Simulation and Application of Ruhrstahl–Heraeus (RH) Reactor with Bottom-Blowing

To increase the refining efficiency of the Ruhrstahl–Heraeus (RH) reactor used in steelmaking, extra gas was blown into the molten bath through the bottom of the ladle. Both water experimental and numerical simulation models were established to analyze the flow field behavior to select the optimal bottom-blowing position and to study the effects of the bottom-blowing flow rate on the flow field of the molten bath, slag eye formation, and snorkel refractory materials. The results show that the recirculation flow rate increases and the mixing time decreases with an increase in the bottom-blowing flow rate. When blowing at the optimal position, the velocity of the molten steel in the ladle increases with increasing gas flow rate, and the low-velocity zone between the down-snorkel and ladle wall disappears, but the slag eye is easily formed. The simulation and experimental results were applied to an industrial 150 t RH reactor, where the optimal bottom-blowing flow rate and position improved the refining effect without forming a slag eye or having adverse effects on the snorkel refractory. To reduce the mass fraction of hydrogen to 2.0 ppm, the required processing time was shortened by 16.40 pct, and the dehydrogenation rate was increased by 19.51 pct.