AN ASSESSMENT OF A 2-PHASE CALCULATION PROCEDURE FOR HYDRODYNAMIC MODELING OF SUBMERGED GAS INJECTION IN LADLES

A two phase, combined Lagrangian-Eulerian approach has been adopted to model submerged gas injection phenomena during ladle refining operati ons. In this, the motion of the gas phase has been computed numericall y in a Lagrangian field in the form of trajectories of a steady stream of bubbles, while the liquid flow fields together with the associated level of fluid turbulence were calculated in a routine manner via the Eulerian scheme. Furthermore, to solve the Eulerian and Lagrangian fi eld equations numerically, a sequential, iterative computational proce dure, incorporating the SIMPLE procedure was applied. The internal con sistency of the two phase calculation procedures, the scope of converg ence, as well as the influence of grid distribution, on predicted resu lts have been evaluated computationally. Subsequently, model predictio ns on velocity and turbulence fields, particularly within the two phas e plume region of aqueous gas bubble driven systems, have been compare d against corresponding experimental measurements reported in the lite rature. It is shown that while flow and turbulence parameters in the b ulk liquid phase are predicted with reasonable accuracy, some uncertai nties remain in the prediction of bubble rise velocity, turbulence kin etic energy, etc. in the two phase region, particularly in the vicinit y of the gas injection nozzle and the free surface.