Heat Transfer Analysis of Copper Stave in Blast Furnace Based on Slag Crust Characteristics

As a protective layer for the copper stave in the blast furnace, the characteristics of the slag crust have a non‐negligible influence on the heat transfer of the copper stave. Combined with the characteristics of slag crust thermal conductivity, flowing temperature, and thickness, the influence of slag crust on heat transfer from copper stave under different operating conditions is investigated, and the potential of slag crust thickness regulation to reduce carbon consumption in blast furnaces is assessed. It is found that the slag crust thicknesses calculated by the model are consistent with the range of thicknesses of the actual slag crust samples, validating the correctness of the model. To ensure the operational safety of the copper stave, in the actual production process of the blast furnace, the slag crust thickness should be controlled between 30 and 60 mm, and the corresponding thermocouple temperatures, water velocities, and heat flux intervals are calculated. In addition, when the slag crust thickness is increased from 10 to 30 mm, the 2650 m 3 blast furnace can reduce the coke ratio by a maximum of about 14 kg t −1 .