Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) has commissioned an automated system for monitoring oxygen consumption as part of its broader digitalisation strategy. The system is built on a mathematical model that forecasts resource usage, enabling engineers to allocate oxygen with maximum efficiency.
Oxygen is a critical input in steel and pig iron production, with consumption across the blast furnace, oxygen-converter and electric steelmaking shops dependent on process dynamics. The new system was developed to deliver more accurate oxygen consumption forecasts and reduce resource losses. By analysing large data sets and providing real-time guidance to operators, it signals corrective actions required to maintain optimal equipment performance.
"Deploying a mathematical model is the first step in transitioning from manual control towards high-precision digital planning. We have not simply automated a process; we have created a tool that supports sound operational decisions. Our primary objective is to reduce direct losses. Minimising the release of oxygen into the atmosphere enables the plant to conserve resources and improves overall environmental and operational performance," said Alexander Zuev, Deputy Head of the Oxygen Shop.
As part of the system, dashboard panels present key indicators in easy-to-read graphical form, including data on production, consumption and storage volumes, and specific electricity consumption at each oxygen station. With a single click, shop personnel can assess how effectively the resource is produced and reallocated against planned targets or comparable periods from previous years.