Numerical Analysis of Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer by Means of a Unified Model in a Direct Current Electric Arc Furnace

Abstract

Herein, a unified 2D axially symmetric model coupling the plasma arc and molten bath in a direct current electric arc furnace is established, with the physical phenomena at the plasma arc/molten bath interface to be confronted by the “local thermodynamic equilibrium diffusion approximation” method. After ensuring model validation and grid independence test, the fluid flow and heat transfer processes are analyzed. The numerical investigation reveals that in terms of the relative importance of driving forces in the molten bath, an anticlockwise eddy is formed at the molten bath center driven by electromagnetic force, whereas a clockwise eddy is formed near the lateral part of the molten bath driven by buoyancy force. Regarding the distribution of heat flux, the convection–conduction and radiation heat govern the rate of heat transfer from the plasma arc to the molten bath. In addition, for larger arc current, higher arc power in the plasma arc region and higher heating rates in the molten bath are obtained when the arc length is held constant; for shorter arc length, lower arc power in the plasma arc region but higher heat transfer efficiency in the molten bath is attained when the arc current is held constant.