Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-08-13 Origin: Site
Background
Huafeng Coking Plant operates two 5.5-meter stamp-charging coke ovens, each with 65 chambers, supported by five types of mobile equipment: pushing cars, coke guide cars, locomotive cars, charging cars, and smoke guide cars. Previously, these coke oven vehicles relied entirely on manual operation – drivers used visual observation and two-way radios for positioning and coordination. This approach carried significant safety risks. In adverse weather conditions or in the electrically noisy environment typical of coking plants, visual positioning became unreliable and radio communications were frequently disrupted. Misalignment could cause the pushing rod to scrape the oven wall during coke pushing, shortening oven life. In more severe cases, pushing off-position could send red-hot coke falling to the ground – a major production accident.
Solution
FORWARD Technology deployed a new-generation five-vehicle interlock system for the plant, built on Gray code bus positioning technology and wireless spread-spectrum communication technology.
Gray Code Bus Positioning System: The Gray code bus is installed along the vehicle tracks, achieving a detection accuracy of 2mm and positioning accuracy of ≤5mm – fully meeting coking production requirements. The industrial Gray code bus positioning system operates in on-board detection mode: the address encoder is installed at the fixed station, while the antenna and address decoder are mounted on each vehicle, enabling real-time position detection directly on board.
Wireless Spread-Spectrum Communication System: A highly reliable, low-bit-error-rate wireless data network is established between the five vehicles and the central control room, ensuring real-time, accurate transmission of position data, equipment status, and control commands.
On-Board and Ground Monitoring System: Each vehicle is equipped with an intelligent display terminal, and the central control room is fitted with industrial computers and host software for visual centralized monitoring.
Production Management and Data Analysis System: The host software supports schedule planning, coking time browsing, pushing current curve recording, shift and monthly report generation, and historical data query.
Core Functions
The coke oven vehicle interlock system implements four interlock controls:
Door Removal Interlock: Door removal is permitted only when the pushing car or coke guide car is precisely aligned with the planned oven chamber center.
Pushing Interlock: Coke pushing requires all five vehicles to be correctly positioned, the coke guide chute in place, manual confirmation signals received, and the dust removal fan operating at high speed.
Coal Charging Interlock: The charging command is issued only when the charging car is aligned with the correct charging hole and the smoke guide car is positioned at the same oven number.
Anti-Collision Interlock: When vehicles on the same track approach each other, the system automatically reduces speed and forces a stop with audible and visual alarms.
Results
The five-vehicle interlock control system has delivered significant improvements:
Safety Assurance: Precise positioning eliminates the risk of the pushing rod scraping the oven wall and prevents red-hot coke from falling.
Production Stability: Drivers can see the position and status of all other vehicles in real time, improving coordination and reducing downtime.
Extended Equipment Life: By preventing accidents, the system protects the coke oven structure and vehicle equipment.
Data Management: The central control room automatically generates pushing current curves, shift reports, and monthly reports.
Labor Reduction: Drivers are freed from manual positioning tasks.
Technology Extension
Beyond the coke oven vehicle interlock system, FORWARD Technology offers a range of unmanned industrial mobile equipment solutions using Gray code bus 3D positioning:
Unmanned Steel Coil Warehouse Crane System
Unmanned Vortex Pit / Slag Grab Crane System
Unmanned Scrap Batching Bay Crane System
Unmanned Grab Crane System
Crane Logistics Tracking System
Summary
The Huafeng Coking Plant five-vehicle interlock system demonstrates FORWARD Technology's comprehensive capabilities in Gray code bus positioning, wireless spread-spectrum communication, and intelligent interlock control. With positioning technology at its core, FORWARD Technology provides complete coking plant automation solutions ranging from single-machine automation to plant-wide logistics intelligence for the steel, metallurgy, and port industries.
