AN APPLICATION OF PREDICTION MODEL IN BLAST FURNACE HOT METAL

SILICON CONTENT BASED ON NEURAL NETWORK

DONG QIU, DE-JIANG ZHANG, WEN YOU, NIAO-NA ZHANG, HUI LI
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Changchun University of technology, Changchun 130012, China
E-MAIL: qiudongmail@163.com

hysteresis. The application of conventional prediction

models (such as theoretical calculation model, diagram
analysis model, regression model and time series model) is
usually limited. When there is fluctuation or abnormality in
blast furnace, the precision of these models will be
influenced greatly .
Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural network is a kind
of triple-layer feed-forward neural network structure with
only one hide layer. It not only has strong nonlinear
mapping ability, but also exhibits characteristics including
fast convergence and global optimization. Therefore,
combined with the blast furnace production processing in
Tonghua Steel Group, RBF neural network was used to
predict the silicon content in blast furnace hot metal in this
paper. By optimizing the connection right and structure of
neural network, a novel neural network expert system for
prediction of silicon content in blast furnace hot metal was
developed. This system either had inference pellucidity of
expert system, wide mapping ability of neural network and
partial search capability, or owned the properties of RBF
rapidness, global convergence and learning enhancing. The
prediction precision of silicon content was improved.
Newrbe function was used to learn and the Matlab
simulation results proved its rationality. This method had
good effectiveness in practical application.

Abstract:
Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural network is
used to predict the blast furnace hot metal based on its
characteristics such as fast convergence and global
optimization. As hot metal silicon content had close
relationship with furnace temperature, the change of
temperature in furnace was reflected indirectly by hot
metal silicon content. Newrbe function in Matlab was
applied for function approximation. Normalized data of
normal production for a long period was used for
training and simulation. The results showed that the
hitting rate of prediction for silicon content was
improved. The application of RBF neural network
prediction model in blast furnace could forecast
Si-content, judge the trend of temperature and realize
the control of blast furnace temperature, which was
advantageous to energy saving. Moreover, the model
can monitor multi-objects simultaneously and provide
guidance for blast furnace process
Keywords:
hot metal silicon content; RBF neural network; Newrbe
function; prediction model

1.

Introduction

The silicon content in blast furnace hot metal is an

important index to scale pig iron quality and smelting level.
Moreover, the change amplitude and frequency of silicon
content directly reflect the stability in smelting process.
Therefore, the mastery of silicon content in hot metal and
its change trend for precise prediction had important
significance to estimate change trend of furnace
temperature, guide operation, reduce coke ratio and cost,
decrease fluctuation in furnace and realize energy saving.
However, silicon content is a nonlinear time-varying
parameter and the smelting process in blast furnace is very
complicated. Therefore, it is difficult to establish the
mathematical model. Moreover, in the blast furnace control
at present, the detection of silicon content in hot metal has

978-1-4244-5206-4/09/$26.00 2009 IEEE

2.
2.1.

Determination of model structure and functional

design Introduction
Establishment of RBF neural network

RBF neural network is a kind of triple-layer

feed-forward network composing of input layer, hide layer
and output layer. The amount of input vector is equivalent
to the amount of independent variable in study. Hide layer
nerve unit produces nonlinear mapping on input by radial
basis function (always using Gaussian function). Compared
with BP network, the biggest diffidence is that the transfer
function of hide layer is Gaussian function with partial

61

accuracy of sample data is very important to the

establishment of RBF neutral network model, the
approximation of neutral network, the reached precision of
learning and the accuracy of prediction. During the data
obtaining, the normal production data of Tonghua Steel
Group in a continuous period in June 2007 were selected.
Due to the application of intellectual control expert system
in Tonghua Steel Group, the record accuracy of parameters
was high.

response, and the training time of radial basis network is

less than that of BP network. Hide layer nerve unit of RBF
neural network performs linear weighted array to hide layer
output. In this study, to realize the prediction of silicon
content in hot metal, the output vector was silicon content
in hot metal, i.e., the number of output layer nerve was1.
The typical structure diagram of RBF neural network is
shown in Fig.1.

