Open AccessFluid Flow Turbulence in the Proximities of the
Metal-Slag Interface in Ladle Stirring Operations
Author(s) -
Fabián Andrés Calderón-Hurtado,
Rodolfo Morales Dávila,
Kinnor Chattopadhyay,
Saúl García-Hernández
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
metals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 36
ISSN - 2075-4701
DOI - 10.3390/met9020192
Subject(s) - ladle , slag (welding) , turbulence , entrainment (biomusicology) , materials science , phase (matter) , mixing (physics) , metallurgy , multiphase flow , metal , mechanics , flow (mathematics) , mass transfer , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , rhythm , acoustics
Three-phase interactions (metal-slag-argon) in ladle stirring operations have strong effects on the metal-slag mass transfer processes. Specifically, the thickness of the slag controls the fluid turbulence to an extent that once trespassing a critical thickness, increases of stirring strength no longer effect the flow. To analyze these conditions, a physical model considering the three phases was built to study liquid turbulence in the proximities of the metal-slag interface. A velocity probe placed close to the interface permitted the continuous monitoring and statistical analyses of any turbulence. The slag eye opening was found to be strongly dependent on the stirring conditions, and the mixing times decreased with thin slag thicknesses. Slag entrainment was enhanced with thick slag layers and high flow rates of the gas phase. A multiphase model was developed to simulate these results and was found to be a good agreement between experimental and numerical results.