Model-based control and optimization of continuous strip annealing furnaces

The so-called ANDRITZ Advanced Furnace Control concept is used to control a combined direct- and indirect-fired strip annealing furnace of voestalpine Stahl GmbH, Linz, Austria. The backbone of this concept is a nonlinear model predictive controller for the strip temperature developed by ACIN, TU Wien. The controller is based on a computational efficient model that captures the most important nonlinear effects of the considered furnace. The controller additionally maximizes the throughput and minimizes the energy consumption. The capabilities of the proposed concept are demonstrated by a simulation study.