are essential. One process at the plant required improvement because it repeatedly demanded manual intervention: the disposal of slag from steel temperature control needed to be automated.
The issue involved dredging the slag drying basin. The fluctuating fill level of the basin had to be checked by an employee. The transfer of slag to a second basin, from which it is transported away, was manually triggered. To automate this process, a sensor was intended to monitor the fill level and signal the excavator to begin dredging. An attempt using an ultrasonic sensor failed due to interference from weather conditions. A field test with the Symeo LPR-1DHP-350 radar sensor ultimately provided the solution.
The compact LPR-1DHP-350 is ideal for measurements over short to medium distances and was quick and easy to install. The maintenance-free sensor took over measurement at the drying basin and controlled the excavator. After several weeks of trial operation, it became clear that the level measurement system functioned reliably, and the test installation transitioned into permanent productive operation.
In steel production, targeted temperature regulation of materials and plant components using cooling water has always been one of the key process steps. This cooling water must be continuously cleared of suspended solids. Powerful filtration systems capture these particles, after which they settle as slag in the clarification basin. A slide gate accumulates the slag at the end of the basin, and a crane lifts it into an adjacent basin on a timed schedule.
The plant engineering team identified a key opportunity for optimization in the fact that the fluctuating fill level of the drying basin had to be checked by an employee. In addition, the transfer of slag to a second basin, from which it is transported away, had to be initiated manually. On average, this was necessary three days per week.
“Our goal was to implement a fully automated process in which the excavator reliably recognizes when the basin is full and needs to be emptied. It was particularly important to us that the system operate completely maintenance-free,” explains Marek Kassenbrock, Head of By-Products and NoWaste at Georgsmarienhütte.
“Our working environment here is generally very demanding. In addition, we deal with both wet and dry slag, as well as extreme weather conditions such as rain, snow, or storms. It was a real challenge to find a solution that could reliably withstand all of this.”
Initially, an ultrasonic sensor was tested. However, it proved insufficiently reliable because it was affected by unfavorable weather conditions such as rain or fog.
The answer to the question of a reliable, maintenance-free sensor was obvious. Georgsmarienhütte has successfully relied for many years on anti-collision and positioning systems using Symeo radar sensors in its crane installations. Building on this proven technological foundation, an initial field test with a radar sensor was quickly launched. The compact Symeo LPR-1DHP-350 was used, which is ideal for measurements over short to medium distances and can be installed quickly and easily.
Its major advantage: it operates completely maintenance-free and requires neither cleaning nor calibration. Symeo radar sensors are explicitly designed for use in extreme environments where other technologies fail. They deliver precise results even under the most adverse weather conditions such as heavy rain, fog, or dust. Thanks to their exceptional robustness, they function reliably in both intense heat and extreme cold.
“We are extremely satisfied with Symeo’s solution. After testing various alternatives, we found that the Symeo sensor offers a reliable, long-term solution. Since it’s installation, the system has been running flawlessly without any failures,” says Kassenbrock.
Data & Facts
Georgsmarienhütte GmbH, based in Georgsmarienhütte, Lower Saxony, is one of Europe's leading suppliers of crude steel, steel bars, and bright bars made from high-quality and engineering steels. Founded in 1856, Georgsmarienhütte is now one of the most climate-friendly steel companies in Germany. With its comparatively low-carbon value chain – from melting scrap in electric arc furnaces to recycling it into new steel – the company is considered a pioneer in sustainable steel production and thus makes a significant contribution to the circular economy. | www.gmh-gruppe.de