Numerical Modeling and Simulation of the Bottom-Blowing Process in a Converter: A Novel Approach to Characterizing the Refractory Lining Morphology

A novel numerical simulation method was proposed to define the refractory region in a converter during bottom blowing. The porous media model was applied to represent the refractory domain, which simplifies the geometry model establishment procedure. The complex geometry of a converter bottom can be easily described by the modeling method. Here, a mesh independence analysis was performed. The velocity, streamline and solute diffusion of the converter bottom blowing were calculated by the traditional method and the proposed modeling method. The results indicate agreement between the traditional method and the novel modeling method. The velocity and the solute transport were calculated when the converter lifetime was in its initial, midterm and final stages, with solute mixing times of 103 s, 68 s and 83 s, respectively. The novel numerical simulation method offers simplified geometry establishment, especially for complex or irregular refractory geometries.