Resumo:
Blast furnaces are continuous production equipment intended to melt and reduce iron ore in the presence of charcoal or coke and fluxes, for the production of pig iron. Maintaining the continuous supply of raw materials is a critical and relevant factor in this process. In addition, the selection and preparation of these raw materials are of great importance for the steel production strategy, as they directly impact the quality of the product produced and the associated cost. In order to optimize the production of this equipment, maintaining its continuous supply and competitive price, this work aims to investigate the supply process of the blast furnaces, especially the unloading of charcoal, contemplating from its reception, unloading and supply of the silos. , until its storage in the cells, and identify the ideal mix of raw materials that guarantee the quality of the final product with lower production costs. The analysis method was based on a hybrid approach between modeling and simulation of discrete events, using the Promodel software, and optimization, linked to linear programming, from a Linear Programming model. The result obtained with the simulation was the best visualization of the unloading system, thus enabling corrective actions to be taken in the input configuration of vehicles transporting charcoal, in order to optimize their unloading and, consequently, guarantee the supply of material. press steadily. In addition, mathematical modeling and linear programming made it possible to study the best ore mix option for load configuration, linking commercial conditions of cost and availability and appropriate chemical composition restrictions, which were proven through tests with loads and real settings.
