Impact of chute cross-sectional shape on the ironmaking blast furnace performance: A numerical investigation

Rotating chutes play a critical role in determining burden distribution on the throat of blast furnaces, thereby influencing the overall ironmaking process. This study aims to explore the influence of chute cross-sectional shape at an industrial scale using a numerical approach. The simulation results demonstrate that the semicircular chute results a lower ore/coke ratio in the central area compared to the trapezoidal chute, while exhibiting a higher ratio at the periphery. Correspondingly, this leads to a lower productivity, higher coke rate, and increased pressure drop within the furnace. These effects can be attributed to the more coke is loaded in central region which has an elevated cohesive zone. Furthermore, with the chute angle for ore increasing, the blast furnace performance with the trapezoidal chute exhibits greater stability compared to that with the semicircular chute. This investigation provides valuable insights for selecting appropriate chute designs to enhance performance and efficiency.