Evaluation of Constraints Influence on Optimal Control of Billet Heating Before Rolling

Metal heating before rolling on a rolling mill is one of the most power-consuming technological operations in flat steel production. Thermal cycle optimization is a basic issue of a manufacturing energy saving enhancement. When computing and implementing optimal control of a still billet heating, it is necessary to take into account the impact of constraints on the thermal cycle. The boundaries negate the effectiveness of optimal control. Nearly in all cases a heating path goes along one of constraints. The paper gives a method of calculation of heating control optimal path taking into account design and technological constraints of the thermal cycle. The calculation algorithm of a power saving heating path exposed to the constraints had been given. The evaluation of the influence of value and a number of constraints on the performance had been illustrated.