Modelling of electrovortex and heat flows in dc arc furnaces with bottom electrode

Abstract

The article is devoted to the investigation of interaction between electrovortex and heat flows of liquid metal in dc arc furnaces with a bottom electrode. A mathematical model of liquid steel flows in a dc arc furnace with a bottom electrode was developed, and an algorithm of a three-stage solution was produced based on standard software packages. The results of electromagnetic, heat transfer and hydrodynamic analysis in industrial dc arc furnaces are given. It is shown that the Lorentz force makes up ∼30% of the volumetric gravity force and makes the main contribution to vortex flow of liquid metal in a dc arc furnace. The convection flows with the maximum heat power of furnace make a significant contribution to the vortex flow of liquid metal, and the maximum value of the vortex flow velocity is ∼1·5 times more than the movement without convection. The verification of results has been carried out by comparing them with general electrovortex flows theory, experimental data and results of similar software packages.

Keywords:

• dc arc furnace
• Lorentz force
• Electrovortex flows
• Heat flows
• Numerical modelling