Effect of the Jet from Top Lance on Slag Foaming Behavior in Basic Oxygen Furnace process

As for steelmaking process such as basic oxygen furnace (BOF) and electric arc furnace (EAF), slag foaming consists of introducing gas bubbles into molten metal and slag by chemical reaction. In the case of the BOF process, excessive foaming is over the converter capacity, a phenomenon called "slopping". Slopping reduces yield and equipment lifespan and increases production time. It is therefore important to control slag foaming properly. In previous studies by other investigators, the jet from top lance in BOF process effectively suppresses slag foaming. However, it is not obvious which mechanism of the jet from top lance is effective to suppress slag foaming, and its quantitative effect has not been reported. To clarify the relationship between slag foaming and the jet from top lance, the effects of the number of nozzle holes and lance height on the slag foaming were investigated by using a converter-shaped water-model device and test converter. The experimental results indicated that slag foaming height decreased as the number of nozzle holes increased. Also, slag foaming height changed instantly with the change in lance height, e.g., slag foaming height decreased as lance height increased, and vice versa. The foaming suppression mechanism of the jet from top lance is the entrainment of foaming slag into the jet. Consequently, slag foaming model that takes the effect of the jet from top lance into account is proposed. And it enables to predict the change in slag foaming height with time.