Stereoscopic Photography in the Study of Particle Motion in a Blast Furnace

Abstract

The paper describes the study of particle motion in front of the tuyere of a blast furnace. The normal inspection window was replaced by twin windows, and the view through these was photographed by a Kodak high-speed cine camera on a split-frame stereoscopic system. Two forms of frame-splitter were designed and used for the work. For analysis of the films, an optical method was developed operating on the projected image of a single frame. After initial adjustment, the system gives a direct indication above a plotting table of the three-dimensional position of the particle being analysed on the screen. In front of a tuyere the air blast opens a cavity in the solid mass of particles of coke, ore and limestone. By analysis of films taken the depth of this cavity was measured. Particle tracks and velocities were charted and the circulatory nature of particle motion in the cavity was also confirmed.