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ELECTRODE AND ELECTRODE MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY FOR USE ON BASE

METAL ELECTRIC FURNACES

Conference Paper · September 2019

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 ELECTRODE AND ELECTRODE MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGY FOR USE ON BASE
METAL ELECTRIC FURNACES

S. Bantubani, R. Hansraj, S. Arjun, I. Mc Dougall and *H. Joubert

TENOVA PYROMET
Midrand, South Africa
(*Corresponding author: [email protected])

ABSTRACT

The requirements determining the design of the Söderberg electrode columns used in base metal
applications are different to those of other industries. There is a strong trend to position the contact shoes
above the furnace roof in order to reduce the risk of water leakages directly onto the furnace bath. Tenova
Pyromet has adapted its proven electrode column design for application on base metal electric furnaces based
on these requirements. The design modifications implemented as well as considerations regarding the overall
electrode-roof-furnace arrangement are discussed. Equally important is the management of the Söderberg
electrodes to prevent over or under baking. Tenova Pyromet has developed the AutoFurn™ furnace
controller to not only optimise furnace operations, but to improve electrode management. An overview of
the electrode management control philosophy implemented by AutoFurn™ is provided, focusing on
intelligent electrode regulation, slipping and baking.

KEYWORDS

AutoFurn™, Electric slag cleaning furnace, Electrode baking, Furnace controller, Söderberg electrode

INTRODUCTION

Tenova Pyromet has developed an electrode system for use in base metal furnaces, which builds on
the experience that Tenova has gained during the past 30 years with electrodes in the ferroalloy and base
metals industries. In base metals applications, an important safety consideration is the minimization of water
within the furnace and on the furnace roof. In addition, direct contact between copper equipment such as
contact shoes and pressure rings and the contents of the furnace is discouraged.

In a 3 phase AC furnace, three electrode columns transfer the electrical energy to the furnace bath.
Both Söderberg and prebaked carbon or UHP graphite electrodes are in use in base metal furnaces. In each
column, the electrode is held in position by a hydraulic slipping and regulating device, a pressure ring and
contact shoes. The electrodes can operate in a submerged-arc or brush-arc configuration, where the electrode
is immersed in the slag or a short distance above the slag (Mc Dougall 2013).

The electrode equipment is divided into an upper and a lower electrode assembly. The self-baking
Söderberg electrode is made from lengths of steel casings that are added to the top of the electrode column
and welded into place. Carbon electrode paste is added to the inside of these casings and is baked to form a
solid tip in the region of the contact shoes. The working platform that surrounds the area where new electrode
casings are added, is electrically isolated from the building and each electrode is isolated from the others to
ensure the safety of the personnel who perform the electrode casing additions.
 Tenova Pyromet has successfully delivered electrode columns with contact shoes above the furnace
roof for slag cleaning furnaces at Anglo Platinum (Joubert, Nourse, Masters & Hundermark, 2005), Norilsk
Nickel and Konkola Copper, as well as primary PGM smelting furnaces at Lonmin and Northam Platinum.
Two of these installations are fitted with air cooled stainless-steel pressure rings. This arrangement, where
all the electrode equipment is above the furnace roof, allows all the water-cooled copper equipment to remain
above the furnace roof, and has the further advantage that equipment is easily accessible for inspection and
maintenance. The longer electrode length below the contact shoes poses some operational challenges, but
these can be mitigated during the design phase.

The Tenova Pyromet AutoFurn™ is the furnace controller software module of the Tenova Pyromet
furnace information system. The controller software has been continuously developed to meet the
requirements and demands of each new furnace installation (Braun, Nettleton and Jamieson (1998), Strydom
and Mc Dougall, 2013). AutoFurn™ has been successfully installed on FeMn, SiMn, Si metal, PGM,
ferrochrome and rock wool smelting furnaces as well as nickel and copper slag cleaning furnaces. The design
of the software architecture allows for customization to suit customer requirements, as well as temporary
modifications especially useful during furnace commissioning. AutoFurn™ has been designed to integrate
into any control system, although it does not reside on the PLC hardware platform. This software system is
easy to maintain and facilitates the deployment of new and existing features on new and existing furnaces at
any time.
UPPER ELECTRODE

