| Title |
Analysis of Flow in an Electric Arc Furnace Water Model under Bottom-Blowing
Conditions Using Numerical Simulation |
| Authors |
양익준(Ik Jun Yang) ; 장병록(Byoung Lok Jang) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.3365/KJMM.2026.64.4.302 |
| ISSN |
1738-8228(ISSN), 2288-8241(eISSN) |
| Keywords |
Electric Arc Furnace; Scaling; Froude Number; Water Model; Bottom blowing; Simulation |
| Abstract |
As the transition toward carbon neutrality accelerates, the demand for alternative iron sources capable of supporting
low-carbon steelmaking has grown substantially. Direct Reduced Iron (DRI), which offers significantly lower greenhouse gas
emissions compared to conventional hot metal, has become an essential feedstock for electric arc furnace (EAF) operations.
However, DRI often exhibits low melting efficiency and induces unstable bath behavior, underscoring the need for improved
melting technologies. To address these challenges, this study investigates a bottom-blowing stirring technology designed to
enhance thermal and flow control within the EAF when processing large quantities of DRI, supported by both experimental
observations and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. A series of melting trials and flow-field analyses were
performed to evaluate the effects of bottom inert-gas injection on temperature uniformity, melting kinetics, and the overall DRI
dissolution behavior. The bottom-blowing parameters were optimized to strengthen bath circulation, promote efficient heat
transfer, and eliminate localized cold regions that hinder DRI melting. CFD results further clarified the internal flow structures
and mixing characteristics induced by the bottom-blowing configuration. The findings indicate that controlled bottom stirring
significantly improves the dissolution rate of DRI by enhancing mixing intensity and stabilizing bath thermodynamics without
inducing excessive oxidation or energy losses. This study demonstrates that integrating optimized bottom-blowing technology
into DRI-charged EAF operations can meaningfully enhance melting performance and energy efficiency. The results offer
valuable insight into melt behavior under modified flow conditions and provide practical guidance for industrial implementation
of DRI-based EAF steelmaking in support of carbon-neutral production strategies. |