Optimal Design of Atmospheric Gas Flow Rate for Wire Coil Annealing Furnace for Specialty Steel

A wire coil annealing furnace for specialty steel is a furnace for annealing specialty steel wire rods by adjusting the atmosphere and temperature in the furnace to achieve the desired quality. The modeling and optimal control of furnace temperature for heat treatment furnaces have been studied. However, the effect of chemical reactions in the furnace due to the inflow of atmospheric gases when using a metamorphic gas is not apparent. Therefore, it is not easy to calculate the atmospheric gas flow rate in advance so that the furnace atmosphere quickly reaches the target condition. In this study, we modeled the atmosphere in the furnace by considering the effects of chemical reactions between the gas in the furnace and the materials and developed the flow rate of the atmospheric gas design system for a wire coil annealing furnace for specialty steel. The final result is a heat treatment system that enables the design of the required atmospheric gas flow rate during heat treatment by inputting a target value for the furnace temperature and a target value for the PF (Potential Factor) value, which indicates the decarburizing and carburizing capabilities of the furnace atmosphere.