CFD modelling and optimization of oxygen supply mode in KIVCET smelting process

The influence of oxygen supply mode on the KIVCET (a Russian acronym for flash-cyclone-oxygen-electric-smelting) process was investigated using numerical simulation. The mass rate ratio (MRR) of central oxygen to lateral oxygen of the central jet distributor (CJD) burner was defined to express the oxygen supply mode, and the KIVCET process with an MRR ranging from 0.09 to 0.39 was simulated. The results show that there are four efficient reaction regions that correspond to four CJD burners. A higher central oxygen flow improves the mixing between particles and oxygen, thus enhancing reactions and shortening the reaction regions. However, a higher dust rate is induced due to the spread of the particle columns. The optimal MRR for a KIVCET furnace with a smelting capacity of 50000 kg/h is suggested to be 0.31. In this case, the chemical reactions associated with the feed are completed with an acceptable dust rate.