Large Eddy Simulation of Bubbling-Jetting Transition in a Bottom Blown Copper Converter

In this work the isothermal transition from bubbling to jetting regime in a bottom blown Peirce-Smith copper converter is numerically studied, varying the air jet injection velocity from 5 to 100 m s -1 . Large Eddy Simulation turbulence model is employed in the computer simulations to obtain transient, rather than averaged, phase distributions. For low injection velocities the bubbling regime is present, however the jet behavior evolves from bubbling to jetting regime as injection velocity is increased. For high injection velocities jetting behavior arises. In this case splashing is severe, however the bulk metal becomes little stirred due to the low momentum transfer.