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The aim of the work is to increase the level of automation of blast furnace production through the development and implementation of new systems to support decision-making on the management of blast furnace smelting in changing technological and fuel conditions. The article presents a description of three decision support systems (DSS) in the mode of an adviser to the technological personnel of blast furnaces, which were implemented by the Iron and Steel Institute or underwent pilot testing as part of the automated control system of the blast furnace shop of the metallurgical production of PrJSC "Dniprovskyi Coke Plant" (Kamianske). The first DSS for managing the thermal state was implemented in 2021, it includes the entire list of information necessary for personnel in a convenient and compact form, generates recommendations in case of technology deviations and, in case of incorrect actions of the personnel, signals the need for correct actions. The main recommendations of the system are to correct the raceway adiabatic flame temperature, coke consumption when its characteristics and ore load change. Using the system allows both reducing the specific coke consumption and preventing unplanned downtime. The second DSS for controlling the distribution of fuel additives over air tuyeres is based on information on thermal loads determined on water-cooled elements of tuyere tools. The main recommendations of the system are to adjust the amount of injected pulverized coal fuel on individual tuyeres in order to ensure a uniform distribution of the raceway adiabatic flame temperature around the circumference of the blast furnace and, as a result, the energy efficiency of blast furnace smelting. The third DSS for adjusting the parameters of the charging mode is based on information from the means of controlling the temperatures of the gas flow above the surface of the charge in the blast furnace. The functioning of this system is based on determining the reference curves for the distribution of the gas flow along the furnace radii, corresponding to the minimum consumption of coke and maximum productivity, and on the search for solutions by direct and iterative optimization methods, which allow, by adjusting the loading parameters, to ensure a rational distribution of charge materials and gas flow in the furnace.

Efforts to use traditional native tissue strategies and reduce the use of meshes have been made in several countries. Combining native tissue repair with sufficient mesh applied apical repair might provide a means of effective treatment. The study group did perform and publish a randomized trial focusing on the combination of traditional native tissue repair with pectopexy or sacrocolpopexy and observed no severe or hitherto unknown risks for patients (No&eacute, G.K. J Endourol 2015, 29(2):210&ndash, 5.). The short-term follow-up of this international multicenter study carried out now is presented in this article. Material and Methods: Eleven clinics and 13 surgeons in four European counties participated in the trial. In order to ensure a standardized approach and obtain comparable data, all surgeons were obliged to follow a standardized approach for pectopexy, focusing on the area of fixation and the use of a prefabricated mesh (PVDF PRP 3 &times, 15 Dynamesh). The mesh was solely used for apical repair. All other clinically relevant defects were treated with native tissue repair. Colposuspension or TVT were used for the treatment of incontinence. Data were collected independently for 14 months on a secured server, 501 surgeries were registered and evaluated. Two hundred and sixty-four patients out of 479 (55.1%) returned for the physical examination and interview after 12&ndash, 18 months. Main Outcome and Results: The mean duration of follow-up was 15 months. The overall success of apical repair was rated positively by 96.9%, and the satisfaction score was rated positively by 95.5%. A positive general recommendation was expressed by 95.1% of patients. Pelvic pressure was reduced in 95.2%, pain in 98.0%, and urgency in 86.0% of patients. No major complications, mesh exposure, or mesh complication occurred during the follow-up period. Conclusion: In clinical routine, pectopexy and concomitant surgery, mainly using native tissue approaches, resulted in high satisfaction rates and favorable clinical findings. The procedure may also be recommended for use by general urogynecological practitioners with experience in laparoscopy.

The technique of laparoscopic pectopexy was published in 2010. A subsequent randomized trial focused on pectopexy versus sacropexy revealed no new risks for patients and significant advantages in terms of operating time and de novo defecation disorders compared to sacrocolpopexy. The present international multicenter trial was performed to evaluate the applicability of the technique in clinical routine. Material and Method Eleven clinics and 13 surgeons in four European counties participated in the trial. To ensure a standardized approach and obtain comparable data, all surgeons followed the same rules in placing the apical tape, no further mesh was used. Data were collected for 14 months on a secured server; 501 surgeries were documented and evaluated. Results Patients treated at the leading center (2 surgeons) contributed 44 % of the patient population. We made a distinction between high-volume (48–135 surgeries annually) (n = 4), intermediate-volume (28–37 surgeries annually) (n = 4), and low-volume (7–22 surgeries annually) (n = 5) surgeons. 97.3 % of the patients (n = 501) had delivered children; 5.6 % had had a Caesarian section. 29.7 % of the patients had undergone a hysterectomy. The operating time for pectopexy was less than 60 min in 79 % of cases. The procedures were completed in less than 159 min in 71 % of cases. Severe complications (n = 5) included four cases of organ damage (related to concomitant surgeries or adhesions) and one case of relevant bleeding. De novo incontinence was registered in two cases and voiding dysfunction in three. No intestinal obstruction or defecation disorder was observed. Two complicated infections were noted. Urinary infection occurred in 2 % of patients. Conclusion In clinical routine severe complications occurred in 1 %. The latter were unrelated to pectopexy, but occurred due to concomitant procedures or adhesions. The overall operating time as well as the operating time for pectopexy were similar to those reported in published studies on sacrocolpopexy.

A promising direction of technical hydrolysis lignin utilization is metallurgical production, primarily iron ore preparation and blast furnace process. A significant potential is concentrated in the sintering process. In order to improve properties of lignin in the role of a fuel, and to remove, with the possibility of trapping, toxic substances, it is necessary to carry out preliminary pyrolysis. The effect of technical hydrolysis lignin of different pyrolization degrees on the iron ore sintering process and properties of the obtained sinter is experimentally studied. Initial lignin was subjected to preliminary heat treatment to the final temperature of 400, 600, 800 and 1000 ºС without air access. Sintering with the participation of pyrolyzed lignin has been carried out via lab-scale sinter pot. After sintering, the sinter strength and the macrostructure have been determined. The chemical composition of the sinter samples has been revealed by X-ray fluorescence analysis. As a result of the experiments, the possibility of replacing 25 % of coke breeze with lignin prepyrolyzed at 800 ºС has been determined. Under these conditions, the main indicators of the sintering process, such as vertical sintering rate, product yield and specific capacity of the lab-scale sinter pot, remain virtually unchanged. There is a slight decrease in the impact strengths and the abrasion strengths of the sinter. However, these figures remain at a technologically acceptable level. It should be noted that when using lignin as a sintering fuel, there is a tendency for some decrease in the iron content of the sinter produced with it. The study of the sinter macrostructure has shown an increase in the pore diameter when the partial replacement of coke breeze with lignin while with the increasing lignin pyrolysis temperature the pore volume increases. The studies has evidence the possibility of solving the urgent environmental issues of technical hydrolysis lignin utilization by applying it in the sintering process with preliminary pyrolization. A promising direction for further research is the development of methods for the preparation of technical hydrolysis lignin for the use in iron ore sintering