Innovation Series: Advanced Science (ISSN 2938-9933, CNKI Indexed)

Research on Key Technologies and Engineering Application for Energy Saving in Billet Hydraulic Station

Dongjiang He, Chaowei Yan, Weidong Shi

College of Teacher Education, Quzhou University, Quzhou, Zhejiang, China

Abstract: As a key power unit for metallurgical equipment, the continuous casting billet hydraulic system often suffers from high energy consumption due to excessive design redundancy and prolonged high-pressure operation. Addressing this issue, this study takes the high-flow ‘two-operation, one-standby’ billet hydraulic station at Huaisteel as the research subject. A comprehensive energy-saving improvement method was proposed and implemented, integrating system pressure reset based on load matching, action parameter optimization for flow balance, and reconstruction of pump station operation mode utilizing accumulators for peak shaving and valley filling. Firstly, through mechanical analysis and field measurement, the minimum required system pressure was determined based on the billet turning action, lowering the constant pressure set point from 16 MPa to 11 MPa. Secondly, without compromising production rhythm, the action times for the turning, raking, and collection table cylinders were optimized to 25, 15, and 20 seconds respectively, effectively flattening peak flow demand. Finally, by optimizing accumulator pre-charge pressure and pump control logic, the system operation mode was successfully changed from ‘two pumps in constant high-pressure mode’ to ‘single variable displacement pump as main supply with accumulator assistance’. Industrial test results show that after modification, the average operating power of the main motor decreased by approximately 52%, hydraulic oil temperature dropped by 15°C, and the estimated annual electricity saving under equivalent production load reaches 280,000 kWh. This research not only solves the energy consumption problem of the specific equipment but also provides a systematic and quantifiable engineering practice example for the energy-saving design and renovation of similar high-flow intermittent hydraulic systems.

Keywords: Continuous Casting; Hydraulic System; Billet Turner; Billet Raker

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