Process Metallurgy - Steelmaking

Cold Modelling of Slag Splashing in LD Furnace by Oxygen Lance with Twisted

Nozzle Tip

Liangcai Zhong 1 ), Yingxiong Zhu 1 ), Maofa Jiang 1 ), Zhengping Qu2 ), Yishan Za2), Xingyu 8a02 )

1) Institute of Ferrous Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang / China; 2) Jiuquan Iron & Steel Co., Jiuquan / China

The effects of a conventional lance tip with 4 normal nozzles and a lance tip with 4 twisted nozzles on slag splashing were investigated. A
cold model for LD converters, Jiuquan Iron & Steel Co., was established and the amount of slag splashed onto the model walls was meas-
ured in the cold modelling experiments. The results from the experiments show that at low top gas flow rate the amount of slag splashing
for the tip with twisted nozzles is less than that for the conventional tip, whereas at high top gas flow rate the amount of slag splashing for
the nozzle twisted lance is greater than that for the conventional lance. For the nozzle twisted lance tip, slag splashing rates increase with
increase in slag amount, lance height and top gas flow rate and the maximum amount of slag splashing for the tip with twisted nozzles can
be obtained under the process parameters of 47.6 Nm 3/h gas flow rate, 12% slag amount and 247 mm lance height. More slag droplets can
be directed onto the cone with a nozzle twisted lance tip than with a normal lance tip at high top gas flow rate.

Keywords: lance tip, twisted nozzle, cold modeling, slag splashing process

Introduction by physical model experiments and investigated the effect

The adoption of slag splashing technique in LD furnace
has increased the vessel lining life enormously. The slag
splashing technique is conducted after molten steel in the
furnace is tapped. Nitrogen gas is blown through a top lance
onto the slag left inside the furnace. The slag is splashed
onto the furnace walls and a layer of solidified slag is
formed on the vessel walls to protect the furnace lining for
the next heat of steelmaking.
It is well known that the jets out of oxygen lance tips have
great effects not only on the blowing process of LD steel-
making, but also on the slag splashing operation [1-3]. Con-
ventional oxygen lance tips with normal nozzles are used in
most LD steelmaking plants to supply oxygen gas during
the steelmaking process and nitrogen gas during the slag
splashing process [3-8], but a different kind of oxygen lance
tips with 4 twisted nozzles is utilized for these two process-
es in the converters at Jiuquan Iron & Steel Co., China.
Peaslee [I] first conducted physical modelling of slag
splashing in a BOF with a 2-dimensional slice model to
study slag splashing from a single inclined jet. His research
showed that larger lance angles and heights increase the
amount of splashing assuming all other jetting characteris-
tics are constant. Then Garg and Peaslee [2] carried out cold
modelling experiments of BOF slag splashing in a 1/8-scale
model to investigate the effects of parameters such as noz-
zle numbers, nozzle angles, gas flow rates, bath depth, slag
viscosity and lance height on slag splashing. They found
that raising the lance height increases the amount of splash-
ing in the lower region and less splash reaches the vessel
upper area with increase in the nozzle angle. Cui and Yang
[9] undertook water modelling experiments for the 300t
converter slag splashing process in a 1/10 model. Their re-
sults indicated that the amount of splashing in the vessel's
upper area can be raised by increasing the gas pressure. Lu-
omala et al. [10] studied the selective slag splashing in BOF
of different splashing parameters on the location and quan-
tity of slag splashing. Liu et al. [11] conducted physical
modelling experiments for a converter slag splashing
process and found that a lance tip with 12° inclination angle
nozzles was the best for slag splashing in their experiments.
The above researches all dealt with the effects of conven-
tional lance tips on the slag splashing. However, only few
reports on the influence of nozzle twisted lance tips on the
process are found. In the present cold modelling experi-
ments, two kinds of lance tips, one being a conventional
lance tip and the other a nozzle twisted lance tip, are adopt-
ed to investigate the effect of nozzle twisted lance tips on
the slag splashing process under different gas flow rates,
lance heights and slag amounts left inside the vessel.
Experimental Method
The cold modelling experiments of slag splashing were
carried out in a scaled-down LD vessel model made of 10
mm thick plexiglass. Geometric similarity was kept be-
tween the prototype LD furnace and model vessel and the
ratio of geometric similarity was chosen as 1:7.7 according
to the experimental conditions. A schematic of the experi-
mental apparatus is shown in figure 1 and geometric pa-
rameters ofthe prototype and the model are listed in table 1.
For dynamic similarity, a modified Froude number was
mainly considered between the prototype and the model.
The modified Froude number, Fr, was defined as:
Fr = ------''-------
(1)
was used to determine the top gas flow rate in the cold mod-
el experiments. The Weber number, We, momentum num-
ber, Mm, and Morton number, Mo, were also considered in
the present work and defined as:

