Acoustic monitoring of steelmaking ladles

Currently, steelmaking ladles are monitored by experienced operators manually in which the actual stirring magnitude is difficult to estimate. Over recent years, contact-free acoustic sensor arrays have been tested under experimental conditions in some steelmaking applications. This study applied multiple microphones to monitor the gas-stirring process. The clear relationship between peak frequencies and flow rate, and detection of build-ups as well as closed eye using PSD amplitudes of sound can significantly improve the understanding of gas-stirring process monitoring. Overall outcomes of this study are expected to benefit ladle operators in understanding ladle-related issues as well as enhancing process monitoring.