Numerical simulation research on molten steel flow under different gas flow rates in the eccentric bottom tapping zone of electric arc furnace

Abstract

The application of the bottom-blowing process in electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking process can shorten the mixing time of the molten bath effectively;accelerate the removal of carbon, phosphorus, and sulfur;as well as improve the production efficiency and product quality.The velocity field of molten steel flow under different gas flow rates in eccentric bottom tapping (EBT) zone of EAF was simulated using simulation software.The average velocity of molten steel in the EBT zone was increased from 2.805×10-3■flow rates in EBT zone were increased from 100 to 267 L·min-1 (the rest gas flow rates were maintained at 133 L·min-1) .An empirical formula of gas flow rates in EBT and molten steel flow was obtained.A prediction model for carbon content was proposed based on molten steel stirred via bottom blowing during the EAF steelmaking process.This provided theoretical suggestions for the homogeneity of bath and reasonable oxygen supply considering that the kinetic factor of reactions in the bath was the molten steel flow at the end point of smelting.

Keywords

• bottom-blowing of eaf
• ebt zone
• fluid flow of molten steel
• numerical simulation