The upper electrode equipment of a Söderberg electrode comprises 3 main components: the slipping
device, electrode guiding and the upper mantle. An electrode installation on a primary PGM furnace is shown
in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Electrode installation above the roof in a PGM furnace

The Tenova slipping devices feature fail-safe spring clamping. For normally closed springs, the
primary clamping force is supplied by the specially designed springs, whilst hydraulic power is used to retract
the clamping shoes. In the event of any service failure the electrode will always be securely clamped by the
clamping springs. The slipping devices can be arranged in a number of different configurations in order to
meet specific client requirements, and allow for lower head height, long slip, short fixed distance slip, and a
suspended or standing configuration. This makes these systems extremely versatile, especially for rebuilds
and brownfield projects. Two variations of the slipping and regulating devices are shown in Figure 2.
Advantages of the Tenova slipping system

 Reliable and proven fail-safe clamping

 Easy maintenance
 Reduced localised casing stresses
 Compact design
 Modular design for minimum spares holding

Figure 2. Two variations of the Tenova sipping device

LOWER ELECTRODE

The lower electrode system has been engineered to provide excellent availability and lower the risk
of electrode breakages. The design is robust, and key equipment is protected against harsh furnace conditions.

Tenova has developed a lower electrode for use in base metal operations, where the electrode
contact shoes are located above the roof. Figure 3 illustrates the lower electrode arrangement, where the
number of cooling water lines is reduced, and it can be seen that traditional heat shields are not included as
they are not required They can, however, be replaced with dust shields. The pressure ring does not need to
be constructed of copper material and does not require water cooling, which reduces the overall cost of the
lower electrode. Its sole purpose is to form a support ring around the contact shoes and to direct the force
created by the bellows cartridge onto the contact shoe, ensuring effective current transfer to the electrode
casing.

Figure 3. Lower electrode arrangement above roof

 As the bellows cartridges and contact shoes are cooled with water, the pressure ring design
incorporates a special deflection plate used to deflect any potential water leaks away from the electrode seal
to the top of the furnace roof. In addition, it deflects excess heat away from the electrode equipment to avoid
equipment damage should the electrode seal leak. The pressure ring assembly is made of an austenitic
stainless steel, which can withstand the temperature in this part of the furnace, as well as being relatively
unaffected by the electromagnetic fields present between the electrodes and bus-tubes. The pressure rings,
pressure bellows and contact shoes are shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4. Lower electrode showing the dry pressure rings, pressure bellows and contact shoes

ELECTRODE BAKING PROFILE

When the electrode contact shoes are above the roof, the electrode is, of necessity, longer. Typically,
the soft paste height under normal operating conditions is 1m above the contact shoes. The green paste level
is maintained at 3m above the contact shoes, for contact shoes both above and below the roof, as indicated
in Figure 5. The position of the baking isotherm is determined by the electrode current density, electrode
consumption, slipping rate, temperature and atmospheric conditions in the freeboard and conduction from
the slag bath. The height at which the casing will burn away is determined by its temperature and the
atmospheric conditions inside the furnace freeboard. A successful electrode design will ensure that the paste
is baked whilst there is still sufficient mechanical strength in the steel casing to contain the carbon paste, and
that the electrode is neither overbaked nor under baked, as illustrated in Figure 6. To prevent overbaking of
the electrodes, the current density is often reduced. This causes the position of the baking isotherm of a
Söderberg electrode to move from within the contact shoe area to below the furnace roof in the free board
area. The electrode diameter and the amount of steel in the casing and fins is optimized during the design
phase to ensure that the casing neither burns away too quickly nor carries so much current causing the paste
to not bake adequately. The fins often survive much deeper into the furnace than the casing, as they are not
as exposed to the freeboard gases. They provide some additional bending strength to the baked electrode,
increasing its resistance to breakage due to bath forces or other lateral forces. The windows in the fins also
prevent slipping of the paste through the casing. Although a longer electrode is often considered an
operational risk, many of the risk factors can be considered and mitigated during the design phase to allow
effective electrode operation.
 Figure 5. Soderberg electrode casing and paste arrangement

