Physical and Mathematical Modeling of Multiphase Flows in a Converter

Fluid flow in converter bath, affecting the viability, effectiveness, and efficiency of steelmaking, plays a critical role in the productivity and quality level that can be achieved in the process. Due to a large quantity and diversity of the studies on the characteristics of the multiphase flow, it seems very necessary to make a systematic literature review on state-of-the-art developments in the steelmaking process. This paper presents the recent findings of the characteristics of the multiphase flow in the converter by means of physical and mathematical modeling and the resulting implications for simulating the process. Some representatives include supersonic oxygen jet, stirring and mixing, splashing and droplet generation, and energy transfer. The work summarized in this paper can give an in-depth understanding of the fluid flow in converter and provide references for future modeling of the converter steelmaking process. Future contributions to a fundamentally generalized modeling of the converter steelmaking are still needed. More profoundly, the modeling work can facilitate the real-time data-driven precise BOF process control and be an important component to the realization of intelligent manufacturing in steelmaking process.