Numerical modelling of the transport and removal of inclusions in an industrial gas-stirred ladle

A full-scale, three-dimensional, transient CFD modelling approach capable of predicting the three-phase fluid flow characteristics and the inclusion removal in a gas-stirred ladle was developed. The comparison with experimental data indicates that this model can accurately predict the multiphase fluid flow and slag eye behaviour. The transport and removal of the inclusions in the gas-stirred ladle were predicted by tracing the movement of individual inclusions through computing their particle trajectories and considering a fluctuant top slag layer. The effects of inclusion size, gas flow rates, and injected bubble diameters as well as various removal mechanisms including slag capture, bubble attachment, and ladle wall adhesion on the removal of inclusions were investigated. It is shown that the slag capture is the prevailing mechanism for inclusion removal and the gas flow rate is the most important parameter for enhancing the inclusion removal efficiency.     

LF精炼炉混合特性及夹杂物去除的水模型研究

针对某钢厂130 t精炼钢包炉熔池进行水模型实验,在研究混匀时间的同时,选择乳状液作为模拟夹杂物,研究了底吹氩钢包内夹杂物的上浮行为。实验考察指标为混匀时间和夹杂物的去除率。结果表明,底吹气量对混匀时间和夹杂物去除率影响均很显著,综合考虑混匀时间和夹杂物去除率及吹气量对钢液的影响,混匀时间较短,夹杂物去除效果较好,并且对钢液温度及污染影响较小的工艺参数为:双孔吹气,原型吹气量为250 L/min。     

120tLF炉钢包底吹工艺优化

针对天钢120LF精炼炉的实际情况并结合水模试验数据,对不同钢包底吹流量的钢液混匀时间、夹杂物去除效果、钢包卷渣的临界流量等进行了研究,制定了钢包底吹流量参数。最终通过引进新的钢包底吹设备使得工艺优化得以顺利完成。取得了良好的效果。     

Transient Flow and Inclusion Removal in Gas Stirred Ladle during Teeming Process

A water model of a typical 150t ladle was designed and constructed to determine the flow characteristics. A kind of organic emulsion was selected to model nonmetallic inclusion particles with the purpose of studying the inclusion removal effect under gas blowing in a teeming ladle. The presented modeling method for inclusion particles in the teeming process is different from those under steady condition. The numerical simulation was performed by using commercial software with the Eulerian‐Eulerian multiphase model applied to a model gas blown through a ladle. The numerical component of this study was conducted aiming at exploring the transient flow characteristics in teeming ladle corresponding to the physical experimental condition. Under the present conditions the authors came to the conclusion that soft gas blowing (2.7～4.0 × 10^?6 m³/s) was favourable to float inclusion particles into the slag layer. It is suggested to end the gas blowing when the drainage percentage reaches 50%.     

Numerical modelling studies of flow and mixing phenomena in gas stirred steel ladles

Abstract

A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to simulate the fluid flow and mixing phenomena in a gas stirred ladle. Particular attention was paid to incorporate the effect of slippage between rising gas bubbles and surrounding fluid in the numerical model, to capture the relevant flow physics in a more effective manner. Various parametric studies were undertaken to examine the effects of gas flow rate, bottom nozzle configurations and tracer addition locations on mixing time. It was observed that the arrangement of bottom nozzles has a great effect on the mixing behaviour in a gas stirred ladle, with off centric gas injection producing shorter mixing time. Mixing time was found to be sensitive to the tracer addition position, particularly for the axisymmetric bottom gas injection system. The predicted results were compared with reported experimental observations and a very good agreement was observed in this regard, thereby establishing the authenticity of the proposed formulation.     

Physical Modelling of Inclusion Behaviour in Secondary Refining with Argon Blowing

The effects of gas blowing time and flow rate on inclusion removal in a ladle were quantitatively investigated. A physical model was developed where emulsion drops simulate the collision and aggregation of inclusions in steel. The results show that most of the inclusions can be removed within eight minutes at lower gas flow rates, whereas sixteen minutes are needed with larger gas flow rates. All the inclusions which had the possibility to be removed almost disappeared from the system in twenty‐eight minutes. Both the high and the low gas flow rates seemed to be efficient for inclusion removal, which was explained based on discussing the mechanism of inclusion removal by bubbles. In addition, it was found that the inclusion removal was in exponential relationship with gas blowing time.     

