| Abstract Scope |
In the EAF refining operation the molten steel is exposed to chemical-physical processes that modify the temperature and composition of the liquid bath to obtain the desired steel grades. These processes are controlled by gradients of flow velocity, temperature and composition which determine the rates of the refining reactions. By increasing flow mixing it is possible to enhance the refining reactions and, consequently, to reduce the refining time and energy consumption. A CFD solver developed to compute the refining stage in industry-scale EAFs is applied to an EAF provided by EVRAZ NA (ENA). The validation analysis demonstrates close alignment of simulation to real process. In particular, CFD prediction of decarburization rate differs 2.5% from the industrial data. Moreover, the CFD solver is used to compute the impact of varied oxygen injection rates on the refining performance of the liquid steel bath. |