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Process Metallurgy - Steelmaking

Table 1. Geometrical and operational parameters used for modelling and experiments. where, p is density [kg/m'], U gas ve-
locity at nozzle exit [m/s], g gravity ac-
Parameter Prototype Model celeration [m/s2], do diameter of nozzle
Diameter of the vessel [mm] 3312 435 exit [m], h lance height [m], a surface
Height of the vessel [mm] 5546 720 tension [N/m], and f.,l viscosity [Pa·s].
Subscripts I and g present liquid and gas
Diameter of the vessel bottom [mm] 2896 376
phases, respectively. Froude number
Diameter of the vessel mouth [mm] 1822 236 represents the ratio of inertial force to
Height of the vessel cone [mm] 1536 199 gravitational force [1]. Weber number
Height of the vessel body [mm] 3100 403 expresses the ratio of the inertial force to
the liquid surface tension [1].
Number of nozzles oflance tip 4 4
Momentum number is the ratio be-
Diameter of the nozzle outlet, do [mm] 35 4.5 tween the jet momentum flow rate at dif-
Diameter of the nozzle throat, d. [mm] 27.2 3.5 ferent distances with the action of gravi-
Nozzle inclination angle, a [0] 12 12 ty on the same bath [1]. Morton number
Nozzle twist angle, (J [0] 11 11
is a function of the properties of the liq-
uid [1].
Liquid density in the bath, PI. [kg/rrr'] 3200 1190 In the cold modelling experiment the
Liquid viscosity, /-11 [Pa-s] 0.025 - 0.127 0.139 modified Froude number, Fr rn- in the
1.17 1.20
model vessel was kept to be equal to the
Gas density, Pg [kg/nr']
modified Froude number, Fr.; in the pro-
Surface tension, OJ [N/m] 0.4 - 0.6 0.067 totype converter, that is:
Lance height for slag splashing, h [mm] 1300 - 1900 169 - 247
Gas flow rate, Q [Nm 3/h] 9000 - 13000 32.9 - 47.6 (5)

Slag amount, w [%] 8 - 12 8 - 12

Then, the gas volume flow rate, Qg,m,
Modified Froude number, Fr 8.3 - 25.3 8.3 - 25.3 in the model could be calculated from
Weber number, We (3.9-8.2)X103 (0.8-1.8) X 103 the gas volume flow rate, Qg,p, in the
Momentum number, Mm (2.8-18) x 10-3
(2.8-18) X 10-3 prototype by the following equation
which was derived from Eq. (5):
Morton number, Mo 6.4 X 10-6 1.0 X 10-2

(2) a.: = [(A) ~ (Pg,p) ~ (PI,P =Pg,p ) -~] . Qg.P (6)

Pg.m PI,m Pg,m

where, A = hm/hp is the ratio of geometric similarity. Under

(3) the condition of geometric similarity, one obtains:

(7)
4
- gILl
M 0- -3- (4) or
al PI

do,m) 2 Pg,mU~ (h m)2 Pg,pU~

( do,p (PI,m - Pg,m)ghm = hp (PI,p - Pg,p)ghp
(8)

Since the density of liquid is much greater than that of

Air
gas, Eq. (8) can be rewritten as:
storage
tank
Pressure 2 2
Pg,m dO,mUm
control tank (9)
PI,mgh~

or Mmm=Mm p • (10)

Air compressor Therefore, the momentum number in the model was nat-
Figure 1. Schematic drawing of the experimental apparatus. urally equal to that in the prototype. The other dimension-

612 steel research int. 76 (2005) NO.9

 Process Metallurgy - Steelmaking

less numbers were considered by adjusting the physical normal nozzles are still higher than those from the lance tip
properties of the modelling liquid mixture but could not be with twisted nozzles at lance heights from 169 mm to
kept to be equal between the model and the prototype. 195 mm for 8% slag amount or from 169 mm to 221 mm for
The liquid used in the cold model experiments for slag in 10% slag amount. But at the other lance heights the mean
the prototype was a glycerol-water mixture where the ratio slag splashing rate from the lance tip with normal nozzles
of glycerol volume to water volume was chosen to be 3: 10
for proper viscosity. The gas in the experiments for nitrogen
was compressed air. Their physical properties and the di-
mensionless number values are shown in table 1.
The liquid droplets splashed onto vessel walls during an
experiment were collected with five grooves which were
put on the inside walls at different vessel height, as shown
in figure 1. The dimensions of the grooves are presented in
figure 2. Usually, grooves 1 and 2 could be filled fully in
tum with the splashed liquid droplets during an experiment
due to much heavier splashing on the lower part of the ves-
sel walls. The time when one of the two grooves was full
with the liquid was recorded and used to calculate the local
slag splashing rate, r, from the weight of the liquid in the
groove and the area above the groove. Liquid splashed onto
grooves 3, 4 or 5 was absorbed with a piece of sponge and
weighed, respectivel y. Therefore, local slag splashing rates
at these vessel wall parts were also obtained. A mean slag 12
splashing rate, R, was evaluated from the five local slag
Figure 2. Dimensions of slag droplet grooves.
splashing rates. Process parameters used in the present re-
search for slag splashing are shown in table l. Lance height,
h, for slag splashing is defined as the distance from the \ \
lance tip to the bottom of the vessel and slag amount, w, as I \ I \
the ratio of slag weight to melt weight in the vessel. The
slag amount was converted into liquid volume in the exper-
iments according to its liquid density and weight.
n I~\

