Simulation Optimization of Energy Consumption at the Iron–Steel Interface Based on “Laminar-Flow Operation”

Abstract

This paper studies the “one-ladle” technique at the “blast furnace–converter interface” in long steel production and proposes an optimization scheme based on laminar-flow operation to reduce energy consumption from long hot-metal ladle turnover and large temperature drops. A representative steel plant was analyzed using a simulation model coupling hot-metal flow, temperature, and time factors, reflecting typical transfer paths. Flexsim (version 2024.2.2) software was used to examine the effects of ladle quantity, railcar capacity, and operating schemes on temperature drop and turnover time. Results show that optimizing transport routes, standardizing cross-area operations, and balancing crane workloads significantly reduce cross-interference and waiting, lowering the maximum hot-metal temperature drop by 29 °C and shortening ladle turnover time by 29 min. This approach enhances interface efficiency and offers simulation-based guidance for optimizing the blast furnace–converter interface in similar steel enterprises.