Study on the Influence of Neutral Gas Fraction in the AOD Process using a 3D Two-Phase CFD Model

A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model of the Argon Oxygen Decarburization (AOD) process with side gas injection is developed to investigate the influence of the gas nature (argon or oxygen) on the jet penetration depth, the bubble column behavior, and the local steel-gas interactions around the tuyere. The developed AOD model relies on separate mass, momentum and energy transport equations for the steel and gas phases. Additionally, the model addresses the heat generated from the carbon monoxide formation, distribute it on gas/steel interface. The gas properties (e.g. gas density) are calculated based on the ideal gas law and are influenced by the reaction heat source. Notably, this study represents the first consideration of the impact of the gas composition on the gas phase properties, including the gas-steel interfacial tension and the drag force. This approach can be utilized to simulate the different decarburization stages. This research suggests that different semi-empirical jet penetration models exhibit higher accuracy for Ar injection in liquid steel, while tending to overestimate O 2 jet penetration depth. The findings also highlight the significant influence of gas composition on gas dynamics within the bath and at the refractory interface, emphasizing the need for further investigation.