Preliminary Investigation of Fluid Mixing Characteristics during Side and Top Combined Blowing AOD Refining Process of Stainless Steel

The fluid mixing characteristics in the bath during the side and top combined blowing AOD (argon‐oxygen decarburization) refining process of stainless steel were preliminarily investigated on a water model unit of a 120 t AOD converter. The geometric similarity ratio between the model and its prototype (including the side tuyeres and the top lances) was 1:4. On the basis of the theoretical calculations for the parameters of the gas streams in the side tuyeres and the top lances, the gas blowing rates used for the model were more reasonably determined. The influence of the tuyere number and position arrangement, and the gas flow rates for side and top blowing on the characteristics was examined. The results demonstrated that the liquid in the bath underwent vigorous circulatory motion during gas blowing, without obvious dead zone in the bath, resulting in a high mixing effectiveness. The gas flow rate of the main tuyere had a governing role on the characteristics, a suitable increase in the gas flow rate of the subtuyere could improve mixing efficiency, and the gas jet from the top lance made the mixing time prolong. Corresponding to the oxygen top blowing rate specified by the technology, a roughly equivalent and good mixing effectiveness could be reached by using six side tuyeres with an angle of 27 degrees between each tuyere, and five side tuyeres with an angular separation of 22.5 or 27 degrees between each tuyere. The relationships of the mixing time with the gas blowing rates of main‐tuyeres and sub‐tuyeres and top lance, the angle between each tuyere, and the tuyere number were evaluated.     

Mathematical Modeling of Fluid Flow in Bath during Combined Side and Top Blowing AOD Refining Process of Stainless Steel: Application of the Model and Results

The mathematical model developed for the molten steel flow in the combined side and top blowing AOD refining process of stainless steel has been used to compute and analyze the flow fields of the liquid phases in the baths of the 120 t AOD converter and its water model unit with a 1/4 linear scale. The influence of the side tuyere number and the angle between each tuyere on the flows has been examined. The results demonstrate that the mathematical model can quite reliably and well model and predict the fluid flow in an AOD bath with the combined blowing. The liquid flow in an AOD converter bath with the combined blowing is resulted from the gas side blowing streams under the influence of a gas top blowing jet. The streams play a governing role on it; and the liquid in the whole bath is in active agitation and circulatory motion during the gas blowing process. The gas jet from the top lance does not change the essential features of the gas stirring and liquid flow in the bath, but can make the local flow pattern of the bath liquid obviously vary and its turbulent kinetic energy enhance. The changes in the tuyere position and number have similarly not altered the basic characteristics and patterns of the gas agitation and liquid flow and turbulent kinetic energy distribution in the bath. At a given tuyere number and gas side blowing rate or a given angular separation between each tuyere and gas side blowing rate, however, the variation of the angle between each tuyere or the tuyere number can locally change them. Using 6 tuyeres with 27° can reach the more uniform flow field and turbulent energy distribution of the liquid in the bath than taking 7 tuyeres with 18° or 22.5° and 6 tuyeres with 22.5°.     

Study on Mass Transfer Characteristics in an AOD Converter Bath under Conditions of Combined Side and Top Blowing

The mass transfer characteristics in a steel bath during the AOD refining process with the conditions of combined side and top blowing were investigated. The experiments were conducted on a water model unit of 1/4 linear scale for a 120‐t combined side and top blowing AOD converter. Sodium chloride powder of analytical purity was employed as the flux for blowing, and the mass transfer coefficient of solute (NaCI) in the bath was determined under the conditions of the AOD process. The effects of the gas flow rates of side and top blowing processes, the position arrangement and number of side tuyeres, the powdered flux particle (bubble) size and others on the characteristics were examined. The results indicated that, under the conditions of the present work, the mass transfer coefficient of solute in the bath liquid is in the range of (7.31×10^?5‐3.84×10^?4) m/s. The coefficient increases non‐linearly with increasing angle between each tuyere, for the simple side blowing process at a given side tuyere number and gas side blowing rate. The gas flow rate of the main tuyere has a governing influence on the characteristics, and the gas jet from the top lance decreases the mass transfer rate, the relevant coefficient being smaller than that for a simple side blowing. Also, in the range of particle (bubble) size used in the present work and with all other factors being constant, raising particle (bubble) size increases the coefficient. Excessively fine powder particle (bubble) sizes are not advantageous to strengthening the mass transfer. With the oxygen top blowing rate practiced in the industrial technology, the side tuyere arrangements of 7 and 6 tuyeres with an angular separation of 22.5° and 27° between each tuyere, as well as 5 tuyeres with an angle of 22.5° between each tuyere can provide a larger mass transfer rate in the bath. Considering the relative velocity of the particles to the liquid, the energy dissipation caused by the fluctuation in the velocity of the liquid in turbulent flow and regarding the mass transfer as that between a rigid bubble and molten steel, the related dimensionless relationships for the coefficient were obtained.     

