Effect of different bottom blowing argon methods on LF refining

Numerical simulation and physical simulation on the arrangement of 50 t LF with a bottom argon blowing nozzle were made by the commercial software FLUENT and a water simulation instrument. The effects of three different bottom argon blowing nozzle arrangement ways (haplopore, binocular central symmetry, and binocular rotational symmetry) on molten steel blending time and entrapped slag were studied. The results show that, with the same amount of argon, bottom blowing argon with binocular rotational symmetry gets the shortest blending time;the homogeneous and steady flow velocity in the surface and internal of the molten steel ladle is attained in the same arrangement ways, which can eliminate the stirring dead zone, avoid slag entrapment in molten steel, and provide favorable dynamic conditions for the removal of inclusions.