Physical model experiment and theoretical analysis of scrap melting process in electric arc furnace combined blowing system

ABSTRACT

Scrap melting is of increasing interest to the metallurgical industry because it can significantly improve the production efficiency of electric arc furnace (EAF). In the present study, a water model experiment and theoretical analysis were used to investigate the effect of ice melting on the cooling effect of water bath under different ice shapes, ice sizes, bottom-blowing gas flow rates, side-blowing hot steam flow rates and top-blowing hot steam heights. Correspondingly, the melting rate of ice in water bath has also been studied. The results show that an increase in the original size of ice, the flow rate of bottom-blowing gas and the height of top-blowing hot steam, and a decrease in the flow rate of side-blowing hot steam, cause an increase in the cooling effect of ice melting on the bath. The melting rate of ice increases with increasing the flow rates of bottom-blowing gas and side-blowing hot steam, while an increase in the ice size and top-blowing hot steam height, prolongs the melting time of ice. The theoretical analysis results of ice melting process are in agreement with the results of the water model experiment. The results are beneficial to the optimization of the scrap melting process in the EAF.

KEYWORDS:

• Scrap melting
• water model
• theoretical analysis
• electric arc furnace

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC, Nos. 51734003, 51574020, 51664021).