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Physical Modeling of Fluid Flow in Ladles of Aluminum Equipped with Impeller and Gas Purging For Degassing

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Abstract

In the current study a transparent water physical model was developed to study fluid flow and turbulent structure of aluminum ladles for degassing treatment with a rotating impeller and gas injection. Flow patterns and turbulent structure in the ladle were measured with the particle image velocimetry technique. The effects of process parameters such as rotor speed, gas flow rate, and type of rotor on the flow patterns and on the vortex formation were analyzed using this model, which control degassing kinetics. In addition, a comparison between two points of gas injection was performed: (a) conventional gas injection through the shaft and (b) a “novel” gas injection technique through the bottom of the ladle. Results show that the most significant process variable on the stirring degree of the bath was the angular speed of the impeller, which promotes better stirred baths with smaller and better distributed bubbles. A gas flow rate increment is detrimental to stirring. Finally, although the injection point was the less-significant variable, it was found that the “novel” injection from the bottom of the ladle improves the stirring in the ladle, promotes a better distribution of bubbles, and shows to be a promising alternative for gas injection.

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Acknowledgments

Marco A. Ramírez-Argáez is greatful to Cinvestav for the support provided whole writing this article during his sabbatical year at Cinvestav, Unidad Querétaro.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials Science and Engineering Metallurgical Engineering Department, Facultad de Química, UNAM, Edificio “D”, Circuito de los Institutos s/n, Cd. Universitaria, C.P. 04510, Mexico, DF, Mexico

    Eudoxio Ramos Gómez (Graduate Student, Numerical Simulation Consultant), Carlos González Rivera (Professor) & Marco A. Ramírez-Argáez (Professor)

  2. Cavendish Mexico, Mexico, DF, Mexico

    Eudoxio Ramos Gómez (Graduate Student, Numerical Simulation Consultant)

  3. Materials Research Institute UNAM, Cd. Universitaria, C.P. 04510, Mexico, DF, Mexico

    Roberto Zenit (Researcher)

  4. Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Querétaro, Libramiento Norponiente 2000, Fracc. Real de Juriquilla, C.P. 76230, Querétaro, Mexico

    Gerardo Trápaga (Professor)

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  1. Eudoxio Ramos Gómez
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  2. Roberto Zenit
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  3. Carlos González Rivera
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  4. Gerardo Trápaga
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  5. Marco A. Ramírez-Argáez
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Correspondence to Marco A. Ramírez-Argáez.

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Manuscript submitted June 4, 2012.

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Gómez, E.R., Zenit, R., Rivera, C.G. et al. Physical Modeling of Fluid Flow in Ladles of Aluminum Equipped with Impeller and Gas Purging For Degassing. Metall Mater Trans B 44, 974–983 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-013-9845-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-013-9845-5

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