Coupling of CFD and PBE Calculations to Simulate the Behavior of an Inclusion Population in a Gas-Stirring Ladle

Gas-stirring ladle treatment of liquid metal has been pointed out for a long time as the processing stage is mainly responsible for the inclusion population of specialty steels. A steel ladle is a complex three-phase reactor, where strongly dispersed inclusions are transported by the turbulent liquid metal/bubbles flow. We have coupled a population balance model with CFD in order to simulate the mechanisms of transport, aggregation, flotation, and surface entrapment of inclusions. The simulation results, when applied to an industrial gas-stirring ladle operation, show the efficiency of this modeling approach and allow us to compare the respective roles of these mechanisms on the inclusion removal rate. The comparison with literature reporting data emphasizes the good prediction of deoxidating rate of the ladle. On parallel, a simplified zero-dimensional model has been set-up incorporating the same kinetics law for the aggregation rate and all the removal mechanisms. A particular attention has been paid on the averaging method of the hydrodynamics parameters introduced in the flotation and kinetics kernels.     

Numerical Simulations of Inclusion Behavior in Gas-Stirred Ladles

A computation fluid dynamics–population balance model (CFD–PBM) coupled model has been proposed to investigate the bubbly plume flow and inclusion behavior including growth, size distribution, and removal in gas-stirred ladles, and some new and important phenomena and mechanisms were presented. For the bubbly plume flow, a modified k-ε model with extra source terms to account for the bubble-induced turbulence was adopted to model the turbulence, and the bubble turbulent dispersion force was taken into account to predict gas volume fraction distribution in the turbulent gas-stirred system. For inclusion behavior, the phenomena of inclusions turbulent random motion, bubbles wake, and slag eye forming on the molten steel surface were considered. In addition, the multiple mechanisms both that promote inclusion growth due to inclusion–inclusion collision caused by turbulent random motion, shear rate in turbulent eddy, and difference inclusion Stokes velocities, and the mechanisms that promote inclusion removal due to bubble-inclusion turbulence random collision, bubble-inclusion turbulent shear collision, bubble-inclusion buoyancy collision, inclusion own floatation near slag–metal interface, bubble wake capture, and wall adhesion were investigated. The importance of different mechanisms and total inclusion removal ratio under different conditions, and the distribution of inclusion number densities in ladle, were discussed and clarified. The results show that at a low gas flow rate, the inclusion growth is mainly attributed to both turbulent shear collision and Stokes collision, which is notably affected by the Stokes collision efficiency, and the inclusion removal is mainly attributed to the bubble-inclusion buoyancy collision and inclusion own floatation near slag–metal interface. At a higher gas flow rate, the inclusions appear as turbulence random motion in bubbly plume zone, and both the inclusion–inclusion and inclusion-bubble turbulent random collisions become important for inclusion growth and removal. With the increase of the gas flow rate, the total removal ratio increases, but when the gas flow rate exceeds 200 NL/min in 150-ton ladle, the total removal ration almost does not change. For the larger size inclusions, the number density in bubbly plume zone is less than that in the sidewall recirculation zones, but for the small size inclusions, the distribution of number density shows the opposite trend.     