Tow kinds of lance tips were used in the cold experi-

ments for the research on the effect of nozzle twisted lance
tip on the slag splashing process. One was a tip with 4 nor-
mal nozzles and the other was the one with 4 twisted noz-
zles. Figure 3 shows a schematic drawing of the tow lance
tips.

Experimental Results and Discussion

Figure 3. Schematic of two kinds of lance tips used in the present
work .
Figures 4 to 6 show the influences of lance heights, h,
slag amounts, w, and twist angle, e, on mean slag splashing
rates, R, at a certain top gas flow rate, respectively. It can be 40 w/% e/deg ~
seen from figure 4 that at a top gas flow rate of 30.9 Nm 3/h,
the mean slag splashing rates from the lance tip with normal
35
=:=,·0 ~ ~
=~=~ ~! /A// .
nozzles are greater than those from the lance tip with twist- 30
ed nozzles at the same slag amount. For 8% slag amount ,
the lance height hardly influences the mean slag splashing
:en 25

rate, except for the lance height of 247 mm for the tip with
'k
Cl 20
-6-12
Q=32.9Nm /h
11
3
"
/
..:'
-:
/ 0

normal nozzles. For 10% or 12% slag amount, the mean cr:
15 /.~~~~
slag splashing rates increase with increase in lance height. A~ o~~ ~
Such an influence of the lance height on the mean slag
splashing rates can also be found in figures 5 and 6, but in
10
.i-:
5
these cases, the mean slag splashing rate from the lance tip
OL.-__'_----'_..........~_.L..---'-----'_...L-____'__.L___'____'____'
with twisted nozzles increases as the lance height increases
140 160 180 200 220 240 260
from 169 mm to 247 mm for 8% slag amount at top gas
flow rates of 40.3 Nm 3/h and 47.6 Nm 3/h. h/mm
It is shown in figure 5 that at 40.3 Nm3/h top gas flow Figure 4. Influences of lance height, slag amount and twist angle on
rate, the mean slag splashing rates from the lance tip with mean slag splashing rates at a top gas flow rate of 32.9 Nm3 /h.

steel research int. 76 (2005) No. 9 613

Process Metallurgy - Steelmaking

becomes smaller than that from the lance tip with twisted
nozzles. For 12% slag amount, the mean slag splashing
rates from the lance tip with twisted nozzles become obvi-
ously greater than those from the lance tip with normal noz-
zles under all lance heights used in the present research.
Figure 6 presents that at 47.6 Nm 3/h top gas flow rate,
the mean slag splashing rates obtained from the lance tip
with twisted nozzles are all much larger than those from the
lance tip with normal nozzles for all three slag amounts and
alliance heights studied in the present work. For both lance
types the mean slag splashing rates increase with increasing
lance height, but the mean slag splashing rates for the lance
tip with twisted nozzles increase more quickly than those
for the lance tip with normal nozzles. At this top gas flow
rate, the mean slag splashing rates from the lance tip with
normal nozzles decrease with increase in slag amount from
8% to 12%, while those from the lance tip with twisted noz-
zles increase with increasing slag amount. Maximum mean
slag splashing rate is obtained at 47.6 Nm3/h top gas flow
rate, 247 mm lance height and 12% slag amount for the
nozzle twisted lance tip. Under the same process conditions,
this maximum rate is more than twice as high as that from
the lance tip with normal nozzles
It is known that slag splashing rates are mainly related
with the top gas jet momentum, slag amount and lance
height in an LD converter. At low top gas flow rate, the jet
from a nozzle twisted lance tip has less momentum in axial
and radial directions due to the tangential flow than that
from a normal lance tip. Therefore, slag droplets torn off
from the cavity caused by the jet from the nozzle twisted
lance are less. However, with increase in top gas flow rate
the momentum in axial and radial directions of the jet from
the nozzle twisted lance tip becomes large enough to tear
off more slag droplets and splash them onto the vessel

-6-12
-0- 8
w/% e/deg
70 - . - 8

60 -e-10

50 -0-10 11
0
0
0
11

-D.-12 11 /
/
.s->:
.>:
80,.-------------------.,

~o
»>0 -0
/
o~
/

3/h
:~
40 Q=47.6 Nm
30 Iil--.
.::::::::====:
----='__
::::::=---"
I

.~
20

10

140 160 180 200 220 240 260 140 160 180 200 220 240 260
h/mm h/mm

Figure 5. Influences of lance height, slag amount and twist angle on Figure 6. Influences of lance height, slag amount and twist angle on
mean slag splashing rates at a top gas flow rate of 40.3 Nm3/h. mean slag splashing rates at a top gas flow rate of 47.6 Nm3/h.

