REDA精炼过程钢液流场及循环流量的数值模拟

基于欧拉多相流模型建立REDA精炼过程钢液流动行为的数学模型,并借助计算流体力学软件PHOE- NICS对钢液流动过程进行仿真模拟,重点分析了底吹喷嘴位置、吹氩流量、浸渍管插入深度及浸渍管内径等工艺 参数对REDA精炼过程流场及循环流量的影响。数值模拟结果表明:对于300 t REDA精炼装置底吹喷嘴位置取 1/2 R处为宜,浸渍管插入深度对循环流量影响不显著,扩大浸渍管内径可显著提高钢水循环流量,吹氩流量为1 200 L/min时,钢液循环流量约可达到210 t/min     

单管RH精炼过程钢液流场的水模型实验

采用物理模拟方法对单管 RH 真空精炼过程流场的循环流动、混合特性等进行了研究,建立与 RH 真空精炼装置原型相似比为1∶5的水模型,研究了不同工艺参数对单管 RH 装置内钢液循环流动的影响。对比实验测量数据发现,增大吹氩量和浸渍管插入深度以及浸渍管有效横截面有利于提高循环流量,减小均混时间;在相同的实验条件下,椭圆形浸渍管 RH 比传统浸渍管 RH 的循环流量要大15％以上,单管 RH 的均混时间比传统RH 可以缩短20％;单管 RH 钢包底部吹氩位置位于距钢包中心0.4R(R 是钢包半径)处时,均混时间最短。     

不同浸渍管参数下RH装置内钢液流动行为

采用均相流模型考察了不同浸渍管参数对RH装置内流场的影响.数值结果表明,偏心移动浸渍管时,在真空室底部、真空室及钢包钢液表面的下降管处发现较大的漩涡,但对循环流量影响较小;减小浸渍管间距,真空室左侧壁面的回流增强,循环流量减小;减小浸渍管插入深度,循环流量增大.在RH设备设计中,在不发生钢渣卷混的前提下,尽量减小浸渍管插入深度或增大浸渍管间距可提高钢液循环流量.     

弓形浸渍管RH钢液流动行为的物理模拟

为了提高RH真空精炼系统的效率,设计了一种弓形浸渍管结构的RH真空槽。通过水模型试验对弓形和传统圆形浸渍管的RH设备进行了循环流量和均混时间的测定。试验发现:在实际生产条件下,弓形浸渍管RH比传统圆形浸渍管RH循环流量增加100%～180%;均混时间比传统RH减少35%左右。当提升气体流量超过饱和值时,弓形浸渍管RH的循环流量随着提升气体流量的增大而更加明显。弓形浸渍管RH可显著提高精炼效率,具有重要的应用前景。     

RH真空精炼过程的动态模拟

建立了描述RH真空精炼装置内钢液动态脱碳（脱气）模型。对RH真空精炼时的脱碳、脱氧、脱氮和脱氢过程进行了动态模拟研究，考察了浸渍管直径、循环流量、吹氩量、氧含量和真空度对脱碳和脱气过程的影响。动态脱碳（脱气）模型考虑了反应机理，认为脱碳是通过上升管中Ar气泡表面、真空室中钢液的自由表面和真空室钢液内部脱碳反应生成的CO气泡表面进行的，并且考虑了精炼处理时的抽真空制度。该模型能全面描述RH精炼过程中不同时刻钢液中碳、氧、氮和氢的含量，能较好预测实际过程，可用于RH真空精炼过程的优化和新工艺开发。     

RH设备形状对钢液流动和混合特性的影响

采用水模拟和数值模拟方法对大真空室、椭圆浸渍管及常规RH模型的流场特性进行分析和比较.经过对循环流量和混匀时间的测定,得出椭圆管RH的流场特性参数最佳,大真空RH与普通RH相近.椭圆管RH增大循环流量后可促进脱碳,大真空RH则大大提高钢液表面反应层的脱碳效果,但其对提升气量和工艺操作条件有严格的要求.结合2种改进模型的特点,对RH设备进行几何和供气参数的优化匹配是提高精炼效率的关键.     

