Packed Bed Gas Injection Layout for Uniform Circumferential Flow

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional blast furnace operation methods fail to ensure uniform circumferential gas flow, leading to non-uniform temperature distribution, reduced reduction efficiency, and increased internal flow resistance, which affects the stability and efficiency of the process.

Innovation Solution

A method to ensure circumferential gas flow uniformity in cylindrical vessels by maintaining a gas flow uniformity index within a predetermined range, defined by specific parameters such as gas flow rates, nozzle configuration, and nozzle dimensions, ensuring balanced gas flow and preventing poor burden heating.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If hydrogen-based gas is injected into the blast furnace to reduce CO2 emissions and improve reduction efficiency, then reduction efficiency is improved, but the burden heats up more slowly due to endothermic reaction, making it difficult to achieve stable reduction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereduction efficiencyVSAvoidburden temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by preheating the burden in the upper part of the furnace before the main reduction process. This is achieved by controlling gas flow and temperature distribution to ensure the burden is adequately heated in advance, compensating for the endothermic nature of hydrogen-based reduction that would otherwise cause slow heating

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs parameter changes by adjusting gas flow rates, temperatures, and distribution patterns within the blast furnace. Specifically, it controls the injection parameters of reducing gas and adjusts the thermal field distribution to maintain stable reduction conditions while using hydrogen-based gas, thereby resolving the contradiction between improved reduction efficiency and sufficient burden heating

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If conventional blast furnace operation methods are used without considering gas flow uniformity factors, then operation is simpler, but circumferential temperature distribution becomes non-uniform, resulting in uneven reduction efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveoperation simplicityVSAvoidtemperature distribution uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback control by monitoring gas flow rates, temperature distribution, and reduction efficiency parameters. Based on this feedback information, it adjusts operating parameters such as gas injection rates and distribution to maintain uniform circumferential temperature and optimal reduction efficiency, thereby achieving precise control without excessive operational complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies parameter changes by systematically adjusting gas flow rates, pressures, and distribution patterns based on measured temperature and reduction efficiency. This dynamic parameter adjustment ensures uniform circumferential conditions while maintaining operational feasibility, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If gas flow rate and nozzle parameters are not optimized, then device complexity is lower, but internal flow resistance increases and gas channeling occurs, reducing process stability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenozzle configuration complexityVSAvoidprocess stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the gas distribution system into multiple nozzles strategically positioned around the furnace circumference. Each nozzle is optimized for its specific location, and the collective arrangement ensures uniform gas distribution. This segmented approach prevents gas channeling and reduces internal flow resistance while maintaining reasonable system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs parameter changes by optimizing nozzle diameter, protrusion length, and angular positioning to achieve uniform gas flow distribution. By carefully adjusting these parameters, the system minimizes internal flow resistance and prevents gas channeling, thereby improving process stability without requiring excessive structural complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method achieves stable and efficient blast furnace operation by ensuring uniform gas flow, preventing moisture condensation, and enhancing reduction efficiency while reducing reducing agent usage.

Implementation Method 1

a first gas rising inside the cylindrical vessel is generated by supplying gas from a supply port provided at a lower part of the cylindrical vessel, and a second gas is supplied into the cylindrical vessel from a number of nozzles installed at circumferential intervals in a side portion of the cylindrical vessel

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas flow mixing:

Implementation Method 2

the method achieves stable and efficient blast furnace operation by ensuring uniform gas flow, preventing moisture condensation, and enhancing reduction efficiency

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection heat transfer: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP4674987A1Method for treating filling layer housed in cylindrical container
Publication Date: 2026.01.07 JFE STEEL CORP
  • EP4674987A1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4674987A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4674987A1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

Provided is a method of treating a packed bed contained in a cylindrical vessel, in which circumferential gas flow uniformity inside the cylindrical vessel can be ensured. The method of treating a packed bed contained in a cylindrical vessel includes a process where a first gas rising inside the cylindrical vessel is generated by supplying gas from a supply port at the lower part of the cylindrical vessel, and a second gas is supplied into the cylindrical vessel from n nozzles in the side portion of the cylindrical vessel, and the process is performed with a gas flow uniformity index D, represented by Equation (1), being 0.60 or more, where V1 is the flow rate of the first gas, V2 is the total flow rate of the second gas supplied from the n nozzles, DC is the inner diameter of the cylindrical vessel at the height position of the nozzles, z is the protrusion length of the nozzles from the inner wall surface of the cylindrical vessel, and DN is the horizontal length of nozzle openings. [Math. 1] D=2nπ−DNDC+DNDC2+π22nV2V1+V2+nDNDCπ1−2zDC