A novel approach in the estimation of splashing in the BOF

A new physical model has been developed to represent the splashing behaviour in the BOF. By this technique, which is performed by a relatively simple experimental set‐up, determination of splashing distribution on the walls of the model is possible. The method enables quite fast definition of the effect of different blowing parameters on the location and quantity of liquid splashed. The main advantage of this novel method is the fact that splashes are collected from the whole model wall circumference which is very important when interaction between lance jet cavities and bottom blowing plumes results in irregular splashing distribution. Preliminary results show that the method is excellently suited for investigation of splashing in the BOF.     

Bath mixing behaviour in top–bottom–side blown converter

Abstract

The influence of blowing process parameters on bath stirring was investigated in a model of a top–bottom–side blown converter using physical modelling experiments. It was shown that the side blowing gas flowrate has an important influence on bath mixing time which decreases as side tuyere gas flowrate increases up to a critical flowrate and then plateaus. Bottom gas injection is favourable for bath mixing for top–bottom–side blown converters; however, top lance height, top gas flowrate and bath level have little influence.     

Numerical Simulation of Fluid Flow in Bath during Combined Top and Bottom Blowing VOD Refining Process of Stainless Steel

The fluid flow in a bath in combined top and bottom blowing vacuum‐oxygen decarburization (VOD) refining process of stainless steel has numerically been simulated. The three‐dimensional mathematical model used is essentially based on that proposed in our previous work for the flow in combined side and top blowing argon‐oxygen decarburization (AOD) process, but considering the influence of reduced ambient pressure. Applying it to the flow in the bath of a 120 t VOD vessel under the refining conditions, the results present that the model can fairly well simulate and estimate the flow phenomena. The flow pattern of molten steel in the bath with the combined blowing is a composite result under the common action of the jets from a three‐hole Laval top lance and gas bottom blowing streams. The jets have a leading role on it; the molten steel in the whole bath is in vigorous stirring and circulatory motion during the blowing process. The streams do not alter the basic features of the gas agitation and liquid flow, but can evidently change the local flow pattern of the liquid and increase its turbulent kinetic energy to a certain extent. The flow field and turbulent kinetic energy distribution in the combined blowing with three tuyeres are more uniform than those in the blowing with double tuyeres. Increasing properly the tuyere eccentricities is of advantage for improving the velocity and turbulent kinetic energy distributions, the stirring and mixing result in the practical VOD refining process.     

Physical and mathematical models of gas‐liquid fluid dynamics in LD converters

Fluid dynamics of gas‐liquid interactions in a LD converter to refine steel was physically and mathematically simulated. Using a water model three cases of gas supply were considered, top blowing, bottom injection and combined process top blowing‐bottom injection. Mixing time in top blowing increases with bath height and the distance between the lance of the gaseous jet and the bath surface. The jet penetration was found to be dependent on the modified Froude number. The unstable and unsteady behaviour of the bath topography, as affected by the gaseous jet, was well simulated through a multiphase momentum transfer model. In top blowing, three zones of liquid splashing were found, penetration with low splash, heavy splash and dimpling with low splash intensity. These zones depend on the gas flow rate and the distance from the lance to the bath surface. During bottom injection mixing times decrease with the number of tuyères, increases of bath height and gas flow rate. In a combined process mixing time decreases considerably due to the recirculating flow formed by the action of the top jet and the submerged jets. When a submerged jet is located just below the top jet the mixing time does not decrease as compared with the separated processes either top blowing or bottom stirring.     

