Theoretical and practical study of thermal stratification and drainage in ladies of different geometry

SSAB Lulea, SSAB Oxelosund, MEFOS and Lulea University of Technology have c ooperated in developing theoretical models for prediction of thermal strati fication and drainage in steel ladies. Predicted results have been verified by measurements done in production ladies with heat weighs of 105 and 200 tonne as well as in a 7-tonne pilot plant ladle. The thermal stratification was measured by thermocouples at different depths. The drainage flow was s tudied by means of tracer experiments. Numerical simulation models of the s teel flow were developed for 7, 105 and 200 tonne steel ladies. The agreeme nt between predictions and measurements was found to be good. The conclusio n is that CFD simulation gives a good prediction of stratification and drai nage flows in production ladies.