Numerical analysis of multiphase flow in a steel oxygen converter with top and bottom blowing

Combined blowing in the steelmaking basic oxygen converter is a technique that allows more agitation in the metal bath, and gives a fast decarburization rate, accelerated removal of impurities and chemical and thermal homogenization. In this work the multiphase flow in an industrial-like basic oxygen converter with top and bottom blowing is analyzed by means of Computational Fluid Dynamics software. Turbulence in the converter is simulated by means of the classical K-c model given that this model yields more numerical stability during the integration for long times. Top jet velocities of Mach I and Mach 2, and 50 and 100 m s(-1) of bottom injection velocities are used, and the results are compared with the conventional top blowing injection. Numerical results show that the combined blowing generates more agitation of the metal bath than that of the top blowing, however, from an operating viewpoint, combined blowing promotes that a significant volume of molten metal be expelled from the converter mouth.