Characterization of the Blast Furnace Burden Surface: A Fractal Analysis Approach

Abstract

Refined control at the burden particle scale is a critical advancement in modern blast furnaces. This study explores the characterization of burden surface roughness using fractal analysis. An improved triangular prism method algorithm is proposed, which optimizes the calculation of grid center heights and introduces a surface area ratio to effectively mitigate computational errors caused by center height deviations and grid coverage discrepancies in classical methods. These refinements significantly improve the stability of fractal dimension calculations. Using digital elevation modeling data from prior research, this study calculates, for the first time, the fractal dimensions of three typical burden surfaces: large-granularity coke, small-granularity coke, and sintered ore. The results reveal fractal dimensions of 2.1453, 2.0597, and 2.0152 for these surfaces, respectively. Combined with previously reported statistical roughness parameters, these fractal dimensions provide foundational support for subsequent research in blast furnace radar signal interpretation and rough burden surface simulation.