145 t RH真空精炼装置内钢液循环流动特性的水模型研究

基于相似原理,建立几何相似比1:7水模型研究了145t RH真空精炼装置内钢液循环流动行为,研究了提升气量(60~140 m³/h) 、浸渍管浸渍深度(400~600 mm) 、真空室液面高度(426~526 mm)对钢水循环流量和混匀时间的影响。结果表明,循环流量随提升气量增加而增大且呈近似线性关系,混匀时间随提升气量增加而呈非线性减小;500 mm的浸渍管浸渍深度和526 mm的真空室液面高度下均出现较理想的循环流量;130 m³/h提升气量、600 mm浸渍管浸渍深度和526 mm真空室液面高度可获得最佳循环流动特性。     

RH真空精炼过程循环流量的水模型研究

建立了钢厂250 t RH真空精炼装置1/4的水模型,研究浸渍管内径(520～750 mm)、驱动气体流量(1 000～3 000 L/min)、浸渍管浸入深度(525～800 mm)和真空室压力(0～25 kPa)等参数对RH循环流量的影响。结果表明,随驱动气体流量、浸渍管浸入深度增加、浸渍管内径增大以及真空室压力减少,RH钢水循环流量增加;为获得较大流量,浸渍管浸入深度应≥560 mm,真空室液面高度应≥200 mm。得出循环流量的回归方程,通过对钢厂250 t RH设备工艺参数作相应调整后,RH装置的生产效率明显提高。     

RH精炼过程钢液流动行为与循环流量数值模拟

以某厂300 t RH-MFB工艺参数为基础,建立了整体RH装置的三维数学模型,探讨影响钢液循环流量的因素.用双流体模型处理气液两相流,分析了相同真空度条件下吹氩流量、浸渍管深度、吹氩喷嘴排布等因素对钢液流场和循环流量的影响.结果表明:吹氩流量在4 000 NL/min以下时,循环流量随吹氩流量增加而提高;在一定范围内适当增加浸渍管插入深度有利于提升循环流量;吹氩喷嘴上下交错排布比上下一致排布更合理.     

弓形浸渍管RH混合传质均匀性的数值模拟

为了提高RH系统真空精炼的效率,采用了一种新型弓形浸渍管RH装置.通过欧拉-欧拉方法对弓形浸渍管RH装置进行了数值模拟,计算了循环流量、均混时间、真空室液面流速分布、真空室内传质均匀性、真空室内RTD和钢包内RTD,并与传统RH进行对比.结果表明,在实际生产条件下,弓形管RH的循环流量比传统RH增加了91％～99％,均...     

Mathematical Modelling of Molten Steel Flow Process in a Whole RH Degasser during the Vacuum Circulation Refining Process: Application of the Model and Results

A three‐dimensional mathematical model for the molten steel flow during the RH refining process has been applied to the circulatory flow processes in both a practical RH degasser and its water model unit. The model was presented earlier [1] and one of its characteristics is that ladle, snorkels and vacuum vessel are regarded as a whole. Using this model, the fluid flow field and the gas holdups of liquid phases and others have been computed respectively for a 90 t RH degasser and its water model unit with a 1/5 linear scale. The results show that the mathematical model can properly describe the flow pattern of molten steel during the refining process in an RH degasser. Except in the area close to the liquid's free surface and in the zone between the two snorkels in the ladle, a strong mixing of the molten steel occurs, especially in the vacuum vessel. However, there is a boundary layer between the descending liquid stream from the down‐snorkel and its surrounding liquid, which is a typical liquid‐liquid two‐phase flow, and the molten steel in the ladle is not in a perfect mixing state. The lifting gas blown is ascending mostly near the up‐snorkel wall, which is more obvious under the conditions of a practical RH degasser, and the flow pattern of the bubbles and molten steel in the up‐snorkel is closer to an annular flow. The calculated circulation rates for the water model unit at different lifting gas rates are in good agreement with experimentally determined values.     

