Dynamics of the spout of gas plumes discharging from a melt: Experimental investigation with a large-scale water model

Abstract

In the present study, the spout region of a gas plume discharging from a melt has been investigated using a water model of 180 cm in height and 160 cm in diameter. The lateral movement of the spout, as measured optically, increases with the gas flow rate and has been found to be Ϯ 20-cm wide or wider, and very fast. The spout height, as measured with video-optical and electrical methods, strongly fluctuates with time. Clear definitions have to be made of the quantities to be determined in the highly dynamic process. Long-time averages of the radial height profiles and momentary maximum height values are reported. It is confirmed that the nondimensional spout height, defined and measured in a certain manner, is independent of the Froude number and of the nondimensional nozzle diameter.

Modeling of Gas-Steel-Slag Three-Phase Flow in Ladle Metallurgy: Part I. Physical Modeling

“…5) Extensive studies of the slag eye formation in the gas-stirred ladle have been performed on the physical modeling. Yonezawa and Schwerdtfeger 2,6,7) carried out cold model experiments on studying the sizes of slag eyes using mercury and silicon oil as metal and slag, respectively. The time-averaged slag eye area has been represented in the form of non-dimensional correlations.…”

“…A nondimensional spout height has been defined, which is independent of the Froude number and of the nondimensional nozzle diameter. 7) Later, Iguchi et al 8) proposed an empirical equation for spout eye area in ladle refining process, which adequately includes many parameters such as the physical properties of gas and liquids. Subagyo et al 3) developed an alternative correlation based on the experimental data of Yonezawa and Schwerdtfeger, 2,6) introducing a new dimensionless variable.…”

Modeling of slag eye formation over a metal bath due to gas bubbling

“…The bubbles rise in a gas-liquid plume that creates a raised area or ''spout'' at the bath surface. [1,2,3] The upwelling flow from the bubble plume turns horizontally at the bath surface and pushes the slag layer to the periphery of the ladle. If the slag layer is sufficiently thin, this process exposes an open area of liquid metal to the atmosphere, termed the ''eye.''…”

A Mathematical Model for the Reduction Stage of the AOD Process. Part I: Derivation of the Model

“…52) Some mathematical expressions for the height of the spout have been suggested for Vacuum Oxygen Decarburisation 53) and ladle treatments. 54) However, these results cannot be extrapolated to the AOD process, as it employs strongly eccentric side-blowing and substantially higher flow velocities.…”