Process Modeling in Pyrometallurgical Engineering

The Special Issue presents almost 40 papers on recent research in modeling of pyrometallurgical systems, including physical models, first-principles models, detailed CFD and DEM models as well as statistical models or models based on machine learning. The models cover the whole production chain from raw materials processing through the reduction and conversion unit processes to ladle treatment, casting, and rolling. The papers illustrate how models can be used for shedding light on complex and inaccessible processes characterized by high temperatures and hostile environment, in order to improve process performance, product quality, or yield and to reduce the requirements of virgin raw materials and to suppress harmful emissions

Transient thermal response with nonlocal radiation of a blast furnace main trough

A mathematical model for the transient thermal behaviour of the main trough of a blast furnace (BF) is presented. The proposed model consists of the transient heat equation with mixed radiation-convection boundary conditions to model the cooling process. The heat equation is coupled with an integral equation posed on the inner boundary, which models the radiative heat exchange on the internal cavity formed by the trough and the refractory cover placed over the trough. The main scope of this work is to address the evolution of the temperature field during a full BF tapping. A reliable algorithm, capable of simulating entire trough campaigns, is presented. The open-source computing platform FEniCS is used to numerically solve the model using a finite element method. A manufactured solution test for the heat diffusion coupled with 2D nonlocal radiation is defined with the purpose of verifying the implementation, comparing the performance of different time discretization schemes and the adaptive time stepping algorithm. Concerning the BF tapping problem, the results show that during the time interval corresponding to a single tapping, the temperature in the radiation enclosure swiftly reaches the steady state value. Nevertheless, to obtain a steady state in the bulk of the solids, much longer time scales are needed due to the large thermal inertia of the structureThis work was partially supported by ERDF and Xunta de Galicia funds under the ED431C 2017/60 and the ED431C 2021/15 grants, by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades through the Plan Nacional de I+D+i (MTM2015-68275-R) and the grant BES-2016-077228, and by the Agencia Estatal de Investigación through project [PID2019-105615RB-I00 / AEI / 10.13039/501100011033]S

Optimization of Blast Furnace Throughput Based on Hearth Refractory Lining and Shell Thickness

Computational analyses were performed to optimize the furnace throughput, steel shell and lining thickness of a blast furnace. The computations were done for measured parameters within the hearth region as this is the vital zone of the furnace with high temperature fluctuations, molten iron, and slag production. The lining materials were namely 62% high alumina (A), carbon composite (B), silicon carbide (C) and graphite bricks (D) with thermal conductivities 2, 12, 120 and 135 W/(m∙K), respectively. It was observed that by varying the refractory lining thickness from 0.2–0.35 m, and furnace inside temperatures from 1873–2073 K, certain optimal conditions could be specified for the furnace under consideration. Silicon carbide and graphite brick linings which have higher thermal conductivities, melting points, good chemical and mechanical wear resistance were observed to be the best hearth lining materials. Due to the high thermal conductivities of these two materials, the hot face temperature levels of the lining materials would be lowered. Amongst the four lining materials employed, silicon carbide and graphite bricks when used with lining cooling systems could optimize the blast furnace for better performance, production, and longer campaigns

Numerical Analysis of Gas Flow-Slag Surface Interaction in Blast Furnace

An improved understanding of gas flow distribution around the raceway of an ironmaking blast furnace is important for stable operation and improved drainage of molten liquids from the hearth. Previous studies based on 2- and 3-dimensional models with over-simplified raceway phenomena do not provide a quantitative description of liquid-gas interaction. The current paper focuses on the analysis of gas flow near the raceway region and its effect on the liquid surface by using a 3-dimensional sector model. Various BF phenomena and a realistic local coke bed structure, such as the raceway cavity and “birds nest”, are considered. The simulation is conducted using a homogeneous two-phase flow model combined with a model for flow through porous media. The variables considered include the liquid level, location and shape of the cohesive zone and deadman characteristics

Advances in the valorization of waste and by-product materials as thermal energy storage (TES) materials

Today, one of the biggest challenges our society must face is the satisfactory supply, dispatchability and management of the energy. Thermal Energy Storage (TES) has been identified as a breakthrough concept in industrial heat recovery applications and development of renewable technologies such as concentrated solar power (CSP) plants or compressed air energy storage (CAES). A wide variety of potential heat storage materials has been identified depending on the implemented TES method: sensible, latent or thermochemical. Although no ideal storage material has been identified, several materials have shown a high potential depending on the mentioned considerations. Despite the amount of studied potential heat storage materials, the determination of new alternatives for next generation technologies is still open. One of the main drawbacks in the development of storage materials is their cost. In this regard, this paper presents the review of waste materials and by-products candidates which use contributes in lowering the total cost of the storage system and the valorization of waste industrial materials have strong environmental and societal benefits such as reducing the landfilled waste amounts, reducing the greenhouse emissions and others. This article reviews different industrial waste materials that have been considered as potential TES materials and have been characterized as such. Asbestos containing wastes, fly ashes, by-products from the salt industry and from the metal industry, wastes from recycling steel process and from copper refining process and dross from the aluminum industry, and municipal wastes (glass and nylon) have been considered. Themophysical properties, characterization and experiences using these candidates are discussed and compared. This review shows that the revalorization of wastes or by-products as TES materials is possible, and that more studies are needed to achieve industrial deployment of the idea

Heat transfer analysis of blast furnace refractory lining

This paper gives a systemic study and review of blast furnace cooling stave with refractory lining materials used in the metallurgical industries based on heat transfer analysis. The three dimensional model of heat transfer of cooling stave with refractory lining in a blast furnace are modelled and analyzed with the help of ANSYS software. The model further utilized for the heat transfer analysis of different thickness of lining materials. The Refractory lining material which is used in this experiment are mullite bricks (65%Al2O3&35%SiO2) with different stave materials (copper, aluminium and cast iron). We have identified a stave cooler in RSP(Rourkela steel plant) blast furnace -4 in Bosh zone where heat load is maximum for our experiment purpose. The data collected from RSP is used for developing a 3 D model of heat transfer analysis of refractory lining with stave cooling. We collected the heat flux data of subjected stave cooler and tabulated for our experimental study. The experiment result collaborates with the actual result developed in the 3D model. Further, In this study refractory lining thickness of the blast furnace is taken as 650mm from the inner side of the furnace to the stave body by gradually decreasing the refractory lining thickness up to 550mm. Copper and aluminum is used in place of cast iron as stave material, the factor of safety of the stave material is greatly enhanced due to higher thermal conductivity

Book of abstracts of the 15th International Symposium of Croatian Metallurgical Society - SHMD \u272022, Materials and metallurgy

Book of abstracts of the 15th International Symposium of Croatian Metallurgical Society - SHMD \u272022, Materials and metallurgy, Zagreb, Croatia, March 22-23, 2022. Abstracts are organized in four sections: Materials - section A; Process metallurgy - Section B; Plastic processing - Section C and Metallurgy and related topics - Section D

Book of abstracts of the 15th International Symposium of Croatian Metallurgical Society - SHMD \u272022, Materials and metallurgy

Book of abstracts of the 15th International Symposium of Croatian Metallurgical Society - SHMD \u272022, Materials and metallurgy, Zagreb, Croatia, March 22-23, 2022. Abstracts are organized in four sections: Materials - section A; Process metallurgy - Section B; Plastic processing - Section C and Metallurgy and related topics - Section D