唐钢RH钢包混匀时间及流场模拟计算与分析

研究了真空度、提升气体量和吹气孔位置对RH钢水混匀时间的影响,模拟了钢包流场情况。试验结果表明:提高RH系统真空度、增加RH提升气体量或增大气体的吹入深度均可减小混匀时间;唐钢RH精炼过程中无死区存在,在相应的混匀时间内可以实现整包钢水成分和温度的均匀;合理控制真空度、提升气体量和浸渍管插入深度有利于稳定出站钢水碳含量,提高Al2O3夹杂物的去除率。     

Mathematical modelling of molten steel flow in a whole degasser during RH refining process

Abstract

A three-dimensional mathematical model for molten steel flow in a whole degasser during the RH (Ruhrstahl–Heraeus) refining process is proposed. The model has been developed considering the physical characteristics of the process, particularly the behaviour of gas–liquid two phase flow in the up snorkel and the momentum exchange between the two phases. The fluid flow fields and gas holdups of liquid phases, among other parameters, in a 90 t RH degasser and a water model unit of one-fifth linear scale have been computed using this mathematical model. The results show that the flow pattern of molten steel in a whole RH degasser can be well represented by the mathematical model. Apart from the area close to the free surface and the zone between the two snorkels in the ladle, the molten steel in an RH degasser, especially in the vacuum vessel, is reasonably fully mixed during the refining process. However, there is a boundary layer between the descending liquid stream from the down snorkel and the surrounding liquid, which is typical liquid–liquid two phase flow, and the molten steel in the ladle is not perfectly mixed. The blown lifting gas ascends mostly near the up snorkel wall, which is more obvious under the conditions of an actual RH degasser, and the flow pattern of bubbles and molten steel in the up snorkel is closer to annular flow. Calculated circulation rates for the water model unit at various lifting gas rates are in good agreement with values determined by means of water modelling experiments.     

RH精炼工艺对无取向电工钢质量的影响

为了在保证产品质量的前提下降低无取向电工钢的生产成本,分析了RH精炼工艺在不同钢水循环流量下各工序夹杂物的演变规律、成品磁性能和表面质量的变化.结果 显示,RH精炼工艺的变化对钢液中夹杂物组成、热轧材样夹杂物数量和成品磁性能无明显影响,对表面质量有负相关影响,钢水循环流量越大,表面夹杂物降低等级的比例越低.RH出站,钢液中夹杂物当量面积,尤其是5μm以上较大夹杂物与钢水循环流量呈负相关的影响,热轧材样中夹杂物(包括第二相析出物)主要是第二相析出物AlN和MnS、少量的氧化物夹杂,其数量与RH精炼工艺无相关性.在保证质量满足要求的前提下,RH工序可适当调整钢水循环流量,降低生产成本.     

Mathematical Modelling of Non‐equilibrium Decarburization Process during Vacuum Circulation Refining of Molten Steel: Application of the Model and Results (I) ‐ Decarburization Process and Influences of Some Technological Factors

A novel three‐dimensional mathematical model proposed and developed for the non‐equilibrium decarburization process during the vacuum circulation (RH) refining of molten steel has been applied to the refining process of molten steel in a 90‐t multifunction RH degasser. The decarburization processes of molten steel in the degasser under the conditions of RH and RH‐KTB operations have been modelled and analysed, respectively, using the model. The results demonstrate that the changes in the carbon and oxygen contents of liquid steel with the treatment time during the RH and RH‐KTB refining processes can be precisely modelled and predicted by use of the model. The distribution patterns of the carbon and oxygen concentrations in the steel are governed by the flow characteristics of molten steel in the whole degasser. When the initial carbon concentration in the steel is higher than 400 · 10⁻⁴ mass%, the top oxygen blowing (KTB) operation can supply the oxygen lacking for the decarburization process, and accelerate the carbon removal, thus reaching a specified carbon level in a shorter time. Moreover, a lower oxygen content is attained at the decarburization endpoint. The average contributions at the up‐snorkel zone, the bath bulk and the free surface with the droplets in the vacuum vessel in the refining process are about 11, 46 and 42% of the overall amount of decarburization, respectively. The decarburization roles at the gas bubble‐molten steel interface in the up‐snorkel and the droplets in the vacuum vessel should not be ignored for the RH and RH‐KTB refining processes. For the refining process in the 90‐t RH degasser, a better efficiency of decarburization can be obtained using an argon blow rate of 417 I(STP)/min, and a further increase in the argon blowing rate cannot obviously improve the effectiveness in the RH refining process of molten steel under the conditions of the present work.     