钢包炉吹氩与夹杂物去除

为了掌握钢包炉的冶金功能和去除夹杂物的规律,分析了钢包炉的精炼功能和精炼过程中钢液的流动行为及其对夹杂物去除的影响。探讨了钢包炉吹氩时夹杂物颗粒的去除效率与搅拌功、均匀混合时间、氩气泡直径、夹杂物直径、透气砖数目、吹氩流量及吹氩时间之间的关系,提出了合理的钢包炉底吹氩制度,以满足钢液精炼的要求。     

110t不锈钢钢包炉底吹氩水模拟

依据相似原理建立钢包的物理模拟体系,采用水模型对110t LF钢包底吹氩过程进行研究,分析了吹气量、吹氩位置、钢包覆盖渣和钢包液面高度对钢包混匀的影响,并进行了相应的试验验证。研究结果表明：水模型试验结果和大工业应用具有较好的一致性,验证了水模型的可行性;钢包液面高度越高,混匀时间越长;吹气量越大,混匀时间越短;相同的液面高度和吹气量下,底吹氩最佳位置为0.33r 附近;钢包覆盖渣较黏时会使钢液流动显著减慢,增大吹气量容易产生卷渣现象。     

Study on the Formation of Open‐Eye and Slag Entrainment in Gas Stirred Ladle

Laboratory experiments were carried out to study the phenomena related to open‐eye formation in ladle treatment. Ga‐In‐Sn alloy with a melting temperature of 283 K was used to simulate the liquid steel, while MgCI₂‐Glycerol(87%) solution as well as HCl solution were used to simulate the ladle slag. No open‐eye was formed at lower gas flow rates, but, occurred when gas flow reached a critical rate. This critical gas flow rate was found to depend significantly on the height of the top liquid. No noticeable amount of top liquid was observed in any of the samples taken from the metal bulk during gas stirring. To confirm this aspect, samples of slag‐metal interface were taken around the open‐eye in an industrial gas stirred steel ladle. No entrapped slag droplet was found in the solidified steel within the region between the interface and 2 cm from the interface. The accordance of the laboratory and industrial results suggests that the entrainment of slag into the steel bulk around the open‐eye cannot be considered as the major contribution to inclusion formation.     

Influence of the Stirring Gas in a 170‐t Ladle on Mixing Phenomena – Formation and On‐line Control of Open‐Eye at an Industrial LD Steel Plant

3D calculations with Computational Fluid Dynamics were carried out to evaluate the flow pattern under industrial conditions with different gas flow rates at the steel plant of Saarstahl AG. The generated flow pattern consists of a circulating loop characterised by an upward flow driven by the argon gas and a downward flow close to the wall on the opposite side of the porous plug in the case of a gas flow rate of 27 STP m³/h. When this high gas flow rate is used, the gas bubbles are taking a straight way from the inlet, but further up the momentum from the circulating steel is affecting the path of the gas bubbles followed by a breakthrough zone at the top surface. Intensive experiments with the 170‐t ladle of Saarstahl AG revealed typical open‐eyes. Large open‐eyes coupled with turbulences in the surface were generated in the case of gas flow rates between 20 and 30 STP m³/h. Intensive turbulences and even smoke formation were identified when a gas flow rate of > 30 STP m³/h was applied. For the investigation of the influence of gas stirring processes on the mixing phenomena samples were taken from the melt immediately after alloying. It could be seen that the analyses of Al, C, Mn and Si increased to the target analyses due to alloying and introduction of Ar through the porous plug. The total time for complete alloying depended on the elements within these experiments. It seemed to be that the alloying time increased in the order of Al, C, Mn and Si. For on‐line control and analysis of open‐eyes in the melt surface during ladle stirring, a BFI image processing system was installed at the steel plant of Saarstahl. It consisted of a conventional digital camera equipped with an infrared filter and coupled to an image processing software. Primary tests showed a slight influence of the open‐eye diameter at the end of the ladle treatment on inclusion densities in the liquid steel and oxidic K0 values of the finished wire rod. Additional experiments were performed but only a small correlation existed between the stirring energy at the end of ladle treatment and the inclusion length index of the applied blue brittle tests. But as soon as an open‐eye came into existence, the inclusion length was higher compared to those heats produced under a closed top slag.     

