Title
Effects of particle size distribution and blast velocity on furnace raceway transport behaviors and dynamic characteristics using DEM-CFD
Author
Li, Meng (Northeastern University)
Li, Chao (Angang Steel Company Limited)
Wu, Guanyin (Angang Steel Company Limited)
An, Xizhong (Northeastern University)
Zhang, Hao (Northeastern University)
Fu, Haitao (Northeastern University)
Yang, Xiaohong (Northeastern University)
Zou, Qingchuan (Northeastern University)
Wu, Yongli (TU Delft Resources & Recycling) 
Dong, Kejun (Western Sydney University)
Date
2024
Abstract
An in-depth exploration of the reaction kinetics and thermo-chemical behaviors of the raceway can offer practical insights for optimizing the operations of blast furnace (BF), thus achieving a more effective iron and steel production process. In this study, the dynamic characteristics and the flow, heat and mass transfer behaviors in the BF raceway were simulated by Discrete Element Method-Computational Fluid Dynamics (DEM-CFD) method at a particulate scale. The effects of coke size distribution and blast velocity on coke combustion characteristics, thermochemical behavior (particle volume fraction, raceway size, carbon loss, and coke temperature) and microscopic properties (coordination number (CN), contact normal force, pore structure and stress) were systematically investigated. The results show that as the blast velocity decreases or the size ratio λ (the largest coke particle size divided by the smallest coke particle size) increases, the raceway size becomes smaller, resulting in a smaller area of high oxygen (O2) concentration and low carbon monoxide (CO) concentration in the raceway, and higher CO concentration in the packed bed. For the thermal-chemical behaviors, a lower blast velocity or a higher λ value decreases the number of particles experiencing mass loss, as well as increases individual particle mass loss, the average coke temperature and its variance. For microscopic properties, the CN distribution becomes wider as λ increases. The contact normal force in the coke bed with λ > 1 is significantly higher than that of λ = 1. As λ increases or blast velocity decreases, the pore distribution curve shifts to the left and the average pore volume decreases. The stress acting on the particles in the raceway increases with the blast velocity or λ. These new understandings of the complex reactive flow behaviors in the raceway will shed light on energy utilization and process optimization.
Subject
Blast furnace
DEM-CFD
Particle size distribution
Raceway dynamics
Transport behavior
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:fd139cd8-a328-4fc5-b86f-d7a606981e76
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apt.2024.104432
Embargo date
2024-10-09
ISSN
0921-8831
Source
Advanced Powder Technology, 35 (5)
Bibliographical note
Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.
Part of collection
Institutional Repository
Document type
journal article
Rights
© 2024 Meng Li, Chao Li, Guanyin Wu, Xizhong An, Hao Zhang, Haitao Fu, Xiaohong Yang, Qingchuan Zou, Yongli Wu, Kejun Dong