SIMULAÇÃO COMPUTACIONAL DO PROCESSO DE REAQUECIMENTO DE PLACAS EM FORNOS DE VIGA MÓVEL

A computer simulator of walking beam reheating furnaces that predicts slab temperature evolution, scale thickness and dissolution of microalloying elements in steel has been developed. The core of the simulator is a slab heating mathematical model in which the heat transfer equations were solved numerically by the finite volume method. All variables influencing slab heating, such as operating conditions, dimensions and quality of slab besides furnace design are considered. The software was coded in VB 6.0 language so as to provide friendly interfaces, and permits either direct calculation of heating curves, given the furnace operating conditions, or the inverse calculation of zone temperatures in order to achieve a target discharging slab temperature. The simulator has a great potential for process optimisation in terms of fuel consumption, productivity and adjustment of final mechanical properties.