- Vale used EDEM software to simulate loading a blast furnace with three batches of materials including coke, sinter, and pellet.
- The simulation sought to analyze voidage distribution, predict compressive forces, and demonstrate EDEM's ability to model complex systems like blast furnaces.
- Over 500,000 particles were simulated across batches with different sizes and densities loaded at varying speeds over 10 seconds each. The simulation analyzed results like voidage distribution, material distribution, and compressive force profiles.
- Vale used EDEM software to simulate loading a blast furnace with three batches of materials including coke, sinter, and pellet.
- The simulation sought to analyze voidage distribution, predict compressive forces, and demonstrate EDEM's ability to model complex systems like blast furnaces.
- Over 500,000 particles were simulated across batches with different sizes and densities loaded at varying speeds over 10 seconds each. The simulation analyzed results like voidage distribution, material distribution, and compressive force profiles.
Original Description:
Usage of DEM numerical simulation to predict material flow in a Blast Furnace
- Vale used EDEM software to simulate loading a blast furnace with three batches of materials including coke, sinter, and pellet.
- The simulation sought to analyze voidage distribution, predict compressive forces, and demonstrate EDEM's ability to model complex systems like blast furnaces.
- Over 500,000 particles were simulated across batches with different sizes and densities loaded at varying speeds over 10 seconds each. The simulation analyzed results like voidage distribution, material distribution, and compressive force profiles.
- Vale used EDEM software to simulate loading a blast furnace with three batches of materials including coke, sinter, and pellet.
- The simulation sought to analyze voidage distribution, predict compressive forces, and demonstrate EDEM's ability to model complex systems like blast furnaces.
- Over 500,000 particles were simulated across batches with different sizes and densities loaded at varying speeds over 10 seconds each. The simulation analyzed results like voidage distribution, material distribution, and compressive force profiles.
Anderson Baltazar Vale Paulo de Freitas Nogueira - Vale Daniel Schiochet Nasato - ESSS SUMMARY Overview - Vale Introduction Objectives Conclusion Objectives Use EDEM to predict the material behavior when loading the blast furnace; Analyze the voidage distribution in the blast furnace; Use EDEM to predict compressive forces; Show potential of EDEM to simulate blast furnaces. Geometry dynamics Geometry dynamics: 3 opening (batches) Linear translation z: -75mm/s Total opening time: 10 s per batch Operating conditions Informed by Vale: Batch 1 (Coke): Coke: 31.2 ton Coke density (bulk): 500 kg/m Batch 2 (Metal): Sinter: 70.59 ton Pellet: 26.91 ton Batch 3 (Metal): Sinter : 31.07 ton Pellet: 20.93 ton Metal density (bulk): 2300 kg/m Calculated by ESSS Material density (absolute): Coke: 1250 kg/m Considering a maximum packing of 40% 500 kg/m /0.4 =1250 kg/m Metal: 5750 kg/m Plate Position (displacement): Batch 1: 300mm Batch 2: 400mm Batch 3: 200mm Particle Size Informed by Vale: For pellet was used two fixed value from 8mm and 5mm Pellet Size (mm) 18 8 5 Withheld (%) 0,0 97,96 2,04 Coke Size (mm) 40 37,5 30 25 Withheld (%) 69,2 12,47 14,87 3,46 Sinter Size (mm) 50 25 15 10 5 Withheld (%) 11,77 34,12 26,56 13,92 13,63 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 COKE 0,00 5,00 10,00 15,00 20,00 25,00 30,00 35,00 40,00 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 SINTER Data calibration Coeff. of Restitution Experiments were performed at Vale, in order to obtain correct materials data; Coefficient of restitution, static and rolling friction were calibrated at ESSS. Restitution parameters calibrated based on free fall test. Initial Hight (cm) Return Hight (cm) Coeff of Restitution 40 0,400 0,100 40 1,270 0,178 40 1,200 0,173 40 1,000 0,158 40 1,140 0,169 40 1,300 0,180 pellet/pellet sinter/pellet sinter/coke sinter/sinter coke/pellet coke/coke Data calibration Static Friction Parameters were calibrated based on normal/shear force test. y = 0,6574x + 8,4531 y = 0,2222x + 10,054 y = 0,6484x + 43,417 0,00 10,00 20,00 30,00 40,00 50,00 60,00 70,00 0,00 5,00 10,00 15,00 20,00 25,00 30,00 35,00 Shear Force(N) Normal Force (N) Sinter Pellet Coke Sinter Pellet Coke Coke Sinter Pellet Sinter Pellet Coke 9,81 14,24 36,92 12,90 12,54 49,38 13,17 19,62 22,68 45,37 20,46 13,79 56,94 16,28 29,43 27,13 56,50 25,36 16,90 62,10 18,68 Shear Force (N) Normal Force (N) Data calibration Rolling Friction Based on repose angle, simulations were performed to reproduce the same angle on EDEM; Friction coefficient were adjusted to reproduce the repose angle. Parameter coke/coke coke/pellet coke/sinter coke/steel pellet/pellet pellet/sinter pellet/steel sinter/sinter sinter/steel Coeff. of Restitution 0.18 0.1 0.17 0.3 0.18 0.16 0.3 0.18 0.3 Coeff. of Static Friction 0.58 0.62 0.65 0.5 0.64 0.9 0.5 0.52 0.5 Coeff. of Rolling Friction 0.4 0.35 0.38 0.25 0.25 0.33 0.25 0.35 0.25 Material Repose angle (degree) Coke 35 to 38 Sinter 29 to 33 Pellet 25 to 26 Simplifications Due to real model size, it was simulated only a slice of the real geometry; Batch 1 (Coke): Coke: 174.2 Kg Batch 2 (Metal): Sinter: 394 Kg Pellet: 150.2 Kg Batch 3 (Metal): Sinter : 173.4 Kg Pellet: 116.8 Kg Initial conditions particle creation It was defined a virtual area in the top of the blast furnace to create particles. Particles were created in a dynamic way. Approximated 500 thousand particles simulated. Results Voidage Distribution Sample points in the material bed voidage distribution Material Distribution Coke distribution Metal distribution Material Distribution Sinter distribution Pellet distribution Compressive Force Compressive force can be seen in the particle bed Compressive Force Compressive force profile similar to coke distribution profile Coke distribution profile Compressive force profile Conclusions EDEM has demonstrated the ability to reproduce real phenomena from a large and complex model; A furnace model was simulated in about 160 hours: More than 500.000 Particles Simulated; Physical results based on real Physics. EDEM is able to generate quantitative results for blast furnaces; Particle size distribution, compressive force, total force, voidage.