Computing Concentration Distribution of Lump Additives in Argon-stirred Melt

To modify easily chemical consistence of molten steel metallurgical plants usually add alloys in a form of lumps through a hopper at ladle`s top. The problem is a large variety of adjusted technological conditions for this process, which leads to iterative discovery of rational ones. The article presents synthesis of a mathematical model for the mentioned process using Navier-Stokes and Euler-Lagrange equations. It is designed for researching of process modes depending on: a horizontal position of addition hopper relatively to argon plug at ladle bottom, an average diameter of spherical addition lumps, a total mass of addition heap, a necessity of the second hopper, a temperature of the melt. It takes into account interconnected three-dimensional fluid and solids dynamics, temperature exchange between melt and lump, also it computes level of concentration homogenization. A numerical experiment shows a significantly better addition homogenization when two hoppers are simultaneously used for a feeding. Adequacy checks are performed using ice balls in air-stirred water.