Analysis of fluid flow characteristics of RH reactor with different bottom-blowing arrangements

ABSTRACT

A numerical model of RH reactor with bottom-blowing is developed and used to analyse the influence of bottom-blowing position and gas flow rate on the fluid flow of molten steel, shear stress and slag layer. The results show that the flow difference caused by bottom-blowing positions is mainly due to the different movement behaviour of bubbles. When blowing directly below the up-snorkel, the bubble flow is more concentrated. With the increase in the flow rate, the offset of bubbles towards the up-snorkel direction increases, and it is easier to enter the gap between the up-snorkel and the ladle wall to form slag eye, and increase of shear stress on the ladle and the snorkels. When the position is under the up-snorkel which offset towards the centre of the ladle, the wall shear stress is weaker under the same flow rate, and the flow rate allows larger before slag eye forming.

KEYWORDS:

• Ruhrstahl–Heraeus reactor
• bottom-blowing
• numerical simulation
• wall shear stress
• slag eye
• Flow field
• Bubble behavior
• Bottom-blowing position

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Research data are not shared.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 52004023].