Title: A simplified mathematical model for gas–solid flow in a blast furnace

Authors: Z.Y. Zhou, A.B. Yu, P. Zulli

Addresses: School of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. ' School of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. ' BHP Steel Research Laboratories, P.O. Box 202, Port Kembla, NSW 2505, Australia '

Abstract: This paper presents a numerical study of the behaviour of solid flow in a two-dimensional blast furnace with or without gas flow. The mathematical model, as a simplified version of the more detailed model developed earlier, is similar to the so-called viscous flow model but the method to determine the stagnant zone profile is similar to that used in the kinematic model. The study shows that the simplified model is able to capture the key flow characteristics of solid flow in a blast furnace and describe reasonably the effects of gas and solid flowrates, and particle properties, although the predicted quasi-stagnant zone may be smaller. The advantage of the present approach is that it can be readily implemented in a full process model that needs to have a quick response to change for the purpose of control and optimisation.

Keywords: solid flow; gas flow; blast furnace; process modelling; stagnant zone.

DOI: 10.1504/PCFD.2004.003786

Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics, An International Journal, 2004 Vol.4 No.1, pp.39 - 45

Published online: 24 Dec 2003 *

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