2.1.3

Since the dimension of data was not identical, pathosis

is easily caused during model calculation. The date should
be pretreated by normalization. The data Xi after
normalization according to formula (1) were used as the
input vectors. In this model, Gaussian function was adopted
as the excitation function for RBF network, i.e., the input
value at each node should be in the range of [0, 1].
Therefore, each parameter should be transferred relatively
to input information with approximate linear character
without losing change regularity. The values of parameters
were in the range of [0, 1].

Fig.1 RBF neural network

2.1.1.

First-phase preparations

There are many factors influencing the heat state of

blast furnace, for example, the properties of feeding
materials, the loading mode and technical parameters such
as air volume and blast temperature. Moreover, the input
vectors always influence each other. Considering the time
hysteresis of each parameter to the silicon content in hot
metal, the value of each input vector at one time is based on
the time hysteresis affecting this input vector. According to
sampling frequency of each parameter in smelting process
and the correlation degree of silicon content in hot metal,
12 main influencing parameters were selected by
combination and normalization treatment in this study: iron
content difference, permeability, product speed, coal
injection, air volume, blast temperature, SiO2 in slag,
smelting intensity, coke rate, wind speed, kinetic energy
and R2 (alkalinity) in slag. These parameters were used as
the input node of network model. The number of middle
layer nerve unit was produced adaptively. The output unit
represents the prediction value of silicon content in hot
metal.
2.1.2.

Normalization of data

x=

Where,
[0,1];

X X min
.

(1)

X max X min
x the sample value after normalization, x

X the original value;

.

X min X max the minimum and maximum of

original values.
For the silicon content in hot metal of smelting
strength and output layer, the values were all in the range of
[0, 1], so they did not need normalization. The obtained
normalization values of samples were the training sample
set.
3.

Determination of samples

Network learning process

Determination of RBF network functions: Newrbe

function in Matlab was used for function approximation.
The common form of nerve unit transfer function was
Gaussian function (radbas). The radial basis transfer
function could be represented as formula (2).

To achieve the approximation of object function, a

group of reliable samples with proper amounts should be
selected for network firstly in the process of construction
training, detection and result evaluation. In this study, 120
groups of data were selected (part of them were shown in
Table1). Numbers1-100 was used as training sample and
Numbers 101-120 were used as measuring sample. The

62

Table1 Data sheet of influencing factors for Si-content in liquid iron

serial
number

iron
content
difference
(kg)

permeabil
ity(m3/kp
a.min)

product
speed
(t/h)

coal
injection
(kg/t)

air
volume
(m3/min)

blast
temperature
(C)

SiO2 in
slag
(w/%)

smelting
intensity
(t/m3..d)

coke rate
(kg/t)

wind
speed
(C/h)

kinetic
energy
(kJ)

R2 in slag
(%)

-10

16

88

14.9

1775

970

32.69

0.93

367

156

5976

47

15

92

12.6

1686

970

32.06

0.91

347

142

5938

1.14
1.19

-52

17

106

12.9

1780

981

30.96

0.90

355

151

5583

1.23

-52

16

93

13.7

1760

968

32.76

0.96

361

156

5962

1.14

-52

16

82

14.8

1750

983

33.35

0.96

356

157

6160

1.14

12

17

85

12.1

1769

961

31.60

0.96

343

161

6492

1.21

35

17

89

12.7

1823

984

32.76

0.93

345

158

6140

1.16

-22

15

98

13.4

1715

982

32.58

0.98

356

156

5975

1.16

-22

17

100

10.7

1777

967

33.33

0.93

363

157

5957

1.12

10

-22

16

86

13.2

1765

967

32.40

0.97

365

158

6216

1.17

11

12

17

93

12.5

1770

965

32.61

0.92

356

156

6001

1.14

12

-17

16

94

13.

1772

975

33.86

0.95

364

155

5733

1.10

13

-17

15

90

13.

1750

981

33.03

0.90

357

138

5416

1.14

14

-17

15

80

13.2

1708

946

33.48

0.95

351

156

5791

1.12

15

15

80

13.7

1716

965

32.14

0.89

350

154

5512

1.20

16

-45

17

86

13.

