192

COMPLEX MODELING OF THE BLAST-FURNACE PROCESSES FOR

PREDICTION AND ANALYSIS OF THE FURNACE OPERATION
PARAMETERS

Tovarovskiy I.G., Krasavtsev A.I., Yaroshevskiy S.L.

The composite model for the computational analysis of the blast
furnace (BF) operation is developed. The model combines a set of
common and multi-zonal material-thermal balance equations and
phenomenological description of heat-mass exchange processes and
gas dynamics. The accuracy of the prognosis of BF operation
parameters is competitive with that of more elaborate models. Our
model enables to compute changes in processes pathways induced by a
modification of BF operation parameters. Thus, the model allows us to
optimize BF operation. Moreover, it provides a valuable tool for the
design and implementation of novel technologies. In this contribution,
we describe the model and present examples of computed vertical
distributions of temperature and thermal capacity in BF.

Often, the major stumbling block in the implementation of new operation
technologies is absence of detailed information about physical and chemical processes
(i.e., heat and mass transfer, reduction and oxidation of raw materials, gas production,
and the like) occurring at different levels of the furnace. Therefore, it is very attractive
to use computational modeling of BF operation in order to obtain this important
information. Moreover, computational modeling of the BF operation process can be
used to predict a response of BF processes to changes in BF operational parameters,
and, therefore, to computationally determine the optimal values for the BF operation
parameters.
Previously reported techniques for modeling and analysis of the BF operation
are based on a solution of a composite set of material and heat balance equations.
Taking user-specified conditions as an input, the set techniques are capable of
determining consumption of raw materials, fluxes and coke, volume and composition
of slag, and corresponding gas and blast parameters (blast, hearth and top gases). The
most popular technique of this type is Prof. A. Ramm's method (1).
The BF operation process is modeled by solving a combined set of material-
thermal balance and heat-mass-transfer equations. Based on the accepted terminology,
such approaches can be called kinetic-mathematical models, as opposed to the balance
models. The main advantage of kinetic-mathematical models is that they enable a
direct computation of physical-chemical processes pathways at different levels of the
furnace and their dependence on operational parameters, as well as determination of
the critical/limiting values of operational parameters. These techniques require an
input of several parameters, which depend on kinetics of the mass and heat exchange
and permeability characteristics. These parameters (i.e., degree of the direct reduction,
top gas temperature, intensity of the operation, and a rate of heat loss into environment
from overall heat charge) are defined from experimental data. The accuracy of BF
operation parameters forecast crucially depends on luck in a choice of the input
parameters listed above. The successful choice is possible for the previously
investigated regimes, but it is rather non-trivial endeavor for new, especially non-
traditional, processes. When necessary information about burden transformation
193
processes is not available, the full description of BF processes becomes ambiguous,
and the accuracy of the forecast is not superior to that of simple kinetic models based
on the generalization of practical data (2,3).
Proceeding from the above mentioned, a complex model for the BF operation
forecast is developed. The model is based on a combined set of common material-
thermal balance and multi-zonal material-thermal balance equations. It also uses
phenomenological description (3) of heat-mass exchange processes and gas dynamics
parameterized by using experimental data. The accuracy of this model is comparable
with the accuracy of more complicated models (2,3). The model allows to compute
how processes respond to a modification of BF operation parameters, and to calculate
pathways of physical and chemical processes of burden transformations in new, non-
traditional technologies.

The Model and the Computational Scheme.

The computer program consists of the following modules: "burden", "coal",
"gasification", "fluxing", "coke", "theoretical temperature of combustion", "zones",
"iterator", "non-iterative computations of parameters", "base variants", "comparative
variants".
Burden: The "Burden" module of the program computes the consumption of burden
components (sinter, pallets, ores, fluxes, etc.), as well as amount and chemical
composition of slag. The module solves a system of the balance equations for Fe, Mn,
MgO, Al
2
O
3
, CaO/SiO
2
. The "burden" module requires as an input: (i) volume of
slag; (ii) specified consumption of coke; and either (iii) the Mn content in pig-iron,
and MgO and Al
2
O
3
content in slag or (iv) total amount of raw materials in a burden.
In the former case, the necessary amount of raw materials (containing Mn-, MgO- and
Al
2
O
3
) is calculated by the module. In the latter case, the chemical composition of
burden (the content of Mn in pig-iron, and MgO and Al
2
O
3
in slag) is determined.
Coal gasification: the "Gasification" module calculates an amount and a composition
of products produced by gasificator and injected to BF, and the necessary amount of
fluxes and other components which are loaded with coal.
Fluxing: The "Fluxing" module calculates the necessary amount of a flux to be loaded
in coal gasificator, sinter, and BF (natural flux). In addition, the "Fluxing" module
recalculates the composition of sinter.
Coke: The "Coke" module calculates coke and blast consumption, and top gas
production (for a user-specified degree of direct reduction). In addition, relative rate of
heat losses, the general thermal balance, and top gas temperature and composition are
computed.
Theoretical temperature (T
T
): The "Theoretical Temperature" module calculates
theoretical temperature (T
T
) of burning. As an input, it uses output of the "Coke"
module, specified blast consumption, injection rates for solid, liquid, gaseous fuels
and products of coal gasification (m
3
/t HM). If a constant T
T
regime is specified, the
"Theoretical Temperature" module computes a new value for one of the adjustable
parameters (contents of oxygen, temperature of blast, injection rate of the solid, liquid,
gaseous fuels, or of products of coal gasification) and returns the value to the "Coke"
module.
Zones: The "Zones" module sequentially calculates material and temperature-heat
characteristics of BF in 12 vertical temperature zones. The vertical temperature zones
are defined as follows: zone 1 covers the interval from the temperature of a charged
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burden up to 400
0
C, all other zones cover temperature intervals of 100
0
C. For each
zone, the module computes volume of materials and time they remain in a zone, as
well as temperature and structure of incoming and outgoing gases. Heat losses in
zones are
195


















































