1:1 water model - experimental simulation of pig iron charging process in EAF

voestalpine Stahl GmbH (voestalpine for short) is planning to implement green steel production in stages as part of the “greentec steel” project. In the first step, a green electricity-powered electric arc furnace (EAF) will be built in Linz and Donawitz, replacing a blast furnace at each site. If successfully implemented, this could save almost 4 million tons of CO2 or almost 5% of domestic emissions per year by 2029. Experimental water models are used in steel research, as liquid pig iron has approximately the same kinematic viscosity as water. Thus, taking other similarity criteria into account, the flow processes of water and liquid pig iron are similar. In particular, the dimensionless Reynolds number in the water model corresponds to that in the prototype. Water models have the advantage that they do not take place in the high-temperature range, which is why the use of refractory materials can be dispensed with. In the BOKU River Lab, the charging process of the liquid pig iron (RE) from the RE ladle into the hopper with subsequent RE channel into the EAF is to be investigated for the Linz site. When the RE ladle is tilted, liquid pig iron emerges from the RE ladle via a spout opening and enters the RE chute via the hopper. At the end of the channel, the liquid pig iron enters the EAF in a free jet. This is a highly unsteady flow process with the risk of instabilities occurring, which can have an unfavorable effect on the transport of the pig iron. In the BOKU River Lab, the charging process is to be set up and investigated in a 1:1 water model.