差流量吹氩模式对150 t钢包混匀与顶渣行为的影响

 针对钢包传统的双孔等流量底吹氩模式在流量较大时造成的流股相互碰撞、搅拌能耗散大、钢包卷渣和钢水二次氧化倾向大的问题,提出一种双孔差流量搅拌模式,并以150 t工业钢包为原型,采用1∶3物理模型研究了两个吹氩孔分布、吹氩流量和渣层厚度对新底吹模式下钢水混匀时间与顶部渣眼面积的影响。结果表明,与传统等流量吹氩模式相比,双孔差流量搅拌钢包混匀时间和渣眼面积普遍有所减小。其中,两个底吹透气砖在包底0.6R(钢包底部半径)处、夹角为180°时,可获得较短的混匀时间和较小的渣眼,且两个渣眼出现在钢包液面两侧,避免了常见的渣层偏聚不均匀现象。研究结果为工业实践中采用新型双孔差流量搅拌模式改善钢包冶金效果、更好地抑制钢水二次氧化提供了依据。     

底吹钢包内流动及混合的两相流数值模拟

应用欧拉-欧拉模型建立了钢包内钢液流动及混合过程的数学模型,考察了吹气量对中心底吹及偏心底吹钢包内流场及均混时间的影响。计算结果表明,钢包底部四周为流动缓慢区域;吹气量越大,一方面可以降低均混时间,另一方面会导致钢包自由液面的钢液流速增大,从而容易造成卷渣;从缩短混合时间,提高生产效率考虑,偏心底吹更为有利。     

环流式真空脱气装置的钢水混合与循环

通过实测数据及理论参数建立了ＲＨ环流和主要影响因素间的应用关系,计算结果与工业试验数据相吻合。定量分析了顶吹方法对ＲＨ环流过程钢包所获得的单位搅拌功率的影响。结果表明,顶吹氧射流对钢包混匀时间和循环流量的作用可以忽略。     

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。     

精炼钢包底吹氩性能优化物理模拟研究

以天钢120 t LF为原型,在相似原理的基础上,通过水模型试验,研究考察了底吹氩量对出钢过程及吹氩 精炼过程钢液混合效果的影响,对精炼钢包内的渣金卷混行为进行了研究,并考察了不同操作工艺参数（时间、吹 氩量）对钢包内夹杂物去除的影响规律,进而对原工艺的改进提供了依据。     

180t钢包底吹氩过程钢液流场特性数值模拟

为增强钢厂180 t钢包底吹氩过程搅拌效果,根据模型设计参数建立了底吹氩数学模型,运用CFD软件fluent对钢包底吹氩过程流场进行数值模拟.基于流体力学理论,计算并分析了底吹氩过程中心间距1/3R,1/2R和2/3R和底吹氩气流量300～1000 L/min对钢包内流场、"死区"比例及混匀时间等的影响规律.结果 表明...     

吹氩精炼钢包内非金属夹杂物去除机理

 通过物理模拟试验,研究分析了底吹氩精炼钢包内夹杂物去除机理以及吹氩量对其的影响规律。结果表明：钢包中夹杂物的上浮主要是通过上升的钢液流携带,底吹氩量对夹杂物在钢包表面的钢-渣界面去除行为存在重要影响。吹氩量较小时,钢-渣界面稳定,夹杂物在浮力、毛细作用力等共同作用下穿过平坦的钢-渣界面而被吸收;吹氩量较大时,钢-渣界面波动大,渣眼周围发生卷渣,夹杂物被卷入的液滴吸收,随液滴进入渣层;吹氩量大,渣眼周围形成渣泡,夹杂物被渣泡吸收,随渣泡进入渣层。吹氩量达到一定时,夹杂物被钢-渣界面的吸收成为其被去除的限制性环节,且吹氩量较大时夹杂物去除效果最差,为实际吹氩精炼过程吹气量的控制提供了指导。     

Regimes of Micro-bubble Formation Using Gas Injection into Ladle Shroud

Gas injection into a ladle shroud is a practical approach to produce micro-bubbles in tundishes, to promote inclusion removal from liquid steel. A semi-empirical model was established to characterize the bubble formation considering the effect of shearing action combined with the non-fully bubble break-up by turbulence. The model shows a good accuracy in predicting the size of bubbles formed in complex flow within the ladle shroud.