Break-Out Prediction Software for Continuous Caster (BOPS)

Continuous casting is a part of steel manufacturing process, where the molten steel is solidified in a casting mould through heat extraction. Breakout is one of the catastrophic problems that happens in continuous casting process. Breakout occurs when solidifying strand steel shell ruptures or tears beneath the mould. There are several reasons due to which the solid shell of the strand breaks and allows the still liquid steel contained within it to spill out and damage the equipment of casters.

The Break-out Prediction Software (BOPS) is a secondary level SCADA application, which predicts the break-out in continuous casting process caused by sticker formation within the mould. BOPS software consists of a SCADA communication layer for real-time data acquisition from SCADA or its RTU. The break-out Prediction is carried out using the temperature signals available from instrumented mould. The software system provides a facility to fine-tune the performance of break-out prediction. It also supports producing 3 grades of steel with variable sizes. On identifying sticker, the software produces alarms and also generates caster speed control setpoints for breakout prevention. Field validation of the BOPS software had been successfully conducted at Caster#1 of Rourkela Steel Plant.