Smelting Unit Top Lance and Side Wall Injector Dynamics
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing smelting units for steel production experience splashing and slagging due to high volume flows and impulse of gas jets, leading to material losses and reduced yield.
Innovation Solution
A smelting unit with a top lance that can be rotated and pivoted around multiple axes, combined with side wall injectors that can be pivoted, to minimize shear forces and adjust the angle of gas jets, reducing splashing and slagging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If high volume flow gas jets are injected through side wall injectors to achieve good mixing of reactants, then mixing efficiency is improved, but splashing and slagging occur causing material losses
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall injectors are made pivotable to dynamically adjust the injection angle. This allows the system to adapt the gas jet direction to optimize mixing while avoiding conditions that cause splashing and slagging, thereby maintaining mixing efficiency without material loss
Solution Approach 2:
The injection parameters (angle, position) of the side wall injectors are made variable through pivoting capability. By changing these parameters, the system can optimize the balance between mixing efficiency and prevention of splashing-induced material loss
2Power
If high pressure oxygen injection is used to achieve good mixing of reactants, then reaction efficiency is improved, but steel and slag droplets are torn off and deposited on furnace walls
Solution Approach 1:
The top lance is equipped with multiple degrees of freedom (rotation around its axis, pivoting around horizontal and vertical axes) to dynamically adjust the injection position and angle. This allows optimization of oxygen injection to maintain reaction efficiency while avoiding droplet tearing and slagging
Solution Approach 2:
The injection parameters (position, angle, distance from melt surface) of the top lance are made variable through its multi-axis movement capability. By changing these parameters, the system can maintain high reaction efficiency while preventing the harmful effect of slagging
3Productivity
If process gas is injected at high volume flow to improve mixing, then oxygen reaction efficiency is increased, but impulse of gas jet causes splashing
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall injectors can pivot to dynamically adjust the injection angle, allowing the system to maintain high volume flow for productivity while directing the gas jet to minimize splashing
Solution Approach 2:
The injection angle parameter of the side wall injectors is made variable through pivoting, enabling optimization of the balance between high volume flow injection (for productivity) and minimization of splashing (harmful effect)
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 solution effectively reduces the formation of steel and slag droplets within the furnace, on the cover, and in the elbow, minimizing material losses and maintaining yield while allowing for metallurgical work and chemical energy introduction.
Implementation Method 1
minimize shear forces and adjust the angle of gas jets, reducing splashing and slagging
Implementation Method 2
high volume flows and the associated impulse of the gas jet during injection cause steel and/or slag to splash
Implementation Method 3
The oxygen reacts with the liquid melt or the input materials and releases energy in the process
Implementation Method 4
the process gas injected through the side wall injector hits the surface of the molten bath at a certain angle and creates an elliptically shaped, oscillating impact cavity
Data Source
AI summary
A smelting unit for steel production with a tap weight of between 60 t and 350 t and a method for operating the same are disclosed. By a top lance that moves during operation of the smelting unit and the coordinated injection of process gases by sidewall injectors and the top lance, the undulations in the surface of the molten bath are reduced. As a result, fewer drops detach from the surface of the molten bath and soiling of the upper receptacle and the exhaust manifold is significantly reduced.