Physical modeling of liquid/liquid mass transfer in gas stirred ladles

Abstract

Several of the metallurgical reactions occurring in gas stirred steel ladles are controlled by liquid phase mass transfer between the metal and slag. In order to calculate the rate of these reactions, information about the two phase mass transfer parameter is necessary. The mass transfer between two immiscible liquids, oil and water simulating slag and steel, respectively, was measured in a scale model of a ladle. The mass transferred species was thymol which has an equilibrium partition ratio between oil and water similar to that for sulfur between slag and metal. The mass transfer rate was measured as a function of gas flow rate, tuyere position and size, method of injection, oil viscosity, and oil/water volume ratio. In addition, mixing times in the presence of the oil layer and mass transfer coefficient for the dissolution of solid benzoic acid rods were measured. The results show that there are three gas flow rate regimes in which the dependence of mass transfer on gas flow rate is different. At a critical gas flow rate, the oil layer breaks into droplets which are entrained into the water, resulting in an increase in the two phase interfacial area. This critical gas flow rate was found to be a function of tuyere position, oil volume, densities of two phases, and interfacial tension. Two phase mass transfer for a lance and a tuyere was found to be the same for the same stirring energy in low energy regions regardless of lance depth. Mass transfer is faster for a center tuyere as compared to an offcenter tuyere, but mixing times are smaller for the offcenter tuyere. From the results obtained, the optimum stirring conditions for metallurgical reactions are qualitatively discussed.