EPD Congress 2009

TMS (The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society), 2009

Numerical Simulation of Fluid Flow and Temperature Field of

Iron-bath Reactor
Nan WANG Shan YU Lei SHAO
School of Materials and Metallurgy, Northeastern University
Shenyang, China
Keywords: Iron-bath reactor, Mixing time, Post-combustion ratio, Fluent, Heat transfer.

Abstract
Based on the commercial computational fluid dynamics software, Fluent, the fluid flow and
temperature field in an iron-bath reactor were simulated numerically, and the effects of topblown and side-blown operating parameters on the mixing time of iron bath, distribution range of
oxygen in top space, and post-combustion ratio were investigated. The simulated results showed
that the mixing time of iron bath increased initially and then decreased with the increase of
inclined degree and immersion depth of side-blown lance. The distribution range of oxygen
became wider as pulling the top lance away from the iron bath. Furthermore, post-combustion
ratio was reduced given the top lance was too close the bath. The simulation results provide
theoretical base for the process optimization of iron-bath reactor and further development of new
type iron-bath smelting reduction process.

Introduction
The iron-bath reactor is an alternative process with a number of anticipated advantages over the
classical ironmaking blast furnace route for its rapid reaction speed, high efficiency of heat
transfer, direct use of lower grade and non-coking coals, elimination of ore agglomeration by
direct use of fine ores and concentrates, and higher post-combustion ratio which is favorable to
the use of DRI with lower pre-reduction degree[1, 2]. In the iron-bath reactor, the reduction of
molten iron oxide is achieved through the transformation of C to CO under higher temperature,
while the needed heat is supplied through the combustion reaction of 2CO+O22CO2. The ironbath reactor is mainly composed of iron bath, foamy slag layer including bubbles, molten iron
droplet and solid carbon, gas-phase space containing molten iron and slag droplet. Complex flow,
heat and mass transport and solid-liquid-gas reactions occur among different zones inside the
iron-bath reactor. Therefore, for the process optimization and choice of operating parameters, it
is significant to understand the variation regularity, affecting factors and relationship of various
transfer processes and chemical reactions inside. Numerical simulation is an effective way to
examine such process. Davis[3] simulated the flow of HIsmelt process by using the developed
mathematical model, and the post-combustion ratio, gas temperature, and effects of top-lance on
the fountain distribution were investigated. Panjkovic[4] studied the heat transfer and chemical
reactions between gas and iron and slag droplets by using a comprehensive numerical model and
the modeling results showed that the dominant mechanisms of heat transfer from the gas to the
bath are radiation to the slag surface and convection heat transfer to droplets. Shin[5] simulated
the turbulent combustion phenomena occurring at the post combustion stage in a bath-type
smelting reduction furnace. The post-combustion ratio increased with the decrease of inlet
velocity of injecting oxygen as well as with the increase of lance height away from the iron bath

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surface. Zhan[6] made a simulation on the gas-liquid flow pattern and mixing of side-blown
converter. In this paper, the flow pattern and temperature field of the iron-bath reactor were
studied by applying the commercial computational fluid dynamics software, Fluent[7], and the
effects of top-blown and side-blown operating parameters on the mixing time of iron bath,
distribution range of oxygen in top space, and post-combustion ratio were investigated which is
important to the operating optimization, process understanding and development.

Modeling of Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in the Iron-bath Reactor

Mathematical Model of Iron Bath
(1) Assumptions and Simplification
Chemical reactions inside the iron bath are negligible;

Multi-phase fluids inside the slag-iron bath are considered to be composed of nitrogen gas
(conveying gas), slag and molten iron, and the physical property parameters are constants;

Velocities of nitrogen gas at the exit of side-blown lance are considered to be the same.

(2) Governing Equations

The Eulerian-Eulerian multi-phase flow method was applied to the numerical simulation of iron
bath.
Mass conservation equation of phase q
n

( q q ) + ( q q vrq ) = (m& pq m& qp ) + S q

t
p =1

(1)

r
where vq is the velocity of phase q, m& pq represents the mass transport from phase p to phase q,

and S q is the mass source term of phase q.

