Normal slag flow in a cupola furnace

Cupola Furnace Troubleshooting and Techniques

The Cupola Furnace Troubleshooting and Techniques course is an informative advance-level course for cupola operators working firsthand with a cupola furnace. Ready to take the next step? Explore the course details and see everything we’ve packed into this program!

Learning Hours: 3

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Course Description

The Cupola Furnace Troubleshooting and Techniques course is an informative advance-level course for cupola operators working firsthand with a cupola furnace. The course provides operators with an introduction to the most common troubleshooting situations and practical techniques to employ when problems occur. It also focuses on the ramifications of cupola design, the benefits of operating an optimally designed cupola, as well as how to make desired changes to carbon content, spout temperature, and melt rate.

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Who will benefit from this Cupola Furnace Troubleshooting course?

Cupola operators, cupola foremen, melt superintendents.

Course Classification

This manufacturing course by THORS eLearning Solutions covers identification of key terms, understanding of key concepts, and application of the covered topics.

*THORS uses the Bloom’s Taxonomy Methodology for our course development.

Certificate Awarded for Cupola Furnace Troubleshooting and Techniques

Example of certificate awarded upon successful completion of the course.

*upon successful completion

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Learning Objectives

  1. Understand what is the optimum blast air rate and how it affects the efficiency of a cupola.
  2. Recognize the correct immediate checks per troubleshooting situation.
  3. Identify the correct corrective actions per troubleshooting situation.
  4. Distinguish between the different utilization capacities of a cupola.
  5. Comprehend the methodology of changing the state of a cupola.
3D illustration of charge in the melt zone of a cupola furnace
Cupola Furnace Troubleshooting and Techniques

Table of Contents

  1. Cupola Design
    1. What Is an Efficient Cupola Design?
    2. Operating at the Optimum Blast Air Rate
      1. Blast Air Rate per Unit Area
      2. Average Tuyere Velocity
    3. Oversized or Undersized Cupolas for Melt Demand
    4. Stack Gas Concentrations
  2. Troubleshooting
    1. Out-of-Control Temperatures
      1. Immediate Checks
      2. Corrective Action
        1. Blast Air Rate/Pressure Change
        2. Temperature Reading Inaccurate
        3. Blast Air System Leaks
        4. Tuyere Leaks
        5. Charge Change/Heavy Metallics
        6. Cupola Full
        7. Uneven Charge Distribution
        8. Wet Coke
        9. Coke Size Change
        10. Tap Hole Obstruction
        11. Viscous Slag
        12. Bridging or Scaffolding
        13. High Humidity
      3. Determine Approximate Coke Bed Height
        1. How to Check the Approximate Coke Bed Height
          1. Increase the blast are rate by 10%
          2. Decrease the blast air rate by 10%
          3. Enrich the blast air with oxygen
          4. Observe the stack gas concentrations
        2. Steps to Resolve the Coke Bed Height: Too Low or Too High
          1. Too Low
          2. Too High
      4. Long-Term Action
      5. Specific Situation: Cold Iron after an Unscheduled Shutdown
    2. Chill Test Changes
      1. Chill Too High: Hard Iron
        1. Immediate Checks
        2. Corrective Action
          1. Low in C, Si, %CE/High in Cr, Mo, S, B
          2. Lower Si/C Ratio
          3. Wet Refractory/Tuyere Leak
          4. Coke Bed Low
          5. Charge Components Changed
          6. Incorrect Charging Scales
      2. Chill Too Low: Soft Iron
        1. Immediate Checks
        2. Corrective Action
          1. High in C, Si, %CE
          2. Higher Si/C Ratio
          3. Charge Components Changed
          4. Incorrect Charging Scales
    3. Cupola Bridging
      1. Immediate Checks
      2. Corrective Action
      3. Further Checks
      4. Further Action
        1. Oversized Charge Metallics
        2. Insufficient Flux
        3. Uneven Charge Distribution
        4. Charging System Working Improperly
        5. Poor Refractory Lining
        6. Improper Refractory Installation
        7. Front Slagging Iron Dam Too High
        8. Rear Slagging Slag Hole Too High
        9. Poor/Weak Coke
        10. Excessive Blast Air Rate
        11. Too Many Shutdowns
        12. Leaking Tuyeres
        13. No Blast Air Reduction at End
      5. Potential Situation: Frozen Cupola
        1. How to Identify a Frozen Cupola
        2. Immediate Action
    4. Excessive Windbox Pressure
      1. Common Excessive Windbox Pressure Indications
      2. Further Checks
      3. Further Action
        1. Bridging
        2. Tuyere Velocity Too High
        3. Slag Buildup on Tuyere ID
        4. Dirt/Sand in Charge
        5. Small Coke/ExcessiveFines
        6. Tuyeres Too Small for Blast Rate
        7. Mismatched Blower/Exhaust System
    5. Excessive Refractory Consumption
      1. How to Determine Excessive Refractory Consumption
      2. Further Checks
      3. Further Action
        1. Bridging
        2. Poor Refractory Material
        3. Poor Refractory Removal
        4. Uneven Charge Distribution
        5. Excessive Flux Use
        6. Unequal Blast Air Distribution
        7. Under Blown
        8. Water Leaks
        9. Large Charge Materials
        10. Incompatible Refractory/Slag
        11. Incorrect Cupola Design
        12. Inconsistent Charge Weights
        13. Dark Tuyeres
  3. Changing the Cupola State
    1. Melt Rate Control
      1. Cupola Utilization
      2. Increasing the Melt Rate by 10% or Less
      3. Melt Rate Increase of 25% or More
      4. Decreasing the Melt Rate by 10% or Less
      5. Melt Rate Decrease of 20% or More
    2. Carbon Control
      1. Suggestions for Lowering Carbon
        1. Immediate Action: Quick Results
        2. Immediate Action: Delayed Results
      2. Suggestions for Increasing Carbon
        1. Immediate Action: Quick Results
        2. Immediate Action: Delayed Results

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