Blast furnace involves the complex flow conditions of the upward gas flow and unburnt char/coke fines, and the downward flows of coke and molten iron and slag. Under the recent high rate injection operation of pulverized coal, permeability in the furnace has been prevented due to the accumulation of such fine powder in the lower part. Therefore, it becomes more important to understand the essential flow characteristics of the fine powder in the blast furnace to attain the stable operation. This article discusses the recent development of the analytical method and the numerical modeling of powder behavior, particularly focuses on the combustion behavior of pulverized coal, generation of coke fines and the movement and accumulation of fine powder in the lower part of the blast furnace.