Figure 1 Calculated zonal heat distribution.

proportional to the square of a gas temperature averaged over the time materials
remain in a zone. The zonal changes of heat transfer coefficient are proportional to
average temperature of gases. The calculated zonal heat distribution is given in Fig. 1.

1
2 2
2 . 0 2 . 0 5 . 0
MnO As LV O H
q q q q
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
2 3
2 . 0 2 . 0 5 . 0 125 . 0 25 . 0
MnO As LV Fe FeCO
q q q q q
2 3 3
2 . 0 2 . 0 125 . 0 333 . 0 25 . 0
MnO As Fe MnCO FeCO
q q q q q
2 3 3 3
2 . 0 2 . 0 125 . 0 333 . 0 333 . 0 25 . 0
MnO As Fe MgCO MnCO FeCO
q q q q q q
2 3 3 3
2 . 0 2 . 0 125 . 0 333 . 0 333 . 0 25 . 0
MnO As Fe MgCO MnCO FeCO
q q q q q q
2 3 3 3
2 . 0 2 . 0 125 . 0 333 . 0 333 . 0 25 . 0
MnO As Fe MgCO MnCO FeCO
q q q q q q

Fe MgCO rd
q q q 125 . 0 333 . 0 005 . 0
3

Fe CaCO r
q q q
d
125 . 0 333 . 0 25 . 0
3

Fe CaCO r
q q q
d
125 . 0 333 . 0 3 . 0
3

SO Fe L CaCO r
q q q q q
d
5 . 0 125 . 0 333 . 0 333 . 0 3 . 0
3

SO L r
q q q
d
5 . 0 333 . 0 1 . 0
L
q 333 . 0
Heating of the products
t
0

400
o
C
500
o
C
600
o
C
700
o
C
800
o
C
900
o
C
1000
o
C
1100
o
C
1200
o
C
1300
o
C
1400
o
C
t
HM

Start of liquidation
Start of melting
Full melting of metal
Full melting of slag
Coke volatile extraction
Coke volatile extraction
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Where:
(+), (-) denote heat absorption and heat emission, respectively;
q
H2O
stands for heat of the hydrate extraction, kJ/t HM;
q
LV
is heat of Cu, Ni, Co reduction, kJ/t HM;
q
As
,q
MnO2
denote heat of As, MnO
2
reduction, kJ/t HM;
q
Fe2O3
, q
CaCO3
, q
MgCO3
, q
MnCO3
is used for heat of carbonates dissociation and
CO
2
reaction with carbon, kJ/t HM;
q
Fe
and qrd denote heat of iron reduction by gas and iron direct reduction,
respectively, kJ/t HM;
q
L
is heat of Si, Mn, P, V, Ti, Cr reduction and S transition into slag, kJ/t
HM;
q
so
is heat of slag production, kJ/t HM.
Iterator: The "Iterator" module calculates the top gas temperature in the following
iterative procedure. As the first step, the time materials remain in BF is calculated
from the overall BF productivity. Then the same quantity (time materials remain in
BF) is calculated directly, by computing the time materials remain in each zone (by
employing the modules described above). The convergence criterion is the difference
between two times: if the difference is below the specified threshold, the module
calculates the top gas temperature and exits. Otherwise, the top gas temperature is
adjusted and times are recalculated. The scheme of the algorithm is given in Fig. 2.





















Figure 2 - Computational scheme.

