Mathematical modeling of aluminum degassing by the impeller injector technique validated by a physical modeling

Abstract

ABSTRACTA mathematical model is developed to describe deoxidation of water in a physical model of a batch aluminum degassing reactor equipped with the rotor-injector technique, assuming that deoxidation kinetics of water is similar to dehydrogenization of liquid aluminum. Degassing kinetics is described by using mass transport and mass balance principles by assuming that degassing kinetics can be characterized by a mass transfer coefficient, which depends on the process variables. The transport coefficient and the average bubble diameter are estimated with correlations reported in the literature for similar gas-injection systems. The water physical model helped to validate the mathematical model and to perform a process analysis by varying: 1) Gas flow rate (20 and 40 l/min); and 2) Impeller’s angular velocity (290 and 573 rpm). Results from the model agree well with measurements of deoxidation kinetics at low impeller rotating speeds. At high rotating speeds the model is still valid but less reliable because it does not take into account the formation of the vortex at the free surface. Nevertheless, the model provides predictions of the influence of every operating parameter and it can be used as a good approximation for real systems.