Description
Date: 02 July, 2026, 13.00 UTC.
Estimated Time: 1 hr
Language: English
Summary of the lecture
In blast furnace operations, a small change at the tuyere can quickly become a serious process safety risk. Damage, bending, or blockage may lead to gas leaks, cooling water ingress, unstable furnace operation, explosions, and potential harm to workers.
This steelTalk presents POSCO’s award-winning approach to improving worker safety through AI-based tuyere camera image processing. The session will explore how POSCO moved beyond conventional camera monitoring by applying artificial intelligence to detect abnormal tuyere conditions more consistently and support faster operational response.
By combining digital monitoring with automated safety actions, the technology helps reduce delayed detection, prevent escalation, and strengthen process safety in one of the most demanding areas of ironmaking.
What you will learn:
- Understand the process safety risks linked to blast furnace tuyere damage, bending, and blockage.
- Learn how AI-based image processing can support real-time abnormality detection.
- Explore how smart safety systems can improve worker safety, operational reliability, and sustainable steel production.
Speaker Introduction
Seong Moon Kim
Team Leader, Safety Planning Office, POSCO
Seong Moon Kim is a senior safety specialist in the Safety Planning Office at POSCO, where he leads strategic Process Safety Management planning initiatives.
He has more than 20 years of experience in ironmaking, including roles as a blast furnace engineer, project team leader for a major blast furnace relining project, and plant manager for sintering and raw materials operations.
