Numerical analysis of the liquid flow in the lower part of a blast furnace during change of cohesive zone

A blast furnace is a counter current type reactor which produces molten iron from iron ore. Iron ore is charged together cokes and limestone in the top of the furnace and the hot blast air is injected from the raceway which is located in the lower part of the furnace. The high permeability of the flow in the dripping zone of a blast furnace is important for the stable operation of a furnace with high productivity. Basic studies of the liquid flow behavior in a packed bed should be preceded to understand the effect of various operational changes on conditions in the dropping zone. Gas, solid, molten iron and slag undergo physical and chemical changes simultaneously as they descend to the hearth. In this research, mathematical formulations in the lower part of a blast furnace are derived for the gas, liquid and solid. Isothermal flow for these 3 phases is simulated to understand basic flow and interactions among each phase. The results are simulated by several parameters for efficient analysis of the furnace.