Engineering Control Measures for Electric Overhead Crane
Operations and Hazard Operability Studies for Blast Furnace

Abstract

This project is a combination of two different topics and both of them are very much similar in terms of eliminating or at least minimising the hazards related to steel industry. In the first phase it is the engineering control measure to minimise the risk of life to the workers on shop floor and the second phase concentrates on the hazard operability study in Blast Furnace.
In the first part, this project is centred in and around the engineering controls that can be followed to reduce the hazards faced by the workers on a regular basis. The use of electric overhead travelling cranes (EOT cranes) is a must in the steel industry and the risks associated with these cranes are inevitable. With the help of this project, we have tried to decrease the amount of risk to the worker during hooking and unhooking the ladle. There are some changes done to the design of the crane by placing load cells under the trolley unit of the crane to sense the load on the two ropes of the crane. The difference in load on the cells can be used to analyse, whether proper hooking and unhooking has been done or not. Extensive brainstorming is done to achieve the maximum efficiency from the design modification idea. The cost to the company is tried to keep as low as possible. This project will help the company in saving a lot of money which it needs to pay to the worker as compensation due to any accident.
The second part is based on the Hazard Operability (HAZOP) Study for Blast Furnace. Hazard operability (HAZOP) is a very necessary step to carry out the hazard identification process. HAZOP is useful in taking a tab on the existing hazards and the hazards which can evolve in the due course of time. To identify the hazards, there are mainly two techniques namely qualitative and quantitative. But HAZOP studies are mainly used to carry out the hazard identification. This process uses the guide words to find the level of risk involved in a process or in an area of concern. The concerned area is first chosen and then divided into sections called nodes. The nodes are the starting point or the point of reference for the studies. The sections mainly considered in this study are Pulverized Coal Injection (PCI), Gas Cleaning Plant (GCP), Stock Yard and Cast House. In this thesis we have done a detailed study of the processes involved in the Blast Furnace and then the risk and hazards are found out using brainstorming sessions. The motive of this study the deviations from the intent design and find out the causes for the deviations.
The whole project work, observations and analysis is documented and archived for future reference and can be used for further modifications of the processes of operation, if needed.