TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of particle size distribution and blast velocity on furnace raceway transport behaviors and dynamic characteristics using DEM-CFD
AU - Li, Meng
AU - Li, Chao
AU - Wu, Guanyin
AU - An, Xizhong
AU - Zhang, Hao
AU - Fu, Haitao
AU - Yang, Xiaohong
AU - Zou, Qingchuan
AU - Wu, Yongli
AU - Dong, Kejun
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Blast furnace
KW - DEM-CFD
KW - Particle size distribution
KW - Raceway dynamics
KW - Transport behavior
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85189755314&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://ezproxy.uws.edu.au/login?url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apt.2024.104432
U2 - 10.1016/j.apt.2024.104432
DO - 10.1016/j.apt.2024.104432
M3 - Article
SN - 1568-5527
SN - 0921-8831
VL - 35
JO - Advanced Powder Technology
JF - Advanced Powder Technology
IS - 5
M1 - 104432
ER -