Numerical simulation of aluminum deoxidization in the RH process

Abstract Metal aluminum is usually used to deoxidize as a deoxidant in RH reactor for producing ultra-low carbon Al-killed steel. Studying the process of aluminum deoxidization is of significance for forecasting the distribution of aluminum and optimization of deoxidization duration. An inhomogeneous two-phase model is used to simulate the RH circulating process. A multicomponent equation is used to simulate the diffuse process of elements, aluminum and oxygen. The control of the source term of the component equation is used to simulate the reaction process. Then the numerical model of aluminum deoxidization for producing ultra-low carbon Al-killed steel is established. The following results are concluded: the results of the simulation are accorded with the results of actual production. So the model is authentic and veracious. When the flux of lift gas is 96 Nm 3 /h, the mass fraction of oxygen is exhausted to balance concentration about 200 s after aluminum is thrown into liquid steel. Then the reaction stops. The element aluminum is uniform about 500 s after aluminum is thrown into liquid steel. The maximum value of the mass fraction of aluminum decreases from 0.14% to 0.12% and the time of deoxidization decreases from 179.2 s to 149.4 s while the flux of lift gas increases from 72 Nm 3 /h to 120 Nm 3 /h.