Modelling of water jet impact on molten metal

Abstract

Splashes of high-temperature melt spreading over a water pool bottom can be a reason for the formation of a zone where melt, water and steam are mixed, providing conditions for powerful steam explosions. The paper considers the formation of melt splashes arising from the impact of a water jet on the surface of the melt. Numerical simulations are performed in 3D formulation, using the VOF method and an improved phase change model. The evolution of melt surface following the water jet impact is demonstrated, including the formation of a cavern, a primary melt splash known as the crown, as well as a secondary splash following the collapse of the cavern, known as the cumulative jet. Parametric study for the melt splash height dependence on the water jet geometry and velocity is carried out. The results of numerical analysis are discussed from the point of view of the similarity with respect to the momentum and kinetic energy of water jet. The significance of the results for the steam explosion problem is discussed.

Experimental Study on the Interaction of an Impulse Water Jet with Molten Metal

“…However, looking at the video recordings in slow motion, it was possible to clearly see the melt flow at the bottom of the cavity (diverging at the first stage, and converging at the second and third stages). The proposed cavity geometry transformation and the stages of formation of the central jet that are shown in Figure 7 also agree well with the results of the computer simulations reported in [19], where a similar cavity with a narrow neck was obtained in three-dimensional simulations of pulsed water jet impact on a pool of molten Rose's metal, which was validated against our earlier experiments [17]. Here, we finally consider the effect of the melt vessel geometry on the splash parameters by comparing the cases listed in Table 4 (cases J11 and J12, performed in a rectangular tank) and respective cases J1 and J5 from Table 3 (cylindrical vessel).…”

“…The results obtained highlighted many interesting features of the interaction, including the formation of melt splashes and central jets similar to those in water-water interactions, the fine fragmentation of water and melt, and the scattering of very fine melt droplets (observed as solid particles after freezing). Relevant numerical simulations of melt-water interactions were reported in [19,20].…”