Three different types of burden profile meter used at blast furnaces, mechanical, micro-wave, and laser types, were developed during almost the same term. At present, these are used in actual operations of blast furnaces.
Main characteristics of each type are as follows. They are mechanisms to drive the weight and to prevent the swing of it (mechanical type), one-antenna system and countermeasures to the power attenuation caused by the interference phenomenon (micro-wave type), and utilization of visible argon laser and data processing technique (laser type).
Indices of measured burden profile are scattered even under the same charging condition. Statistical analysis and simulation model are effective for using the measured results in a usual operation.
At the present stage, the micro-wave type is best mainly from the viewpoint of maintainability. Completion of a maintainance-free laser type is expected due to its excellent functions.
