Effect of side blowing on fluid flow and mixing phenomenon in gas-stirred ladle

Abstract

To investigate the gas agitation characteristics of side blowing, the fluid flow and mixing phenomenon in a 1:3 scale model ladle of a 150 t industrial gas-stirred ladle with bottom and side plugs were studied by using physical and numerical modelings together. Side blowing enhanced the horizontal flow of water in the model ladle. Compared with bottom blowing, side blowing that is close to the ladle bottom with more than two plugs increases the average velocity of water, which represents the agitation power, improves the uniformity of water velocity distribution, reduces the stagnant region rate, and shortens the mixing time. The mixing time of dual bottom plugs is almost 1.5 times of that of four side plugs at 116 mm under the same flow rate. The mixing time is not only influenced by the agitation power but also by the uniformity of water velocity distribution. Although the agitation power of four side plugs at 450 mm under the flow rate of 1.8 m3 /h is about 1.5 times of that at 116 mm with 0.6 m3 /h. The mixing time of the 1.8 m3 /h flow rate is about 1.2 times of that of the 0.6 m3 /h because of the different water velocity distributions.