Rotor Lorentz force as a parameter for the estimation of vortex flows in a DC electric arc furnace with different bottom electrode positions

This article is devoted to researching a simple parameter which can predict the electrovortex flow in a liquid conductor under a Lorentz force. This is provided by a numerical simulation of the electrovortex and convection flows in a DC electric arc furnace with the bottom electrode in different positions. The electromagnetic, temperature and hydrodynamic distribution parameters are given. It is shown that lifting the bottom electrode above the fettle surface by the electrode radius leads to the decrease of shear stress on the fettle area by 30%, while putting the bottom electrode lower than the fettle surface by a distance equal to the electrode radius and its expansion by the same distance reduces stress by 10%. A good correlation between the shear stress on the fettle area and a rotor Lorentz force provide possibility to use rotor Lorentz force as a simple electromagnetic parameter for the estimation of the vortex flow influence on the increased wearing of the fettle.