Momentum conversation of phase q

(q qvrq ) + (q qvrqvrq ) = qp + q + q q gr
t
n
r
r
r
v
+ Rpq + m& pq vpq m& qp vqp + Fq

(2)

p =1

r
where q is the stress tensor of phase q, Fq represents the volume force acting on phase q, and
r
Rpq is the interaction between phase p and q.

(3) Boundary Conditions

On the reactor wall, the normal and parallel components of velocities are zero, and the wall
parameters are determined by the wall function;

Inlet of conveying gas is considered to be the velocity inlet;

Top outlet boundary is considered as the pressure outlet.

Mathematical Model of Top Space
(1) Assumptions and Boundary Conditions
Main gas reactions inside top space are 2CO + O 2 2CO 2 and 2CO + O 2 2CO 2 , and the rate
of combustion reaction is quicker than the turbulent mixing rate;

Inlet is assumed to be at the BHA inlet;

Existing form of liquids ejecting into the top space are assumed to be droplets;

Radiations of CO, CO2, and H2O are considered;

Boundary conditions of overflow gas and fountain droplets are determined by the mass and
heat balance between top space and slag-iron bath;
(2) Governing Equations

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General finite velocity model is used to simulate the combustion reaction, P-1 radiation model is
applied to model the heat transfer through radiation, and the discrete phase model of EulerLagrange method is applied to simulate the movement of fountain droplets.
General finite velocity model

(Yi ) + (vYi ) = J + Ri + Si
t

(3)

where, Yi is molar fraction, is the density of mixtures, Ri represents the net generation rate
through chemical reaction, and Si is source term.
P-1 radiation model
1

G aG + 4aT 4 = S
3a

(4)

where, a is the absorbing coefficient, G is the incident emission, is StefanBoltzmann

constants, and S represents the radiation source term.
Grid System
Structural grid system is used for most zones inside iron bath, while non-structural grid system is
applied for the domains adjacent to the side-blown lance, shown as Figure 1(a), where y
represents the distance away from the hearth bottom, and x represents the radial distance from
the chamber axis. The inclined degree of side-blown lance is defined as the angle to the
horizontal level. The immersion depth of side-blown lance is defined as the perpendicular
distance away from the slag layer surface. Meanwhile, structural grid system is used for the top
space, and condensed grid system is applied to the domains adjacent to the top-blown lance,
shown as Figure 1(b), where y representing the perpendicular distance away from the slag layer
surface. The height of top-blown lance is defined as the distance from the lance bottom to the
slag layer surface.
Convergence Criteria

Concentration divergence , -

The following convergence criterion for the calculation of flow and temperature field was
adopted.

The residuals for the calculation of mass, velocity, turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation
rate of turbulent kinetic energy were set at 10-3;

Numbers of traced discrete particles are constants;

Post-combustion ratio and temperature of offgas at exit is kept to be constant.

1.0
o
0.9
45
o
0.8
50
o
0.7
60
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30

Time , s
(a)

(b)

Fig. 1 Grid system for calculating zones

(a) bath and (b) top space

Fig. 2 Mixing time of iron bath for different

inclined degrees of side-blown lance

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Simulation Results and Discussion

Iron Bath
The effects of inclined degree of side-blown lance and immersion depth of side-blown lance on
the mixing time of iron bath were investigated, shown as Figure 2 and Figure 3. It can be seen
that the mixing time of iron bath increases initially and then decreases with the increase of
inclined degree and immersion depth of side-blown lance, which can be considered that the
stirring effect is mainly caused by the vertical component of jetting momentum due to the
counteraction between the symmetrical horizontal components of jetting momentum for the
symmetrical layout of side-blown lance. The vertical component of jetting momentum increases
with the increase of inclined degree of side-blown lance, which is favorable to the bath stirring.
Similarly, the moving path of carrying gas inside the bath increases with the increase of
immersion depth of side-blown lance, which is favorable to the absorption of gas momentum by
the bath, and the bath mixing is improved. However, the intermixing of slag/iron became intense
simultaneously and the mixing time of iron bath extends possibly.
Top Space

0.2m
0.3m
0.4m

10

12

14

16

60
54
48
42
36
30
24
18
12
6
0

O2

2600

CO
CO2
Temperature

2400
2200
2000
1800
1600
1400

Temperature , K

1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0

Gas composition , %

Concentration divergence , -

The upper parts above the surface of the iron and slag bath can be considered as a single-phase
space composed of gas mixtures. The combustion reaction occurs through the mixing between
the gas ejected from the bath and blown oxygen stream, and the generated heat is transported
back to the iron bath. For this case, the flowing field, temperature field and concentration field
are very complex. Slag and iron droplets are ejected from the bath into the gas phase, where they
are heated and the heat is transferred to the bath while the slag and iron droplets returning to the
bath.

