Physical properties of molten slag such as viscosity, density and surface tension have a significant influence on the slag splashing process in an oxygen steelmaking converter. Particularly, viscosity determines the shear forces that rule droplets formation. Besides, stirring of the molten slag bath strongly depends on this property. In this work, the influence of viscosity on the efficiency of slag splashing is explored by means of transient Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations. Several values of viscosity are employed in the computer experiments. In order to quantify the splashing efficiency as function of slag viscosity, an average slag fraction on the converter walls is defined and calculated. CFD results are compared with those of an empirical expression, and at least qualitative agreement is found.

Steelmakers worldwide agree that the most efficient and cost-effective solution in BOF steelmaking is to desulfurize the hot metal between the blast furnace and converter. Various methods are currently in use, among which the Kanbara Reactor (KR, using only lime as a reagent), Magnesium mono-injection (MMI, using only magnesium; also known as the Ukraina-Desmag process) and co-injection (using magnesium and lime/CaC 2) are leading. These three hot metal desulfurization methods are compared based on metallurgy, efficiency, costs and overall performance. Both available data from literature and experience from Danieli Corus engineers is used for this study. The KR process is able to reach low sulfur concentrations (> 10 ppm) in hot metal and has lower reagent costs. However, due to higher Fe-loss and heavy wear the KR process has the highest operational costs. The Magnesium mono-injection process is very fast due to the use of the reactive magnesium as reagent. Major problems with resulfurization (sulfur levels below 50 ppm cannot be reached) and the violence of the process made that this process could never get a firm foothold in the western steel industry. The co-injection process with magnesium and lime proves to be able to combine the best of both worlds. It can reach low sulfur concentrations and desulfurize fast. Co-injection is also the most flexible and cost effective.

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The way in which slag density influences the slag splashing phenomenon in an oxygen steelmaking converter is numerically analyzed in this work. Several values of the density of the slag are considered, and their effect on the global mass balance and slag average volume fraction on the sidewalls of the converter is studied using isothermal, two-dimensional transient computational fluid dynamics simulations. Diameter of the slag drops is determined from the slag density and the impact velocity of the nitrogen jet. Besides, the effect of the nitrogen jet Mach number on the slag splashing is simulated and discussed. A qualitative comparison between the computer simulations and results from the literature is made.

An improved mathematical model to describe the decarburization process in basic oxygen furnaces for steelmaking is presented in this work. This model takes into account those factors or parameters that determine the bath-oxygen impact area, such as the cavity depth, the lance height, the number of nozzles and the nozzles diameter. In the thermal issue, the model includes the targeted carbon content and temperature. The model is numerically solved, and is validated using reported data plant. The oxygen flow rate and the lance height are varied in the numerical simulations to study their effect on the carbon content and decarburization rate.

The effect of the pipe wall temperature on the heat transfer and the internal solidification phenomena during the pouring of pure molten iron in a pipe is studied in this work. A mathematical model consisting in the motion, mass balance and heat equations is proposed. The Reynolds Stress Model is employed to simulate turbulence. The mathematical model considering transient three-dimensional simulations is numerically solved using the Computational Fluid Dynamics technique. To simplify the mushy zone problem, pure iron considered. Numerical simulations show that a pipe wall temperature of 300 K promotes early solidification and blockage, and yields strong internal gradients of velocity and temperature. Besides, a pipe wall temperature of 1000 K prevents solidification and promotes a more homogeneous flow and temperatures contours of molten iron in the pipe.

The main drawbacks of fluorescent activated lanthanide luminescent materials in practical optoelectronic applications are the high cost of raw material and the limitation of a specific color depending on the lanthanide ion. In this work, the synthesis of red, white and blue light emitting composite powders of Al 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ @SiO 2 were successfully synthesized by the hydrolysis and condensation reactions of TEOS as the raw precursor of silica matrix on the Al 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ surface. With the aim to change the CIE coordinates different weight ratios of Al 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ /SiO 2 powders from 13Al/87Si to 5Al/95Si were prepared. Besides, various excitation wavelength from 280 to 340 nm was used in order to change the ratio intensity; I red /I blue , between the red emission coming from the 5 D 0 → 7 F 2 transition of Eu 3+ ions and the blue band of silica matrix. Chemical evolution of the hydrolysis and condensation reaction of TEOS were conducted by FTIR spectroscopy. The results indicate that from 500˚C a complete TEOS to SiO 2 transformation is carried out.

The flow of liquids in open channels has been studied since ancient Rome. However, the vast majority of published reports on flow in open channels are focused on the transport of drinking water and sewage disposal. The literature on the transport of molten metals in open channels is quite scarce. In this work, the uniform flow of pig iron and molten aluminum in rectangular open channels is studied. Specific energy curves are constructed and critical heights are analytically determined. The transition from subcritical to supercritical flow is analyzed as a function of the angle of inclination of the channel and the roughness of its walls. Manning's equation is applied to the pig iron flow using data reported in the literature for molten aluminum. The need to correct the roughness coefficient for pig iron is observed in order to obtain results consistent with those previously reported.