PART XI – November 1967 - Papers - Jet Penetration and Bath Circulation in the Basic Oxygen Furnace

Knowledge of the depth of penetralion of an oxygen jet into the bath of the oxygen converter and of the correlation of penetration with driuing pressuve, lance heighl, and nozzle throat area is vital to the understanding of converter operation. If the penetration is too shallow, then severe and hazardous slopping takes place. On the other hand, if the jel penetrates entirely Lhvough lhe bath for an apprcciublc period of time, bottom damage occurs. In addilion to measurement of the penetralion of the jel, knou~ledge of the circulatory movement in the bath is also of interest in order to evaluale various theories oj-concerter operating behavior which have been published. In this investigation, experimental converters were buill of IOU- , 300-, and 4000-lb capacity. Four independent methods were used to determine penelralion: the onset of bottom marking, a nitrogen bubbler probe, observation througlt an optical syslew built into the oxygen lance, and direcl viewing of the jet issuing from the bottom of the vessel. Good correlation zuas obtained, and empirical relalions for pvedicling perletration were found. These relations were conjzrmed by bottom marking tests in 55- and 110-ton vessels. Within the operaling conditions employed in these tests, the depth to which a single oxygen jet penetrated zuas found lo vary according to the relatiorl ThE technical literature is replete with data concerning the successful use of the basic oxygen furnace or converter in steelmaking. Experimental data are lacking, however, on the vital factors of the depth of penetration of the jet into the bath and the induced circulation. Commercial operating conditions usually have been the result of cut and try experiments in lance manipulation until satisfactory results were obtained. There have been, however, two hotly argued opposing theories concerning desirable depth of penetration and these are exemplified by the Schwarz and Miles patents1,2 on one hand and the Suess patent3 on the other. The Schwarz patent teaches that the jet, issuing from the nozzle at supersonic speed, penetrates deeply "so that the reactions between the iron and the oxygen and between the oxygen and the rest of the smelting components take place in the center of the bath". Specific operating suggestions are given by Miles.2 By contrast, the Suess patent calls for surface Circulalion was investigated by lour methods: by direct observation in 200-lb open baths, by the use of graphite rudders in the 300- and 4000-lb converlers, by direct observalion through an oplical system in the lance, and by various models al room temperature. All were in excellent agreement and indicated that the motion of the bath ulas up at the center, radially outluavd at the surface, and down at the sides. Experi-ments in small and in commercial vessels indicate that it is essential to operate with a jet penetration of approximately 50 pct of the bath depth. Surface blowing results in low oxygen eficienty and in hazardous conditions which may render the process inopeuable. RejYactory dartzage al the bottom of the vessel is only encountered when the jet penetrates to the bottom, and this can be avoided by properly applying the penetration formula. The application of this en/pirical formula in commercial peraations is best when limited to combinations of lance size, pressure, and height which are typically encounteved in the use of a single-hole lance. blowing so that "...the oxygen jet does not penetrate deeply into the molten metal bath and is confined to an impingement area at the central portion of the bath surface". These references are given merely to illustrate the basic differences between the two schools of thought and to point out the need for measurement of penetration for the sake of the operator. For example, it is shown later that inefficient and even dangerous conditions can arise if improper blowing conditions are used. Differences are also evident between the two schools of thought as to the mixing, circulation, and agitation which is to be accomplished by the jet. The Schwarz patent states that "surface contact is not sufficient in most cases to bring about quick reaction, the same as the blowing of the gas over the bath surface or the mere blowing of the gas onto the bath surface". The patent goes on to call for active mixing. In contrast the claims of the Suess patent call for "discharging a stream of oxygen ... to an extent to avoid material agitation of the bath by the oxygen stream". In this patent the circulation is said to be downward in the center and up at the sides of the vessel. A number of investigators4-12 have explored penetration and circulation in transparent models. In general, it is agreed in these tests that the circulation is upward at the center (along the sides of the jet cavity),