DIRECT OBSERVATION OF HIGH-TEMPERATURE AREAS OF METAL MELT AT OXYGEN CONVERTER BLOWING WITH LOW VOLTAGE APPLICATION

Introduction. The process of oxygen conversion, despite the existing improvements, can be supplemented by physical methods of influence, including the unconventional method of applying low-voltage potential developed at the Iron and Steel Institute of the NAS of Ukraine.Problem Statement. The studies of the method of low-voltage potential application on 60, 160 and 250 ton converters have shown that the technology intensifies thermophysical and hydrodynamic processes in the gasslag-metal system and increases the converter process efficiency.Purpose. The purpose of this research is to study the features of the influence on the reaction zones of the low voltage potential application at four blowing options with the use of high-temperature physical model.Materials and Methods. A physical model that simulates the top, bottom and combined oxygen blowing under low-voltage potential application of different polarity on the lance has been used. An insert of a transparent quartz plate is made in one of the walls for visual observation and video recording. The top blowing is conductedwith two nozzle lance (nozzle diameter 1.7 mm with an angle of 30 ° to the lance). The bottom blowing is conducted with a bottom tuyere with a 1.5 mm diameter central nozzle. Combined blowing is realized by a combination ofthese options.Results. The visual observation of the reaction zones with different blowing options has shown that the highest temperature and the largest dimensions of the brightest parts of the bath correspond to the combined blowing, while the lowest ones are reported for the bottom blowing. While applying the low-voltage potential method it has been established that the reaction zone is longer at the positive polarity on the lance, during the period of silicon oxidation, and at the negative polarity on the lance, during the period of intense carbon oxidation. The video of gas bubbles flotation, probably CO, has shown that the bubbles are formed more intensively in thecase of negative polarity on the lance.Conclusions. The applied technique has allowed estimating the influence of low-voltage potential application on the geometric parameters of the reaction zone.