Non-Iterative Computations of Parameters: The "Non-Iterative Computations of
Parameters" module computes base variant values of speed and power of the injected
flows of blast from the tuyeres, permeability of burden, and additional parameters of
base variants (for a specified production of furnace (t HM/24 hours). These
parameters are required for computation of the degree of direct reduction, and the
COKE
ZONES
OUT OF CYCLE
ACCOUNTS
DIRECT
RADUCTION
RATIO
CYCLE FLUXING
TEORETICAL
TEMPERATURE
OF
COMBUSTION
RESULTS
If comparative
variants
If base variant
BURDEN
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comparative variants values of direct reduction and production. The module also
determines selfvalue of hot metal and total energetic coast values.
Base regime: The Base regime module computes the BF operation parameters
under base technological regime. The degree of direct reduction and intensity of
operation are given and complex of parameters is set to determine degree of direct
reduction in comparative variants. Results are given to coke module.
Comparative variants: The Comparative variants module computes the degree of
direct reduction and productivity by the values of complex parameters from base
variant for investigated technological regime.
Displaying results: The developed model allows to resent computed zonal data of the
BF operation parameters both numerically (in tables) and graphically. The database of
the start data is under development

Examples of computed results

Our results demonstrate that physical and chemical processes of BF operation,
i.e., changes in temperature and concentration fields as a functions of time materials
remain at the different levels of the furnace, can be calculated by using our model.
Given the stable state of the technological processes and the possibility of
maintenance, these results allow for choosing a direction in technology modernization.
The temperature and heat capacity distributions of materials and gases as a function of
time they remain in furnace are given in figures 3 (A,B,C) (results for three
technological regimes are presented).
Figure 3 (A) presents results for normal regime on air blast (1100
o
C),
with a natural gas injection (100 m
3
/t HM) and production of 1.5 t
HM/(m
3
/24hours).
Figure 3 (B) displays results for intensive regime on oxygen enriched
(40% O
2
) blast (1300
o
C), with a natural gas injection (180 m
3
/t HM),
and production of 2.7 t HM/(m
3
/24hours).
Figure 3 (C) shows results for the same regime as in figure 3(B), but
with no injection of a natural gas, and production 3.0 t
HM/(m
3
/24hours).
The first case corresponds to the normal two-stage heat exchange regime. In a
shaft (upper stage), the heat capacity of the gases is higher than that of the materials.
In the course of material preheating, the temperature difference between the material
and the gas is decreasing to its minimal value. Once this minimal value is reached, the
ratio of the heat capacity of gas to the heat capacity of material equals 1.0. Then
(lower stage) the heat capacity of material and gas-temperature difference increase. An
increase in material heat capacity on lower stage is controlled by heat consuming
processes, i.e., the iron direct reduction and subsequent processes at the
lowest levels of the furnace. In these processes, the spatially separated CO increases
the heat capacity of a gas.
The second case is characterized by the decrease in the intensity of heat
exchange followed by the gas volume decrease. Material-gas temperature difference
increases with shifting heat work to the lower level of furnace.
The third case corresponds to a heat exchange limit. The burden cools down
because less gas is available for the same amount of the material. As materials
descend through shaft, the material-gas temperature difference gradually increases. In
the shaft, the ratio between the gas and material heat capacity is close to 1.0. This
198
means "freezing" of the heat exchange in the upper part and a localization of all
processes in the lower part. This case is characterized by instabilities in BF processes
and it does not occur in real practice. The observed regimes agree with the modern
knowledge of the processes patterns and are supported by the experimental data
(3,4,5).
Enabling the analysis of the above regimes, the proposed model can be used to
solve wide scope of problems relevant for the design and implementation of novel
technologies.
199
A
B
C
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
0 1000 2000 3000
Temperature,
o

T
i
m
e
,

h
o
u
r
s
0 2000 4000 6000 8000
Heat Capacity
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
T
i
m
e
,

h
o
u
r
s
0
1
2
3
4
5
T
i
m
e
,

h
o
u
r
s

Difference in temperature; Heat capacity of materials;
Temperature of materials; Heat capacity of gases.
Temperature of gases;

Figure 3 Distribution of temperature and heat capacity of materials and gases as
function of time.

200

References

1. Ramm A.N.: Modern blast furnace process. Moscow, Metallurgy, 1980.
2. Tovarovskii I.G.,E.I. Raih, K.K. Shkodin, B.A. Ulachovich: Usage of the
mathematical methods and computers for blast furnace process analyzing and
management. Moscow, Metallurgy, 1978.
3. Tovarovskii I.G.: Improvement and optimization of the blast furnace process
parameters. Moscow, Metallurgy, 1987.
4. Kitaew B.I., Yaroshenko U.G., Lazarev B.L. Heat exchange in the blast
furnace. Moscow, Metallurgy, 1966.
5. Spirin N.A., Ovchinnikov U.N., Shvydkiy V.S., Yaroshenko U.G. Heat
exchange and increasing effectiveness of blast furnace operation.
Ekatirenburg, UGTU, 1995.