Gwangyang Steelworks to Establish 'Refractory Material Traceability Management System'

'Refractory History Management System' for Real-Time Management of Refractory Data

Analyzing from Materials to Operation Performance... Ensuring Equipment Stability through Residual Life Prediction

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik] POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks Nojae Group announced that it will build a ‘Refractory History Management System’ that manages refractory data in real time based on digitalization.

Refractory materials are special materials that can withstand high temperatures and play an important role in preventing equipment that contains or transports molten metal from melting or burning at temperatures above approximately 1500℃.

The ‘Refractory History Management System’ that manages these refractory materials will consist of a total of 26 functions, including ▲ refractory repair history ▲ comprehensive monitoring of vessels at Gwangyang Steelworks ▲ prediction of refractory erosion amount.

Based on the new system, it will be possible to monitor the condition of equipment using refractory materials, and quantitative analysis of the optimal usage frequency of refractory materials for each equipment will also become possible.

Gwangyang Steelworks especially expects that the ‘Refractory History Management System’ will greatly contribute to securing equipment stability by enabling prediction of the remaining refractory life inside vessels, where it was previously difficult to directly assess the refractory condition of equipment exposed to high temperatures.

For equipment using refractory materials such as blast furnaces, converters, torpedo cars, and ladles, life prediction is very important because molten metal can leak outside the equipment if refractory erosion or detachment occurs.

Since 1987, the Nojae Group at Gwangyang Steelworks has collected refractory data not only from its own data but also from refractory suppliers, construction companies, and operation departments; however, the data was managed and analyzed manually, resulting in low utilization value.

The Nojae Group decided to develop the ‘Refractory History Management System’ to break away from this manual data management and improve the speed of refractory quality enhancement through the establishment of a ‘Digital Refractory Management System.’

After the system development is completed in December, Gwangyang Steelworks plans to accelerate refractory quality improvement activities by analyzing all vessel refractory construction data and operational performance history.

Meanwhile, Gwangyang Steelworks recently developed an automatic casting system using AI with POSCO’s proprietary technology, and last month completed the Hot Rolling AI Smart Center, establishing a system to control hot rolling plant equipment through remote control based on smart technology. They are actively striving to realize a smart steelworks by expanding smart technology applications across all steelmaking processes, aiming to continue growing as a respected 100-year company.

Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik hss79@asiae.co.kr

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