Three-dimensional transient modelling of coal and coke co-combustion in the dynamic raceway of ironmaking blast furnaces

Yuting Zhuo and Yansong Shen

Applied Energy, 2020, vol. 261, issue C, No S0306261919321440

Abstract: The blast furnace is a highly efficient but energy-intensive chemical reactor for iron production. Two types of solid fuels, viz. coarse coke particles and fine pulverized coal powders, are combusted simultaneously, forming the dynamic cavities (termed raceway) at the lower part of the blast furnace, and their behaviour affects each other considerably, although this has not been clearly established in the past. In this study, a three-dimensional transient model is developed for describing the complex co-combustion of pulverized coal and coke coupled with the dynamic raceway evolution under industrial-scale blast furnace conditions. The model couples a gas-coke combustion model with a gas-coal combustion model in a transient state by means of two-way coupling scheme. The model is then validated against experimental measurements. The typical transient in-furnace phenomena are illustrated in terms of raceway shape and size, gas-solid-powder flow, temperature fields, gas composition and coal and coke combustion. As time progresses from 0 s to 7.0 s, the raceway size increases in depth, width and height; and the coal burnout slightly increases. At around 7.0 s, the raceway profile and coal and coke combustion approach a relatively stable state. Additionally, the effects of blast rate on the in-furnace phenomena are studied. Under the simulated conditions, when the blast rate is increased from 140 m/s to 180 m/s, a larger raceway is formed and the depth is increased by 22.2%. Subsequently, the average burnout of pulverized coal is improved by 3.6% and the reducing gas, i.e., CO, is increased by 1%. This model offers a cost-effective tool to optimize coke/coal co-combustion in blast furnaces for energy saving and operation stability.

Keywords: Transient model; Blast furnace; Raceway; Coal; Coke; Combustion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261919321440
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:appene:v:261:y:2020:i:c:s0306261919321440

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/bibliographic
http://www.elsevier. ... 405891/bibliographic

DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.114456

Access Statistics for this article

Applied Energy is currently edited by J. Yan

More articles in Applied Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().