Circumferential burden distribution behaviors at bell-less top blast furnace with parallel type hoppers

Abstract

It is of critical importance to master the circumferential burden distribution behaviors at bell-less top blast furnace with parallel type hoppers, targeting to reduce the uneven degree (UD) of burden distribution along the circumference. Combining with the burden motion conditions, both circumferential falling point (FP) and mass flow (MF) models are established in present work to determine the basic distribution behaviors systematically. The results show that the positive amplitude of either FP or MF is not equal to the negative counterpart in the circumferential direction. Besides, the UD of MF is nearly 10 times as large as that of FP, which could be ignored in actual production. After validating the circumferential MF model against both laboratory and industry-scale measurements from previous literatures, alternating the hoppers while keeping the same chute rotating direction in burden charging process is considered as the best countermeasure to promote even burden circumferential distribution at bell-less top blast furnace with parallel type hoppers.