Physical and Numerical Simulation of the Optimum Nozzle Radial Position in Ladles with One Nozzle and Bottom Gas Injection

抄録

The effect of the nozzle radial position on both mixing time and slag eye due to bottom gas injection in metallurgical ladles was investigated using physical and mathematical modelling. Previous research has extensively investigated the effects of the nozzle radial position on mixing time, however, the few available results with respect to ladle eye indicate contradictory results. To identify the optimum nozzle radial position with respect to both mixing time and slag eye area a systematic investigation has been carried out. A water model with a geometric scale ratio 1:8 was employed to study the influence of different nozzle radial positions on both the slag eye area and mixing time. A mathematical model was developed using the Euler-Lagrangian approach considering multiphase flow. In previous investigations the optimum nozzle radial position has been defined considering only mixing time.

The experimental results from this work show a clear trend indicating a large influence of the nozzle radial position on the slag eye. Two new equations are proposed to describe the effect of the nozzle radial position on both mixing time and slag eye. An optimum nozzle radial position is suggested which yields high mixing conditions and also a lower slag eye area. Additionally, the best drag force model capable to predict large slag eye areas has been identified.