Fluid Dynamics in a Teniente Type Copper Converter Model with One and Two Tuyeres

Abstract

We have numerically studied the fluid dynamics in a model of Teniente type copper converter with combined lateral and bottom gas injection. The three-dimensional simulation of the two-phase system was carried out using the volume of fluid (VOF) and the standard k-epsilon. turbulence models implemented in the commercial solver Fluent. The numerical investigation was carried out in a 1:5 scaled water slice model for three different gas injection Froude numbers of the bottom tuyere (0, 36, and 64). The submerged gas injection produces a turbulent jet and provides efficient mixing of the gas and liquid phases. The gas injection through a bottom tuyere increases the fluid mixing, and for Froude number of Fr = 64 interactions between the two gas jets were found.