Behaviour of Argon Gas Bubbles in an Electromagnetic Driven Swirling Flow |
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Authors: | Fengsheng Qi Baokuan Li Fumitaka Tsukihashi |
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Affiliation: | 1. School of Materials and Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110004 China;2. Department of Advanced Materials Science, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5‐1‐5, Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277‐8561 Japan |
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Abstract: | An innovative steelmaking process is suggested using an electromagnetic driven swirling flow in the up‐leg of an RH vacuum degassing vessel. The effectiveness of this new process depends on the two‐phase flow behaviour of molten steel and argon gas. A physical and a mathematical model are developed to understand the effect of electromagnetic driven swirling flows on the behaviour of gas bubbles in the up‐leg of an RH vessel. Both water model experiments and numerical simulation show the distribution and trajectories of the gas bubbles. The gas bubbles’ trajectories are spiral and move towards the centre of the up‐leg in the swirling flow field. The accumulation of gas bubbles depends on the swirling number. At the same time, the swirling flow can prolong the residence time and trajectories of non‐metal inclusions in the vessel. The viscous drag force becomes important for small bubbles in the RH degassing vessel, and small bubbles have the trend to rotate with the swirling flow. |
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Keywords: | argon gas bubble swirling flow rotating electromagnetic field RH degassing vessel non‐metal inclusion |
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