Heating and Electromagnetic Stirring in a Ladle Furnace–A Simulation Model

Abstract

A three-dimensional simulation model coupling heating and induction stirring in an ASEA-SKF ladle furnace was developed. Data of the heat transfer from the arcs to the steel bath were predicted in a separate model and included as boundary conditions in a ladle model. The arc model considers the contributions of heat transferred by of each of the following mechanisms: radiation, convection, condensation and energy transported by electrons. Predictions were made to simulate the change of temperature distribution in the ladle during simultaneous heating with electrodes and stirring by induction. A first attempt was made to compare the predictions with measured temperatures from a 100 t ASEA-SKF ladle. The agreement was found to be fairly good when heat-flux data for a 25 cm arc length were used as input to the ladle model. This indicates that the model can be used for more in-depth studies of the effects of heating for ladles that are inductively stirred.