180 t转炉聚合射流流场的水力学模型的实验研究

采用几何相似比1∶10水模型对180 t顶底复吹转炉内射流与熔池相互作用进行模拟试验,研究了在最佳枪位(150 mm)时氧气流量(38~42 m³/h)对均混时间的影响以及最佳顶枪流量(39 m³/h)下聚合射流氧枪枪位(40~150 mm)对均混时间的影响。结果表明,聚合射流氧枪对熔池的搅拌效果完全能达到顶底复吹的搅拌效果,如能在转炉冶炼工艺中应用,可取消底吹系统,简化转炉设备,提高转炉炉龄。     

唐钢50 t复吹转炉水模型的实验研究

针对唐钢50 t复吹转炉,采用1:6.35水模型的正交试验,研究了氧枪枪型、枪位、顶吹流量和底吹流量对熔池混匀时间、穿透深度、冲击面积和喷溅量的影响。结果表明,与4孔氧枪相比,使用改进后的4孔变角氧枪可增加对熔池的冲击面积,降低穿透深度和炉口溅出量,缩短混匀时间。对于50 t复吹转炉实际枪位≤1.3 m,有利于缩短冶炼时间,提高冶炼强度;顶吹流量控制在13 000～14000 m³/h,可缩短混匀时间和减少炉口溅出量。     

Physical simulation of converter steelmaking with powder injection

A water model of top and bottom blown converter with top lance powder injection and bottom tuyere powder injection was established to investigate the powder injection. The results show that the powder penetration ratio under the condition of top lance injection is greater than that under the condition of bottom tuyere powder injection. In both cases, the powder penetration ratio increases with the increase of solid/gas ratio and powder particle size. Powder uniform dispersion time with top lance powder injection is longer than that with bottom tuyere powder injection. Top lance powder injection, lance height of 258?mm, bottom blowing rate of 1·96?Nm³?h^?1 and powder particle size of 0·212–0·380?mm are suggested as the optimum powder injection operation under the experimental condition. The corresponding optimum operation for prototype is top lance powder injection with lance height of 1550?mm, powder size of 1–5?mm and bottom blowing rate of 450?Nm³?h^?1.     

180 t转炉超音速射流和聚合射流与炼钢熔池作用的水模型实验研究

以鞍钢180 t顶底复吹转炉为原型,设计超音速氧枪喷头进行了复吹转炉传统射流与聚合射流对熔池相互作用的水力学模型实验。超音速射流水模实验确定最佳的均混时间为12.6 s;在保持最佳顶吹气体流量的条件下,以降低枪位模拟聚合射流对熔池的相互作用。结果表明:当氧枪枪位下降到40 mm时,均混时间为11.8 s,这说明聚合射流完全可以达到传统射流对熔池的搅拌效果,可取消底吹系统,简化转炉设备和提高转炉炉龄。     

超音速射流冲击260 t转炉熔池界面行为研究

建立了260t转炉吹炼过程中的可压缩、非等温三维VOF 模型。研究了多孔超音速射流与转炉熔池作用过程特征,阐明了射流与熔融钢水界面接触的轮廓变化。揭示了钢液喷溅机制,定量分析了冲击坑形态大小。结果表明,吹炼过程具有瞬时性,随着吹炼进行,气液界面逐渐失稳并发生喷溅,喷溅会以大块金属带和液滴两种形式共存。在2.2 m枪位53000 m³/h的工况下,进行吹炼时形成的底部死区面积约为熔池底部面积的12%~15%,冲击坑直径占比熔池直径的55%左右,冲击坑深度占比熔池深度的30%左右。工业生产实践表明,过程枪位2.2 m,吹气量53000 m³/h,吹氧15.2 min,氧耗47.7 m3/t,脱磷率83.1%,钢铁料消耗降至1115 kg/t。     

长寿复吹转炉工艺技术开发

介绍了长寿复吹转炉在武钢二炼钢80t转炉上应用的基本工艺和冶金效果。通过溅渣，控制底吹喷嘴表面生长炉渣－金属蘑菇头的内部结构、生长高度和供气面积，不仅可保证良好的底部供气功能，而且有效地保护底吹喷嘴不受熔蚀，形成永久性蘑菇头。使底吹喷嘴的一次寿命与溅渣后转炉炉龄同步，并创造了22766炉的世界复吹转炉炉龄纪录。复吹比100％，始终保持良好的复吹冶金效果。     

Effects of process conditions on mixing between molten iron and slag in smelting reduction vessel via water model study

