Numerical Simulation of the Slag Splashing Process in A 120 Ton Top-Blown Converter

Abstract

Slag splashing operations at the end of the converter blow process can improve the furnace liner life and the converter operation rate. However, the effect of factors on slag splashing at actual dimensions is yet to be fully understood. A three-dimensional transient mathematical model coupled with the response surface analysis has been established to investigate the effects of the amount of remaining slag, oxygen lance height, and top-blowing nitrogen flowrate on the slag splashing process in a 120 ton top-blown converter. The predicted splashing density is validated by the experimental data. The numerical simulation results show that the splashing density and the splashing area ratio increase with the amount of remaining slag, which has the greatest effect on slag splashing. As the oxygen lance height decreases, the splashing density and the splashing area ratio first increase and then decrease. The top-blowing nitrogen flowrate is positively correlated with the splashing area ratio. When the oxygen lance height is high, the impact of the top-blowing nitrogen flowrate on the splashing density is not significant. The splashing density increases with increasing top-blowing nitrogen flowrate as the oxygen lance height is low.

Keywords

• top-blown converter
• slag splashing
• numerical simulation
• response surface analysis