The Effects of Bottom Blowing Gas Flow Rate Distribution During the Steelmaking Converter Process on Mixing Efficiency

Featuring the advantages of top-blown and bottom-blown oxygen converters, top and bottom combined blown converters are mainstream devices used in steelmaking converter. This study adopted the FLUENT software to develop a numerical model that simulates 3D multiphase flows of gas (air and argon), liqu...

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Published in:Metallurgical and materials transactions. B, Process metallurgy and materials processing science Process metallurgy and materials processing science, 2016-04, Vol.47 (2), p.948-962
Main Authors: Chu, Kuan-Yu, Chen, Hsing-Hao, Lai, Po-Han, Wu, Hsuan-Chung, Liu, Yung-Chang, Lin, Chi-Cheng, Lu, Muh-Jung
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Blowing pressure
Blowing rate
Bottom blown converters
Characterization and Evaluation of Materials
Chemistry and Materials Science
Flow rate
Gas flow
Iron and steel making
Materials Science
Mathematical models
Metallic Materials
Metallurgy
Nanotechnology
Software
Steel
Steel converters
Structural Materials
Surfaces and Interfaces
Thin Films
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Summary:Featuring the advantages of top-blown and bottom-blown oxygen converters, top and bottom combined blown converters are mainstream devices used in steelmaking converter. This study adopted the FLUENT software to develop a numerical model that simulates 3D multiphase flows of gas (air and argon), liquid steel, and slag. Ten numerical experiments were conducted to analyze the effects that the bottom blowing gas flow rate distribution patterns (uniform, linear fixed total flow rate, linear fixed maximal flow rate, and V-type) and bottom blowing gas flow distribution gradients of combined blown converters exert on slag surface stirring heights, flow field patterns, simulation system dynamic pressures, mixing time, and liquid steel–slag interface velocity. The simulation results indicated that the mixing efficiency was highest for the linear fixed total flow rate, followed by the linear fixed maximal flow rate, V-type, and uniform patterns. The bottom blowing gas flow rate distribution exhibited linear patterns and large gradients, and high bottom blowing total flow rates increased the mixing efficiency substantially. In addition, the results suggested that even when bottom blowing total flow rate was reduced, adopting effective bottom blowing gas flow rate distribution patterns and gradients could improve the mixing efficiency.
ISSN:1073-5615
1543-1916
DOI:10.1007/s11663-016-0593-1