1785

956

32.69

0.83

257

148

5348

1.14

17

15

81

10.7

1709

969

32.64

0.90

357

155

5702

1.17

18

15

78

9.6

1670

973

33.41

0.93

362

156

5834

1.12

19

12

17

70

11.8

1750

985

33.19

0.91

342

156

5838

1.12

20

-17

16

72

12.1

1733

976

33.10

0.95

360

157

6124

1.14

i ( x) = e

x ci
ri 2

threshold value b1 of radial basis function. However,

another parameter ci (expansion constant) was usually
used in practical work. In this study, by using the
relationship of b1 and ci ( b1i = 0.8326 / ci )
in matlab , the output of hide layer nerve unit were
obtained, as shown in formula5

(2)

Where, x R
was input of RBF network;
ci R m was the data center of hide node i; ri was the
expansion constant of this hide node.
1) For radial basis nerve unit layer of hide layer, the
amount was equal to the number of input samples. The
weight value was equal to transposed input vector. The
threshold value of all radial basis nerve units were:

giq = exp

1 log ( 0.5 )
(3)
b=
spread
1
Where, 1 log ( 0.5 ) 2 = 0.8326 ; spread was

ji

x qj ) b1i

x qj ) 0.8326

ci

4) The input of hide layer was the weighted

summation of hide layer nerve unit output. Since the
excitation function was pure linear function, the output was:

the expansion constant of radial basis coefficient.

2) The input of nerve unit radbas was the product of
threshold value b1 with the distance between input
q
complexor x j and weight vector 1 , as shown in formula
(4):

(1

ji

1i x q

2
= exp 0.8326

ci

1
2

kiq =

(1

y q = ri w2i

i =1

The purpose of training was to obtain the finally

weighted values of 1 and 2 , and the threshold values
of b1 and b 2 in two layers. In the training of RBF

3The sensitivity of function could be adjusted by the

63

could be approximated in any precision without local

minimum. In this study, RBF prediction model for the
silicon content in blast furnace hot metal was developed
based on the characteristics of RBF neutral network. The
simulation results indicated that the hitting rate of this
model was up to 90 %, and it was a promising quantitative
prediction method. Its application provided theoretical basis
and practical guide for guaranteeing and decreasing
long-term and stable silicon content in blast furnace.
Moreover, combined the close relationship between silicon
content in hot metal and furnace temperature, the heating
state in blast furnace could be estimated in time,
guaranteeing the safe and stable production of blast furnace.
It was meaningful to achieve energy saving and
consumption reducing.

network, it started from zero hide layer nerve units. The

input corresponding to maximal error of each network was
the weighted vector 1i . New nerve units were added until
the error was less than 0.1.
4.

Prediction and simulation of model

Based on the training step and algorithm of RBF

neutral network, the established RBF neutral network
model for predicting silicon content in blast furnace hot
metal was trained. The effort curve of prediction was
obtained by emulating the sample data in MATLAB7, as
shown in Fig.2. In order to avoid the singular solution
caused by different order of magnitude, the data was treated
by normalization before training. The former 100 groups of
data were used for training. The latter 20 groups of data
were used for certification. The contrast between actual
value and predictive value of silicon content in liquid iron
was shown in Fig.3. When the difference of calculated
value and actual value was 0.1, it was defined as hitting.
It could be seen from Fig.3 that the hitting rate was 90 %.

References
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413-415.
[2] Zeng Y F, Li X W. prediction model of blast furnace
hot metal si-content based on BP neural network's
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291-293.
[3] Wei H K. Theory and method of neural network
structural design [M]. Beijing: National Defense
Industry Press, 2005.2, 40-66.
[4] Ge Z X, Sun Z Q. Neural network theory and
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Fig.2 Error curve of RBF hot metal prediction model

Fig.3 Contrast between actual value and predictive value of silicon

content in liquid iron

5.

Conclusions

RBF neutral network was a kind of global

approximation tool. When enough network hide-layer
nodes were provided, any single-value continuous function

64