Wave Motion of Metal Bath in Bottom Blowing Converter

Abstract

Water model experiments have been done to investigate the motion of bath in a bottom blowing converter with tuyeres set in two rows.
In the current work, the occurrence of two types o f wave motions (A-and B-type) has been detected by the visual observation of the bath. The wave motion of type A is similar to that generated in a U-shaped tube. On the other hand, the wave motion of B type is characterized by two separated bubble regions interfering laterally and repeatedly colliding and repelling alternately.
The generation of wave motion is affected by the gas flow rate, bath depth and tuyere configuration. In the case that the gas flow rate is kept so as to generate wave motion, the criterion for the generation of wave motion can be characterized by H/D and L₂/L₁, where H is the bath depth, D is the diameter of the bottom, L₂ is the spacing of the two rows of tuyeres, and L₁ is the length of the row of tuyeres.
The period of wave motion is calculated on the basis of simple models. The calculated results agreed well with the ones observed under various experimental conditions.
The wave motion of type A requires larger energy of oscillation than that of type B at the same rate of energy input to the bath, indicating that the wave motion of type B occurs in preference to that of type A.