Computational modeling of heat and mass transfer in reactor during magnesium-thermic reduction of titanium

Abstract

This paper shows the mathematical model, describing the dynamics of nonequilibrium heat and mass transfer in technological process of magnesiumthermic reduction of titanium from TiCl4. The process is very power-consuming: more than 5 MW·hour of electric power is required for one titanium sponge ton obtaining. The rated operating conditions of reactor are shown in axially symmetric approximation. The boundary problem definition includes the equations with "temperature-vorticity-current function" variables for the area, initially placed by magnesium smelt. The model, realized by the finite-difference method on regular mesokurtic, takes into account the exothermal reaction heat, steam formation in the reactor and heat effects on its boundary. Investigation of influence of TiCl4 mass and consumption and delay between its single portions introduction on thermal and hydrodynamic situation in the reactor volume carried out the multi-parametric calculations on the basis of the designed software complex of computer realization of mathematical model. These calculations provide the lowest consumption of the reactor-supplying energy. There are shown the results of numerical modeling of non-isothermal flow in the reactor volume with introduction of a single portion of TiCl4. Formation of multi-vortical structure makes an influence on the transfer of reaction products into the lower part of reactor. This work was carried out with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation within the basic part of the state task, project No. 1599 "Mathematical modeling of heat and mass transfer in melt and porous medium during the electromagnetic impacts", as well as the grant of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project No. 13-08-96004-p-ypaπ-a).