Numerical Analysis of Particle Movement and Chemical Reaction in a Melter-Gasifier by OpenFOAM

Abstract

Melter-Gasifier is used in the iron making process to produce pig iron from iron ore. Since the quality of pig iron produced in the melter-gasifier greatly affects the quality of the final product, it is important to accurately understand the physical phenomenon of the melter-gasifier. In order to accurately understand the physical phenomenon of the melter-gasifier, the complex behavior and various chemical reactions of coke particles and pulverized coal must be considered simultaneously. Particularly, due to oxygen injected at a high speed, a cavity in the particle called a raceway is formed from the end of the oxygen lance, and it is important to understand the physical phenomenon occurring inside the raceway. In this study, when steam is injected into the raceway, the chemical reaction and the behavior of particles inside the melter-gasifier are analyzed. In order to accurately understand the physical phenomenon of the melter-gasifier, the Discrete Element Method (DEM) is used to analyze the behavior of coke particles.