Experimental and mathematical investigation of the fluid flow inside and below a 1/4 scale air model of a flash smelting burner

Single-phase turbulent fluid flow inside and below a burner model was studied to better understand the fluid flow processes occurring inside and below flash smelting burners. The effect of Reynolds number and temperature on the axial velocity profiles in a 1/4 scale experimental air model of a jet flow burner and shaft were investigated. Laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) was used to determine the mean and fluctuating axial velocity components within and below this burner. Also experimentally determined were the pressure profiles along the length of the burner and shaft and the inlet air and wall temperature profiles. In the experiments, the Reynolds number range was approximately 60,600 to 76,100, which was in the turbulent flow regime. A mathematical model was used to simulate axisymmetric two-dimensional air flow through a jet flow burner and shaft for Reynolds numbers of 60,000 to 304,000. The axial velocity predictions of the high axial velocity region and surrounding region in the shaft were in reasonable agreement with the axial velocity experimental results. Recommendations are made for the improvement of the design of flash smelting burners.