1200

1000
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2

18

Time , s

x position , m

Fig. 3 Mixing time of iron bath for different

immersion depths of side-blown lance

Fig. 4 Radial distribution of gas composition

and temperature inside top space

Figure 4 shows the distribution of gas composition (O2-CO-CO2) and temperature along the
radial positions of 0.6m cross section away from the slag and iron bath. It can be found that the
combustion reaction is quick at the radial zones from 0 to 0.2m, and the concentration of CO2
increases. The concentration of CO2 is constant from 0.2m to 0.6m zone due to the existence of
circulating flow, and the maximum of CO2 content can be obtained at the zones from 0.6m to
0.8m. Then, the content of combustion product decreases due to the consumption of O2. The
variation of gas temperature along the radial is the same as that of gas content.
Figure 5 shows the distribution of oxygen inside the top space for different heights of top-blown
lance. It can be seen that the distribution range of oxygen can be enlarged as pulling the top lance
away from the iron bath. Figure 6 shows the velocity vectors for different heights of top-blown
lance. It can be seen that there exists a circulating zone near the lance exit, which is favorable to

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the heat transport. Meanwhile, the circulating zone moves upward as the top-blown lance
shifting upward, which causing the bad condition of heat transport to the iron bath. The heat
entrained by fountain decreases while the heat entrapped by offgas increases.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

Fig. 5 Distribution of oxygen content for different lance heights(a)1.0m, (b)1.2m, (c)1.4m, (d)1.6m

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

Fig. 6 Velocity vector of gas for different lance heights (a)1.0m, (b)1.2m, (c)1.4m, (d)1.6m

Figure 7 shows the variation of post-combustion ratio with the height of top-blown lance. It can
be seen that the post-combustion ratio increases as pulling the top-blown lance away from the
iron bath due to the enlargement of oxygen distribution and upper shifting of circulating zone.
Post combustion ratio , %

76
75
74
73
72
71
70

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

Lance height , m
Fig. 7 Effect of top-blown lance height on the post-combustion ratio

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Conclusions
The flow and temperature field of iron bath reactor was simulated, and the effects of top and side
blowing operating conditions on the flow behavior, temperature field, and the post-combustion
ratio were investigated. The following conclusions were obtained.
(1) The mixing time of iron bath increased initially and then decreased with the increase of
inclined degree and immersion depth of side-blown lance.
(2) The post-combustion ratio increased as pulling the top-blown lance away from the iron bath.
(3) The distribution of oxygen was enlarged as the top-blown lance moving upward, which was
favorable to the post-combustion.

References
[1] R. J. Fruehan, Iron bath smelting-current status and understanding (Paper presented at the
Smelting Reduction and Near-net Shape Casting Meeting, Pohang, 1990), 1, 39.
[2] S. Eketorp, O Wijk, Why Smelting Reduction (Paper presented at the Smelting Reduction
and Near-net Shape Casting Meeting, Pohang, 1990), 1, 140.
[3] M. P. Davis, R. J. Dry, M. P. Schwarz, Flow Simulation of the HIsmelt Process(Paper
presented at Third International Conference on CFD in the Minerals and Process Industries,
Csiro, 10-12 December 2003), 305312.
[4] V. Panjkovic, J. Truelove, O. Ostrovski, Analysis of Performance of an Ironbath Reactor
Using Computational Fluid Dynamics, Applied Mathematical Modeling, 26(2006), 203221.
[5] M. K. Shin et al., A Numerical Study on the Combustion Phenomena Occurring at the Post
Combustion Stage in Bathtype Smelting Reduction Furnace, ISIJ International, 33(3),
(1993), 369375.
[6] S. H. Zhan, Studies on Multiphase Flow Transport Phenomena in Several Chemical and
metallurgical Reactor, (Ph.D. thesis, Central South University, 2004), 45-70.
[7] Fluent Inc, FLUENT Users Guide (Fluent Inc., 2003), 129-130.

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