Numerical Analysis of Reactions in a Cupola Melting Furnace

Abstract

Composition variations of metal and slag in a cupola melting process were investigated by a reaction model for gas/liquid iron/coke and slag/liquid iron systems. A significant amount of alloy elements is lost due to the gas oxidation in furnace shaft. Carbon in metals is determined by gas oxidation and carbon pickup from coke in the shaft. Manganese and silicon are mainly lost by gas oxidation in shaft. Sulfur increases in shaft by pickup from coke but decreases in siphon by slag desulphurisation. There is no significant phosphorus change in shaft, but phosphorus increases in siphon. Oxides formed in shaft contribute 20% of total tapped slag, in which SiO₂ contribute 40% of total SiO₂ in the tapped slag.