Abstract

The present study has been conducted to investigate the effects of operating conditions, which include gas flowrate, tuyere size, tuyere number, and height of iron phase, on the extent of mixing between molten iron and molten slag in the direct iron ore smelting reduction process. A transparent acrylic water model, 30% of the size of the actual smelter, was constructed to study the mass transfer phenomena. In the water model, water and spindle oil were used to simulate molten iron and molten slag, respectively, while air was used to replace the bottom blown nitrogen gas. In addition, thymol (C₁₀H₁₄O₆) was used as a tracer material in the water model, added to the water at the beginning of the experiment. As mixing between water and spindle oil proceeded owing to stirring by the bottom blown gas, the concentration of thymol in the water decreased and that in the spindle oil increased. Water samples were taken from the bottom and 12 cm above the bottom of the water model at various operating times. Concentrations of thymol were then measured using a diode array ultraviolet visible spectrophotometer. By analysing the concentration data, the mass transfer rate k_wA, which is a direct index for evaluating the mixing efficiency, could be derived. The process conditions under investigation included 40-500 L min^-1 gas flowrate, 0·3^-1 cm tuyere size, four or five tuyeres, and 20-30 cm height of the water phase. The test results indicate that when the gas flowrate increases, the value of k_wA increases, which indicates better mixing between oil and water phases. However, as the gas flowrate approaches 40 L min^-1, the improvement becomes less obvious. The smaller tuyere gives better mixing, and the design of five tuyeres results in better mixing compared with four tuyeres when they are blown with the same total gas flowrate. However, mixing efficiency decreases with increased height of the water phase. Also, as the gas flowrate of bottom blowing approaches 40 L min^-1, gas blowing from the top has little effect on the mixing behaviour in the liquid bath. For a four tuyere system, the process conditions of height of oil phase 5 cm, height of water phase 25 cm, diameter of tuyere 0·75 cm, and gas flowrate for each tuyere 40 L min^-1, appear to be the optimal design.     

LBE转炉优化吹炼工艺参数的水模实验研究

根据相似原理 ,采用水模实验方法 ,以优化LBE转炉吹炼工艺为目的 ,研究了影响熔池搅拌的各工艺参数 ,主要包括顶枪枪位、底吹位置布置方案、底吹气体流量、顶吹气体流量与混匀时间的关系     

转炉超音速氧枪喷头磨损后的吹炼特性变化

 转炉氧枪喷头会随枪龄的增加发生不同程度的侵蚀,为了探究氧枪喷头侵蚀程度对超音速气体射流吹炼特性的影响,建立了120 t转炉及超音速氧枪的三维全尺寸几何模型,研究了氧枪喷头不同磨损角度对气体射流特性、熔池速度及壁面侵蚀的影响。发现随着磨损角度增加,射流速度衰减加快,射流核心区长度缩短,同一等速线长度缩短,射流中心最大速度和最大速度点距中心距离增大。射流动压衰减速度随磨损角度增加而加快,磨损角度由0增至20°,距喷头端面1.5 m处最大动压减小了14.84%,14 000 Pa等压线包围面积由0.038 m2减小至0.002 m2。钢液面处高速区面积随着磨损角度增加而减小,死区面积随着磨损角度增加而增大。熔池纵截面高速区域主要分布在冲击凹坑和底吹元件附近,低速区域主要分布在熔池底部,死区主要分布在熔池底部中心和炉壁下部区域。当熔池深度小于0.6 m时,顶吹气流对熔池的搅拌起主要作用,磨损角度增加,熔池搅拌能力变弱,熔池横截面高速区面积减小,低速区和死区面积增大;当熔池深度大于0.6 m时,底吹气流对熔池搅拌起主要作用,高速区面积基本不变。渣-金作用区域和底吹流股附近流体湍动能较大、壁面剪切应力较为集中,该部位耐火材料侵蚀严重。熔池壁面附近流体湍动能和壁面剪切力随磨损角度增加而降低,转炉炉衬侵蚀速度减小。     

