Title: CFD simulation of bath dynamics in the HIsmelt smelt reduction vessel for iron production

Authors: Darrin Stephens; Mandar Tabib; M. Philip Schwarz; Mark Davis

Addresses: CSIRO Mathematics Informatics and Statistics Division, Victoria 3169, Australia ' CSIRO Mathematics Informatics and Statistics Division, Victoria 3169, Australia ' CSIRO Mathematics Informatics and Statistics Division, Victoria 3169, Australia ' HIsmelt Corporation Pty Ltd., WA, Australia

Abstract: Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has played a crucial role in enabling the design and scale-up of the HIsmelt ^® direct iron smelting technology. An existing PHOENICS-based CFD model of the molten bath dynamics in the process vessel has been transferred to ANSYS-CFX to improve its accuracy and to enable efficient analysis on an unstructured mesh. The basic model involves Lagrangian particle tracking of iron ore and coal particles through two Eulerian phases representing metal and slag. The model incorporates reactions involving coal devolatilisation, coal dissolution, and ore reduction. The study shows increase in number of particles used improves convergence.

Keywords: CFD; computational fluid dynamics; smelt reduction; multiphase modelling; Lagrangian; ironmaking; simulation; bath dynamics; iron smelting; Lagrangian particle tracking; iron ore particles; coal particles; metal; slag; coal devolatilisation; coal dissolution; ore reduction.

DOI: 10.1504/PCFD.2012.047462

Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics, An International Journal, 2012 Vol.12 No.2/3, pp.196 - 206

Published online: 25 Nov 2014 *

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