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Modeling the Effect of Plug Positions and Ladle Aspect Ratio on Hydrogen Removal in the Vacuum Arc Degasser
Author(s) -
Karouni Faris,
Wynne Bradley P.,
TalamantesSilva Jesus,
Phillips Stephen
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
steel research international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.603
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1869-344X
pISSN - 1611-3683
DOI - 10.1002/srin.201700551
Subject(s) - spark plug , ladle , hydrogen , materials science , argon , slag (welding) , metallurgy , composite material , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , thermodynamics , chromatography , physics , organic chemistry
The rate of hydrogen removal from molten steel in a vacuum arc degasser (VAD) is simulated using a three‐phase (slag‐argon‐steel) Eulerian model. The time required to degas a 100 tonne melt from 5 to 1.5 ppm is predicted for a series of ladle aspect ratios and plug layouts. Compared to an axisymmetric single plug system, the degassing time can be reduced by 36% with the use of three equiangular plugs. Increasing the aspect ratio (AR) of the melt from 0.8–1.2 leads to an improvement in degassing performance, followed by a reduction in performance between AR = 1.2–1.6. A radial plug position of 0.5 R is optimal for achieving low hydrogen levels in the melt. Reducing the inter‐plug angle from θ = 180° (for double plug) and θ = 120° (for triple plug) to θ = 45° further reduces this time by 18 and 3.8%, respectively. The fastest rate of hydrogen removal is obtained through the use of three plugs at positioned at an angle of θ = 45° and plug radial position of 0.5 R .