70
300
•
60 • 250
- . - normal tip
- . - Normal tip -e- nozzle twisted tip
50 -e- Nozzle twisted tip Q=47.6 Nm
3/h

Q=32.9 Nm
3/h 200 h=247 mm
~ 40 h=169 mm N
~ w=12%
N

.s w=8% .s Cl 150
.g> 30 <:::
100

.~~
20

10

0
200 300 400 500
.-:-----
600 700
50

0
200 300
.----.----..-----
400 500 600 700

H/mm H/mm

Figure 7. Local slag splashing rates as a function of distance from Figure 8. Local slag splashing rates as a function of distance from
the vessel bottom. at a top gas flow rate of 32.9 Nm3/h, a lance the vessel bottom at a top gas flow rate of 47.6 Nm3/h, a lance
height of 169 mm and a slag amount of 8%. height of 247 mm and a slag amount of 12%.

614 steel research int. 76 (2005) No.9


walls, whereas for the normal lance tip its jet is so strong
that it penetrates through the slag layer and directly impacts
the vessel bottom, leading to its momentum loss. As a re-
sult, slag splashing rates with the normal lance tip are less
than those with the nozzle twisted lance tip at high top gas
flow rates.
The LD converter studied in the present work has a flat
bottom. Compared with a spherical cap bottom, it has a
shallower slag bath. With a small slag amount and low lance
height, a top gas jet penetrates easily through the slag bath
and loses a part of ist momentum, which leads to lower slag
splashing rates than those yielded with large slag amount
and high lance height.
Local slag splashing rates, r, as a function of different
distances from the vessel bottom, H b , are shown in
figures 7 and 8 under different process conditions. The two
figures indicate that there exist very large differences in the
local slag splashing rates along the distance from the bot-
tom, that is, lots of slag droplets are splashed onto the low-
er area of the vessel body wall, and substantially fewer slag
droplets are deposited onto the vessel cone at any process
parameters. It can be seen that the local slag splashing rates
with the nozzle twisted tip are larger than those with normal
tip at high top gas flow rate, large slag volume and high
lance height, but smaller at low flow rate, small slag volume
and low lance height. It is clear from figure 8 that more slag
droplets are directed to the vessel cone with the nozzle
twisted tip at those parameters shown in the figure. There-
fore, it can be concluded that the thickness of the slag layer
formed on the cone wall of an LD converter by slag splash-
ing would be increased with utilization of a nozzle twisted
lance tip under those parameters, which is favourable for
protecting the cone refractory.
Conclusions
Cold modelling experiments to study the effects of a noz-
zle twisted lance tip on slag splashing in an LD converter
have been conducted in the present work and the following
conclusions can be drawn from the results in the work.
At low top gas flow rate, the mean slag splashing rates
with a normal tip are larger than those with a nozzle twist-
ed tip, whereas at high top gas flow rate, the mean slag
splashing rates with a nozzle twisted tip are about twice as
large as those with a normal tip. Therefore, nozzle twisted
lance tips are favourable for improving the slag splashing
rates at high gas flow rates.
steel research int. 76 (2005) NO.9
Process Metallurgy - Steelmaking
For the LD converters with flat bottom, like the one stud-
ied in the present work, less slag amount and lower lance
height lead to low slag splashing rates due to a shallower
slag bath. For the nozzle twisted lance tip, the slag splash-
ing rates increase with increase in slag amount, lance height
and top gas flow rate.
Local mean slag splashing rates decrease sharply with in-
crease in distance from the vessel bottom and very few slag
droplets are splashed onto the cone of the LD converters,
but more slag droplets can be directed onto the cone with a
nozzle twisted lance tip than with a normal lance tip at high
top gas flow rate, which can extend the vessel cone refrac-
tory life.
It is suggested that a nozzle twisted lance tip should be
applied with large top gas flow rates if a special lance is in-
stalled for the slag splashing process.
(A2004110; received on 8 September 2004,
in final form on 14 October 2004)
Contact: Liancai Zhong
Institute of Ferrous Metallurgy
Northeastern University
PO. Box 327
Shenyang, 110004 / P.R.China
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