Physical Modeling of Gas Jet-Liquid Free Surface in Steelmaking Processes

Abstract

ABSTRACTGas jets play a key role in several steelmaking processes as in the Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) or in the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF). They improve heat, mass and momentum transfer in the liquid bath, improve mixing of chemical species and govern the formation of foaming slag in EAF. In this work experimental measurements are performed to determine the dimensions of the cavity formed at the liquid free surface when a gas jet impinges on it as well as liquid velocity vector maps measured in the zone affected by the gas jet. Cavities are measured using a high speed camera while the vector maps are determined using a Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique. Both velocities and cavities are determined as a function of the main process variables: gas flow rate, distance from the nozzle to the free surface and lance angle. Cavity dimensions (depth and diameter) are statistically treated as a function of the process variables and also as a function of the adequate dimensionless numbers that govern these phenomena. It is found that Froude number and Weber number control the depression geometry.