DEM Simulation of Burden Circumferential Distribution of Blast Furnace With Parallel Hoppers

Circumferential mass segregation of a blast furnace with parallel hopper has a negative impact on its smooth operation. To further clarify the cause of circumferential mass segregation, a three-dimensional model of the charging system of a blast furnace with parallel hoppers was established based on the discrete element method. The objective was to investigate the effects of the chute shape and the angle of Y-tube on the segregation. The results revealed that the differences in the collision point, deflection and width of the particle flow in the circumferential direction charged by a rectangular chute were greater than those charged by a circular chute. When charging by rectangular and circular chutes, the change in the main particle flow width and the relative movement of the particle flow were the main causes of circumferential mass segregation, respectively. The variance of the mass distribution charged by the circular chute was ten times than that charged by the rectangular chute, indicating that the rectangular chute was beneficial for uniform burden distribution. In addition, the movement and the segregation were unaffected by the angle of the Y-tube.