A New Approach for Studying Softening and Melting Behavior of Particles in a Blast Furnace Cohesive Zone

The cohesive zone where ferrous burden materials soften and melt plays a critical role in determining the performance and stability of a blast furnace. The softening and melting behavior of ore particles significantly affects the layer permeability and structure, and subsequently changes the gas/liquid distribution and heat transfer in the cohesive zone. Wax balls are often used in physical experiments to study the ore softening and melting behavior because of their low melting temperature. In this work, a new approach on the basis of discrete element method is established. The relationship between Young’s modulus (E) and temperature (T) of wax balls is first proposed based on the experimental data, and then implemented into a DEM model. The particle deformation, temperature, coordination number, and gas pressure drop under conditions relevant to blast furnace operations are then examined. The results show that the proposed approach can capture the main features of softening and melting behavior of particles. On this basis, the effects of a few variables are investigated. The approach and results should be useful to the establishment of a comprehensive picture about softening and melting behavior, and its effect on blast furnace operations.