Figure 6. Thermal profile highlighting the position of the 450°C isotherm

ELECTRODE CLAMPS FOR GRAPHITE OR PREBAKED CARBON ELECTRODES

Tenova has supplied electrode equipment for prebaked carbon electrodes to primary PGM furnaces at
Lonmin, and to Si metal and rock wool furnaces. The electrode equipment for prebaked electrdoes, whether
carbon or graphite, is simpler compared to that required for Soderberg electrodes. The current-carrying
contact shoes are often used as the lower clamp, in which case only a single upper clamp is required for
holding the electrodes during slipping operations. It is feasible to decouple the current-carrying and clamping
functions, in which case two clamps, a fixed and a moving clamp, are used, in a similar manner to those of
Soderberg electrodes. Figure 7 shows a Tenova Pyromet prebaked electrode clamping system of this type.
Figure 8 shows a Tenova Pyromet prebaked graphite electrode clamping system after 30 years in operation.

Figure 7. Tenova Pyromet Electrode clamping and regulating system for prebaked electrodes

Figure 8. Prebaked electrode clamp and contact shoe arrangement supplied by Tenova Pyromet after 30
years in operation on a primary PGM smelter
 AUTOFURN™ FURNACE CONTROLLER SOFTWARE

The objective of AutoFurn™ is to automatically control the furnace’s operating power and electrode
resistances and currents, as well as slipping and baking of Söderberg electrodes. This relieves the furnace
operators of the demanding task of analysing vast amounts of real-time data to manually control the
electrodes, freeing up time to focus on other furnace operational responsibilities (Strydom and McDougall,
2013). Data is presented to operators via responsive human machine interfaces, including reports and trends.
This may be accessed from compatible web bowsers, as can other modules of the furnace information system,
including commissioning tools, online mass and energy balances and product chemical analysis. The
integration of new software technologies into the continuous development of AutoFurn™ will lead to a single
system capable of automatically controlling and adjusting the furnace feed system to correlate to the furnace
operating power and produce the desired product chemical analysis.

The furnace operating power is primarily dependent on the voltage supply from the secondary coils
of the furnace transformers and electrode-to-bath resistance, which is determined by the depth of the furnace
electrodes within the burden and the bath resistivity. AutoFurn™ controls the furnace’s operating power by
changing the transformer tap positions up or down and the electrode resistances and currents by moving the
electrode positions up or down. AutoFurn™ controls by implementing a control algorithm designed to
operate the furnace such that the loads are balanced within the delta circuit.

Electrode regulation

AutoFurn™ controls the electrode positions by controlling the electrode regulation valves via the
control system. Moving an electrode down results in:
1. increasing the electrode depth in the burden
2. decreasing the electrode to bath resistance
3. increasing the electrode current, thereby increasing the furnace power

The opposite applies when moving an electrode up. The graph in Figure 9 illustrates the AutoFurn™
controlling three electrodes within the limits of the high and low electrode resistance dead bands, moving an
electrode only when necessary, to ensure steady furnace operations.

E1 Resistance E2 Resistance E3 Resistance

Resistance Setpoint Deadband High Deadband Low
2.60
Electrode Resistance (mΩ)

2.55
2.50
2.45
2.40
2.35
2.30
2.25
2.20
23:00:11 23:03:31 23:06:52 23:10:12 23:13:32
Time

Figure 9. AutoFurn™ resistance control view

AutoFurn™ implements various methods to optimise its control algorithms to reduce the number
of transformer tap changes and electrode movement operations. One of the unstable states occurs when there
are large variations in electrode currents, resulting in unnecessary control operations. AutoFurn™
implements a secondary control algorithm, which, s ensures continuous furnace operation, avoiding
unnecessary furnace trips and down time.

AutoFurn™ provides two options to control electrode regulation: electrode resistance control and
electrode current control. Electrode resistance is calculated in real-time, providing a control operating point.
Electrode current may be calculated or measured. The electrode current is dependent on the position of the
floating neutral point and the balancing effect of the transformer’s secondary delta circuit. Moving an
electrode will change that electrode to bath resistance and the electrode current, however it may also change
the currents of the other two electrodes as they provide return current paths within the delta. This results in
additional control required to counter the original electrode movement when operating in current control.
Resistance control is therefore preferred over current control as it is considered more stable, resulting in:
 Increased productivity due to higher average power input
 Increased metal quality
 Increased furnace efficiency due to stable power input
 Increased operator efficiency due to less time spent on furnace control functions
 Increased utilization due to fewer trips and downtime
 Increased profitability due to all of the above

AutoFurn™ electrode regulation control implements a pulse signal, to the electrode regulating valve,
for a specified duration to effect the desired change in the operating electrode resistance or current. This may
result in multiple pulses to move the operating point closer to the set point. Currently a machine learning
solution is in development to advise the pulse duration to effect the desired change in the operating point in
a single electrode movement.

