Numerical simulations of non-metallic inclusions behavior in gas-stirred ladle

Abstract

A CFD-PBM (Computation Fluid Dynamics-Population Balance Model) coupled model containing the effects of inclusions turbulent random motion, bubbles wake and slag eye forming on molten steel surface, has been proposed to describe the growth, size distribution and removal of inclusions in gas-stirred ladles, and the mechanisms for inclusions growth and removal were investigated. The results show that inclusions removal is mainly attributed to the bubble-inclusion buoyancy collision and inclusions own floatation near slag-metal interface in gas-stirred ladle at low gas flow rate, while the turbulent random collisions both inclusion-inclusion and inclusion-bubble become important for growth and removal of inclusions at higher gas flow rate, because the inclusions appear turbulence random motion in bubbly plume zone.