复吹转炉钢-渣间容量传质系数的水-油模型

在熔池直径880mm、深258mm的冷态模型中，利用水模拟钢水、机油模拟渣、苯甲酸模拟钢-渣间传输物质来研究熔池直径5285mm、深1545mm的复吹转炉吹炼工艺参数对钢-渣间容量传质系数的影响。结果表明，枪位350mm，顶吹流量117m^3/h，底吹流量1．68m^3/h至2．36m^3/h时，传输物质苯甲酸的容量传质系数变化最显著，在采用枪位350mm，顶吹流量140m^3/h，底吹流量1．68m^3/h，底枪布置方式为8孔对称布置在0．66直径的圆上时，传输物质的容量传质系数最大。     

Injection phenomena in nonferrous processes

Injection phenomena in a Peirce-Smith copper converter and a slag fuming furnace have been investigated during blowing. A tuyerescope attached to the back of a given tuyere has been employed to observe the build-up, and to obtain samples, of accretions while a piezoelectric transducer has been used to measure pressure fluctuations in the tuyere. It has been found that in both processes the accretions grow upward by a freezing mechanism from the bottom of the horizontal tuyere. Probing the shape of an accretion in the fuming furnace, without coal injection, showed that the accretion grew into the bath 30 to 40 mm from the tuyere tip. A study of the shape and frequency of the pressure pulses as well as the duration of intervals of low pressure in the tuyere has revealed that the closely spaced tuyeres may operate independently or may interact. Tuyeres in a full slag fuming furnace act independently of one another, and the air discharges in the classical bubbling regime at 5 to 6 bubbles per second. In the copper converter there is more tuyere interaction as bubbles growing at adjacent tuyeres coalesce to form a horizontal unstable gas envelope. In both processes if the tuyeres are shallowly submerged the gas may channel directly to the surface without forming bubbles. The influence of bath viscosity, the extent of wall erosion at the tuyere line, and tuyere submergence on these injection phenomena have been elucidated qualitatively. G.G. RICHARDS, formerly Graduate Student     

Flow regimes in submerged gas injection

The behavior of gas discharging into a liquid has been investigated in the labora-tory and in plant. The laboratory work has involved the injection of different gases from a submerged, horizontal tuyere into water, zinc-chloride solution, and a mercury bath. High speed cinematography and pressure measurements in the tuyere have been carried out to characterize the flow regimes. In the case of the mercury bath, a novel “half-tuyere” has been developed to permit visual observation of the gas. In this way, two regimes of flow, bubbling and steady jetting, have been delineated as a function of the modified Froude number and the ratio of gas to liquid densities. Pressure measurements at the tuyere tip have been correlated to the different stages of bubble growth in the bubbling regime, and can be used to distinguish one flow regime from the other. The measured bubble frequency and volume correspond reasonably well to predictions of a simple model of bubble growth under conditions of constant flow. The forward penetration of the jet centerline from the tuyere tip has been measured and found to depend both onN _Fr′ andρg/ρl. In the industrial tests, pressure taps have been installed in the tuyeres of a nickel converter to monitor the pressure wave of the jets under normal, low pressure blowing operations. The measurements show that the converter jets operate in the bubbling mode with a bubble frequency of 10 to 12 s⁻¹, similar to a gas jet in mercury. Tests involving higher pressure injection indicate that the steady jetting, or underexpanded, regime obtains at pressures of about 340 kPa (50 psi). Based on equivalent experiments in the laboratory, it is clear that low pressure blowing has the disadvantage of poor penetration of air into the bath so that the jets rise close to the back wall and locally accelerate refractory wear. Moreover between the formation of successive bubbles, the bath washes against the tuyere mouth and contributes to accretion formation. This necessitates periodic punching of the tuyeres which also contributes to refractory wear at the tuyere line. The use of high pressure injection to achieve steady jetting conditions, as currently practiced in the new bottom blown steelmaking processes, should be considered to solve these prob-lems, and possibly usher in a new generation of nonferrous converters.     

260t顶底复吹转炉喷溅特征的水模型研究和应用

以260 t转炉为对象,通过几何相似比1∶7水模型研究了供气流量和枪位对炉口、耳轴以及炉壁喷溅量的影响.结果 表明:喷溅量的多少与冲击坑的大小存在直接关系,冲击坑越大越深,则喷溅量越大;炉口喷溅量、耳轴喷溅量以及炉壁喷溅量均与吹气流量密切相关,并且随流量的增大呈指数增长;三类喷溅量随枪位升高先增大后减小,在枪位H=40...