Feedback modeling of blast furnace cooling system based on numerical analog simulation

Efficient operation of the cooling system is essential to control the heat generated in the blast furnace during the ironmaking process. Suitable cooling conditions enable the formation of a stable slag crust on the cooling stave of the blast furnace. The presence of slag crust helps to slow down the erosion of refractory materials and improve production efficiency. However, there is a lack of scientific guidance in the regulation of the current blast furnace cooling system, which leads to problems such as slag crust thickness variation and unstable furnace conditions. This paper proposes a slag crust thickness calculation formula based on the heat transfer principle, and uses Fluent software to construct a three-dimensional steady-state heat transfer model of the blast furnace cooling system. The stable existence of slag crust is the key to the efficient operation of the cooling system. The increase in gas temperature and gas velocity will lead to an increase in the intensity of heat flow in the cooling system, at which time the cooling should be strengthened to prevent the thickness of the slag crust from decreasing. In addition, the prediction of the melting point of the slag crust based on the composition of the charge is also helpful for the timely adjustment of the cooling system to stabilize the slagging on the cooling stave.