Electrode slipping and baking

As the electrode is consumed at the electrode tip, it is necessary to compensate for this depletion.
This is accomplished by slipping the electrode to maintain its length, allowing for regulation control in both
directions. The slipping sequence can be initiated automatically by the AutoFurn™, or this module can
provide a prompt to the operator when manual sipping is required. automatic slipping control module.

The graph depicted in Figure 10 represents a condition in which electrode 1 is short, resulting in
AutoFurn™ automatically slipping the electrode before the last slip length is consumed.

E1 Slip Length E1 mm Burned

E1 mm Burned Slow E1 mm Burned Fast
25
Electrode Burn Off (mm)

20
15
10
5
0
20:59:1421:03:3421:07:5121:12:0721:16:2421:20:4121:24:5721:29:1421:33:30
Time

Figure 10. AutoFurn™ slipping view

 It is good operating practice to perform short slips every hour, rather than performing one longer
slip per shift. Long slips may be performed if required to correct a short electrode or to recover from an
electrode break. These require the electrode to run under reduced current for a period of time until the paste
is adequately baked. AutoFurn™ implements a baking schedule functionally allowing a user to design a
baking schedule, of electrode currents vs time, that may be applied to any electrode. This removes the burden
of manual operator control for the duration of the baking period after a long slip.

CONCLUSIONS

Tenova Pyromet has developed an electrode system for use in base metal furnaces, where an
important safety consideration is the minimization of water within the furnace and on the furnace roof. In
addition, direct contact between copper equipment such as contact shoes and pressure rings and the contents
of the furnace is discouraged. Both Söderberg and prebaked carbon or UHP graphite electrodes are in use in
base metal furnaces. In each column, the electrode is held in position by a hydraulic slipping and regulating
device, a pressure ring and contact shoes. The electrodes can operate in a submerged-arc or brush-arc
configuration, where the electrode is immersed in the slag or a short distance above the slag. Tenova Pyromet
has successfully delivered electrode columns with contact shoes above the furnace roof for slag cleaning
furnaces and primary PGM smelting furnaces. Two of these installations are fitted with air cooled stainless-
steel pressure rings.

The Tenova Pyromet AutoFurn™ is the furnace controller software module of the Tenova Pyromet
furnace information system. The controller software has been continuously developed to meet the
requirements and demands of each new furnace installation. AutoFurn™ has been successfully installed on
FeMn, SiMn, Si metal, PGM, ferrochrome and rock wool smelting furnaces as well as nickel and copper slag
cleaning furnaces. The design of the software architecture allows for customization to suit customer
requirements, as well as temporary modifications especially useful during furnace commissioning.
AutoFurn™ has been designed to integrate into any control system, although it does not reside on the PLC
hardware platform. This software system is easy to maintain and facilitates the deployment of new and
existing features on new and existing furnaces at any time.

REFERENCES
Braun, W., Nettleton, T., & Jamieson, A. (1998). Advanced Furnace Control. Infacon 8 (pp. 332-226),
Beijing, China.

Joubert, H., Nourse, R. B., Masters, B., & Hundermark, R. (2005). Copper cooling design, installation and
operational results for the slag cleaning furnace at Waterval Smelter, Rustenburg Platinum, South
Africa. In COM2005. 44th Conference of Metallurgists, International Symposium on Nickel and
Cobalt Production.

McDougall, I. (2013). Handbook of Ferroalloys: Theory and Technology. In M. Gasik (Ed.), Ferroalloys
Processing Equipment (pp. 83-138). Oxford, United Kingdom: Elsevier Ltd., Butterworth-
Heinemann.

Strydom, S., & Mc Dougall, I. (2013). Developments in Advanced Furnace Control. The thirteenth
International Ferralloys Congress, Efficient technologies in ferroalloy industry (pp. 427-434).
Almaty, Kazakhstan.

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