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A kinetic model was developed to describe multicomponent reactions and mass transfer at the steel/molten flux interface under the effect of the interfacial tension. This model mainly describes the following interfacial physicochemical phenomena: i) Silica decomposition and oxygen adsorption at the interface, ii) Oxygen and titanium reactions at the interface, iii) Oxygen and aluminum reaction at the interface, iv) Silica mass transfer from the flux bulk to the interface, and v) Dissolution of the formed titanium dioxide and alumina into the flux and its transfer in flux. With this model, the dynamic changes of the mold flux composition, steel composition, interfacial oxygen content and interfacial tension for different mold flux compositions were predicted. Overall, the dynamic composition changes of the mold fluxes in a casting mold were reproduced. The basicity of the mold flux shows a large influence on the dynamic change of its composition. The initial composition change of the mold flux is fast when the flux with a high basicity was used, compared with the case of the mold flux with a low basicity. The interfacial oxygen content and the interfacial tension were found to reach a constant value after the steel/flux reaches a metastable state. In addition, the interfacial adsorption of oxygen due to the interfacial tension effect was found to significantly accelerate the dynamic change process of the steel/mold flux system., QC 20200107

A new kinetic model was developed to predict the dynamic change of the interfacial oxygen content and the steel/slag interfacial tension. This model mainly describes the following interfacial physicochemical phenomena: i) Silica decomposition and oxygen adsorption at the interface, ii) Oxygen and aluminum reactions at the interface, iii) Oxygen desorption from the interface, iv) Silica mass transfer from the slag to the interface, v) Dissolution of the formed alumina into the slag and its transfer in slag and vi) Blockage on the silica mass transfer, to come in contact with the steel, by the accumulation of the formed alumina at the interface. With this model, the dynamic changes of the interfacial oxygen contents under different aluminum contents in steel and different slag viscosities were predicted. Overall, the interfacial oxygen content was found to increase with a decreased aluminum content and a decreased slag viscosity. Furthermore, the aluminum reaction rate can significantly influence the interfacial oxygen content as well as the interfacial tension. In addition, the model captured the fast increase of the interfacial tension after passing the minimum value point for the system of a high -Al content steel and a low viscous slag, which is in agreement with the experimental observations. Furthermore, a parameter study was carried out to show the influence of various parameters on the dynamic interfacial phenomena., QC 20190813

Effect of a swirling flow SEN (submerged entry nozzle) outlet design on the multiphase flow and heat transfer in a mould was investigated by using numerical simulation. It was found that different SEN outlet designs could form different flow patterns and temperature distributions on the upper of the mould. The enlarged outlet SEN design had an effect to decrease the horizontal velocity of liquid steel flowing out the SEN outlet, reducing the steel flow velocity towards the solidification front. Although a higher velocity was found near the slag/steel interface with the enlarged outlet SEN, but the turbulent kinetic energy was lower. The reason was that less circulation flows were formed in the region of the mould top. The weak horizontal flow towards the solidification front with the enlarged outlet SEN induced lower wall shear stresses, at the same time it also formed a lower temperature distribution near the solidified shell., QC 20190904

A 1:4.6 scale physical model of a production argon oxygen decarburisation (AOD) converter was used to study the influence of top slag on the AOD process. Specifically, the gas penetration depth, fluid flow and slag behaviour under different nozzle diameters, nozzle numbers and gas flow rates were studied. The results show that the relative gas penetration depth generally increases linearly with an increased gas flow rate and a decreased nozzle size. Furthermore, the slag thickness increases linearly with an increased gas flow rate. In addition, the open-eye size was found to increase exponentially with an increased gas flow rate. Overall, three kinds of fluid flow patterns were found in the experiments: (i) a counter-clockwise rotation, (ii) a clockwise rotation and (iii) a double circulation with the plume in the middle of the converter. A counter-clockwise rotation was most common for the current experimental conditions., QC 20190107

IronArc is a newly developed technology for pig iron production with the aim to reduce the CO2 emission and energy consumption, compared to a conventional blast furnace route. In order to understand the fluid flow and stirring in the IronArc reactor, water modeling experiments are performed. Specifically, a down scaled acrylic plastic model of the IronArc pilot plant reactor is used to investigate the mixing phenomena and gas penetration depth in the liquid bath. The mixing time is determined by measuring the conductivity in the bath, after a sodium chloride solution is added. Moreover, the penetration depth is determined by analyzing the pictures obtained during the experimental process by using both a video camera and a high speed camera. The results show that the bath movements are strong and that a circular movement of the surface is present. The mixing in the model for the flow rate of 282 NLmin(-1) is fast. Specifically, the average mixing times are 7.6 and 10.2s for a 95% and a 99% homogenization degree, respectively. This is 15% and 18% (per degree of homogenization) faster compared to the case when using 3 gas inlets and the same flow rate., QC 20180726

The effect of a new cylindrical swirling flow tundish design on the multiphase flow and heat transfer in a mold was studied. The RSM (Reynolds stress model) and the VOF (volume of fluid) model were used to solve the steel and slag flow phenomena. The effect of the swirling flow tundish design on the temperature distribution and inclusion motion was also studied. The results show that the new tundish design significantly changed the flow behavior in the mold, compared to a conventional tundish casting. Specifically, the deep impingement jet from the SEN (Submerged Entry Nozzle) outlet disappeared in the mold, and steel with a high temperature moved towards the solidified shell due to the swirling flow effect. Steel flow velocity in the top of the mold was increased. A large velocity in the vicinity of the solidified shell was obtained. Furthermore, the risk of the slag entrainment in the mold was also estimated. With the swirling flow tundish casting, the temperature distribution became more uniform, and the dissipation of the steel superheat was accelerated. In addition, inclusion trajectories in the mold also changed, which tend to stay at the top of the mold for a time. A future study is still required to further optimize the steel flow in mold., QC 20181114