System modeling and temperature control of reheating furnace walking hearth type in the setting up process

Reheating furnace walking hearth type (RFWHT) has been used for the iron and wire rods of the reheating process in Ratchasima Steel Products Co., Ltd. Factory (Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand). Ratchasima Steel Products Co., Ltd. is among the companies with the highest energy consumption in Thailand. The company is confronted by problems related to performance improvement in terms of temperature control and reduction of fuel consumption. Since the reheating furnace was installed in 1964 and with the adjustment of some of its devices, the system has required an optimal controller for controlling the temperature inside each zone of the reheating furnace. This study aimed at investigating the mathematical model from the experimental data in the manufacturing process of rolling wire rod production and subsystem by using system identification with genetic algorithm. Results can be used to design a proportional-integral controller for temperature control in each zone and to reduce fuel.