Constellation, le dépôt institutionnel de l'Université du Québec à Chicoutimi

Résumé

Anthracite must be calcined properly to ensure good electrical and mechanical properties and qualify as raw material for the manufacture of cathode linings for electrolytic cells. Calcination is carried out in electric furnaces in which the Joule effect from a high-intensity electric current provides the heat source required for calcination. Industy used to apply a double control, an inner feedback loop built into the system to discharge rake and an outer loop to adjust the current of reference, involving operator intervention. A mathematical model was recently built to study the dynamics of the furnace. In this article the model is used as testbench to analyze new strategies involving proportional and derivative controls. The aim is to increase homogeneity and minimize the uneconomical rejects.