Sc. Koria et R. Dutta, Study of the effect of some process parameters on powder injection refining by a mathematical model, SC J METALL, 29(6), 2000, pp. 259-270
influence of some process parameters like carried-over slag, top flux, bath
stirring intensity and residence time of the flux on the refining ability
of the injected flux by a mathematical model are studied. Refining is consi
dered to occur both by transitory and permanent contact mechanisms. The dif
ferential equation is solved by the finite difference method for a wide ran
ge of amounts of carry-over slag, composition and amounts of flux, bath sti
rring intensity and residence time of the flux. The refining curves and the
separate contribution of transitory and permanent rate to total rate are p
resented and discussed as a function of the aforesaid parameters. The model
is used to analyze the desulphurizing reaction in the presence of slag car
ried-over from the previous steelmaking unit. It is found that for only the
permanent contact desulphurizing reaction, the type, composition and amoun
t of flux is less critical than stirring gas rate to achieve a high desulph
urization % in the presence of carried-over slag. For injection desulphuriz
ation, residence time of the flux, fraction of particles carried by the bub
bles and the partition coefficient, are important parameters controlling th
e transitory contribution to the total rate in relation to type, compositio
n and amount of flux. High desulphurization can be obtained both by permane
nt contact and injection method. It is asserted that the selection of any o
ne method would depend more on locally available facilities like powder inj
ection system, ladle free board height and availability of ladle with the s
tirring gas injection device.