Mathematical Simulation of Flow Field for Molten Steel in an 80–ton Single Snorkel Vacuum Refining Furnace

The three–dimensional flow field of molten steel in an 80–ton single snorkel vacuum refining furnace has been mathematically simulated to attain the optimal configuration and operation parameters, such as the bottom blowing Ar flow rate, the eccentric position of bottom blowing Ar port at ladle bottom, the single snorkel inner diameter, and the single snorkel immersion depth into molten steel. The mathematical simulation results show that a stable flow field of molten steel can be achieved in 70–second; meanwhile, the maximal circulation intensity of molten steel in the 80–ton single snorkel vacuum refining furnace can be found on a cross–section with y as 0 mm based on the middle of ladle bottom as circular point of the Cartesian space coordinate under the condition of injecting Ar gas on x coordinate considering the asymmetry of flow field for molten steel in the single snorkel vacuum refining furnace. The recommended parameters of the 80–ton single snorkel vacuum refining furnace with ideal circulation intensity as 970.1 kg/s are the bottom blowing Ar flow rate as 450–500 Nl/min, the eccentric position of bottom blowing Ar port as 250 mm, the single snorkel inner diameter as 1000 mm, and the single snorkel immersion depth as 500 mm.     

Study of Fluid Flow and Mixing Behaviour of a Vacuum Degasser

In recent times the demand of ultra-low carbon steel (ULCS) with improved mechanical properties such as good ductility and good workability has been increased as it is used to produce cold-rolled steel sheets for automobiles. For producing ULCS efficiently, it is necessary to improve the productivity of the vacuum degassers such as RH, DH and tank degasser. Recently, it has been claimed that using a new process, called REDA (revolutionary degassing activator), one can achieve the carbon content below 10?ppm in less time. As such, REDA process has not been studied thoroughly in terms of fluid flow and mass transfer which is a necessary precursor to understand and design this process. Therefore, momentum and mass transfer of the process has been studied by solving momentum and species balance equations along with k?C?? turbulent model in two-dimension (2D) for REDA process. Similarly, computational fluid dynamic studies have been made in 2D for tank and RH degassers to compare them with REDA process. Computational results have been validated with published experimental and theoretical data. It is found that REDA process is the most efficient among all these processes in terms of mixing efficiency. Fluid flow phenomena have been studied in details for REDA process by varying gas flow rate, depth of immersed snorkel in the steel, diameter of the snorkel and change in vacuum pressure. It is found that design of snorkel affects the melt circulation in the bath significantly.     

RH精炼循环流量优化的水模型研究

以70 t钢包RH精炼装置为原型建立了1:3.27水模型,用流速法测量RH循环流量。分析了实际工艺条件下钢水的RH循环流量以及上升管吹气量、吹气孔内径、吹气孔高度、浸渍管插入深度等参数对RH循环流量的影响,并得出优化工艺参数。70 t钢包RH精炼实验结果表明,当上升管吹气量1 200 L/min,吹气孔内径3 mm时,轴承钢平均[O]比原工艺降低3×10^-6;超低碳钢碳含量可降低到0.002%以下,脱碳时间比优化前明显减少。     

Study of Argon/Molten Steel Two-Phase Flow in Refining of High Clean Steel Using Two-Fluid Model

RH vacuum degasser is a very important secondary refining device in the production of high quality steels. The flow field of molten steel in RH system plays a significant role in determining productivity of the equipment. The homogeneous model and VOF method were often used to predict the flow field in RH system, but these kinds of models simplified the interaction between gas bubbles and molten steel. In the present work, a numerical model of a whole RH system, including vacuum degasser, immersed legs and ladle,was built based on gas-liquid two-fluid model, and it could be used to analyze the interaction between argon bubbles and molten steel, to understand the effect of the bubble size to the flow field.