Numerical Simulation Of Molten Steel Flow In Single Snorkel RH Refining Process

The mass transfer, mixing and refining efficiency in refining process are affected bymolten steel flow behavior. Single snorkel RH was invented by Beijing Science andTechnology University, and the same kind equipment developed in Japan named REDA.The molten steel flow behavior research reveals the circulation law of different devicesand parameters, which lay foundation for equipment design and technology optimization.The research takes300t single snorkel RH ladle as object by using PHOENICSsoftware to simulate molten steel flow behavior, which mainly focuses on discussing theeffects of processing parameter on flow field and circulation flow rate, then determiningequipment and process parameters of the300t single snorkel RH.The result shows that, flow field achieves better form and circulation flow ratereaches to maximum under permeable element position deviate r/2(r is snorkel innerradius), distance of double-element arrangement is0.4~0.6m. Circulation flow rate isincreasing with the lifting of argon flow rate, and can reach210t/min for the300t ladle.Snorkel depth is better to control around0.6m. Circulation flow rate can increase53t/minthrough enlarging snorkel inner diameter from1.6m to2.4m, the reasonable value is2.2~2.4m. There is no significant effect of vacuum pressure on flow field. Vacuumchamber of single snorkel RH without tank can help to raise circulation flow rate.Molten steel flow law between single snorkel RH and300t traditional RH arecompared. The results show that, the pushing effect of steel to ladle bottom in the singlesnorkel RH is weaker than that in the traditional RH. Circulation flow rate of singlesnorkel RH can reach210t/min when argon flow rate is1200NL/min, which is close to4000NL/min of RH. Single snorkel RH only uses30%argon flow rate of the traditionalRH. The argon bubble route of single snorkel RH is obviously longer than RH, and morepower by lifting gas are made. The free surface fluctuation area is larger than that oftraditional RH, which can help to enhance the bath surface decarburization rate.