JOM, Vol. 73, No.

10, 2021
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-021-04839-z
Ó 2021 The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society

COMPUTATIONAL MODELLING IN PYROMETALLURGY

Computational Modelling in Pyrometallurgy: Part II

M.A. RHAMDHANI1 and Q.G. REYNOLDS 2,3,4

1.—Swinburne University of Technology, John Street, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia.

2.—Mintek, 200 Malibongwe Drive, Randburg, Johannesburg 2194, South Africa.
3.—Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland, Stellenbosch 7602, South Africa.
4.—e-mail: quinnr@mintek.co.za

INTRODUCTION PAPERS IN THIS ISSUE

In Part II of this special topic on Computational Multiphase fluid flow is ubiquitous in pyrometal-
Modeling Pyrometallurgy, eleven papers are pre- lurgy. The large differences in scale between phase
sented highlighting the wide variation of computa- interfaces (lm) and furnace vessels (m) make it
tional methods applied in the field. As was seen in extremely challenging to capture small-scale inter-
Part I, pyrometallurgy is a tremendously challeng- facial flow phenomena accurately inside large-scale
ing and complex engineering endeavor involving the engineering models. The development and improve-
handling, processing, and containment of materials ment of algorithms to do this is an active area of
in the molten state at very high temperatures. Such research in computational fluid dynamics modeling.
extreme environments offer limited opportunities In ‘‘Toward Multiscale Model Development for
for gathering experimental data, and advanced Multiphase Flow: Direct Numerical Simulation of
computational models are valuable additions to Disperse Phases and Multiscale Interfaces in a Gas-
the researcher’s arsenal of tools for filling Stirred Ladle,’’ authors Q. Li and P.C. Pistorius
inevitable gaps in the existing body of knowledge. present an interesting new method for dispersed-
When used as virtual prototypes, computational phase modeling and apply it to the problem of gas-
models also afford the unique opportunity to con- stirring in steel ladles.
duct safe, fast, cheap testing of process design The application of computational materials
changes in order to optimize them before imple- science to problems in pyrometallurgical engineer-
mentation in the real world. ing is a rapidly developing field. Such methods
Today, computational modeling finds such wide permit the study of thermochemical reactions,
application across the pyrometallurgy value chain phase changes, and thermophysical materials prop-
in so many different ways that it is arguably far too erties by directly modeling the quantum mechanical
broad a topic! The set of papers presented here behavior of the constituent atoms themselves; a
covers topics from fundamental academic research more fundamental approach is hard to imagine! In
into solution methods and techniques, through ‘‘A First-Principles Tool to Discover New Pyromet-
applications and process discovery, to the develop- allurgical Refining Options,’’ M.J. van Setten et al.
ment and testing of pragmatic solutions to engi- offer a glimpse into a future in which it is possible to
neering problems. This demonstrates that the design entirely new pyrometallurgical processes
digitalization of the pyrometallurgy R&D pipeline using computational modeling alone.
is maturing, and computational modeling using Purging plugs in ladles need to have a long life for
bottom–up approaches based on fundamental phy- a more stable operation of ladle metallurgy pro-
sics and chemistry is well positioned to complement cesses. In ‘‘Numerical Analysis of the Irreversible
and enhance the current explosion in top–down Behavior of Corundum Castable Purging Plugs
data-centric modeling driving Industry 4.0. During Service,’’ F. Tan et al. carried out a finite
element modeling using a material constitutive
model (Drucker–Prager) to investigate failure
Quinn Reynolds and M Akbar Rhamdhani are guest editors for
mechanisms of the plug due to thermochemical
the topic Computational Modelling in Pyrometallurgy in this is-
sue. The topic is sponsored by the TMS Pyrometallurgy Com-
load. The study demonstrated a more significant
mittee. and early shear failure occurs in plugs with rectan-
gular slits than in those with circular slits. The
(Received July 29, 2021; accepted August 2, 2021;
published online August 12, 2021)

2885
2886 Rhamdhani and Reynolds

results provide some information on the location Surface Based on a Deformed Mesh Method,’’ X.
and mechanism of the failures that can be used to Zhou et al. have investigated an adaptive meshing
guide the operation practice. method which follows the gas–fluid interface as it
RH degassing is one of important steps to produce deforms, permitting accurate prediction of the
high-grade clean steel. In this process, dissolved surface shape as a function of the jet parameters
gases are removed by circulating steel into a and fluid properties.
vacuum chamber. In this article, ‘‘Numerical Sim- The life of BOF lances is important for the overall
ulation of Gas–Steel–Slag Multiphase Flow in the process stability and efficient refining in the reactor
Vacuum Chamber of the RH Degasser,’’ B. Wang for steelmaking. Mixed oxygen–powder injection
et al. used a particle-free surface-coupled model to through the lance is sometimes applied in the
investigate multiphase flow in a 210-ton RH process. In ‘‘A Numerical Study on Particle-Induced
degasser. The gas–steel interpenetration motion, Erosion to a Laval Nozzle in Powder-Oxygen Injec-
the fluctuation on the free surface, and the behavior tion of a BOF Lance,’’ M. Li and co-authors modeled
of the slag are investigated. The results provide an erosion behaviour of mixed gas-powder through a
insights useful for industrial practice. laval nozzle. Various process parameters were con-
There have been many efforts around the world to sidered and evaluated in the study. The erosion was
effectively inject more reducing gas through blast found to be non-uniform with the highest at the
furnace tuyeres to reduce the overall coke require- nozzle convergent section. The study suggested a
ment in the reactor. In ‘‘Influence of Reducing Gas particular feeding rate and particle size that can
Injection Methods on Pulverized Coal Combustion minimize erosion.
in a Medium Oxygen-Enriched Blast Furnace,’’ As a key raw material for the rapidly developing
authors X. Peng et al. attempted to model different clean energy sector, silicon is an increasingly
scenarios/configuration of the injection of reducing important commodity. Its production is a chemi-
gas and oxygen and their effect on the combustion cally-complex and energy intensive process, the first
behavior in the blast furnace (e.g., on the gas step of which is usually pyrometallurgical: the
velocity distribution, temperature distribution, pul- reductive smelting of silica to crude silicon in
verized coal particle trajectory, and other key submerged-arc electric furnaces. The interiors of
phenomena). It was demonstrated that higher vol- such furnaces are complex and non-uniform in
umes of reducing gas can be beneficial, but can structure, making the prediction of their electrical
cause erosion to the tuyeres. The results presented behavior extremely challenging. ‘‘The Effect of
in the study provide some useful information for the Electrode Movements on Electrical Characteristics
development of a practical approach in reducing gas of a Submerged Arc Furnace’’ by Y. A. Tesfahunegn
injection in a blast furnace. et al. applies computational models to the problem,
The Peirce–Smith converter design consists of a enabling a deeper understanding of how electric
rotatable horizontal cylinder lined with injection currents pass through the unit and transfer energy
tuyeres through which oxygen-rich gas is injected to the process.
into crude molten metal, and is ubiquitous across a Different methods can be applied to produce a
wide range of industries from copper smelting to bimetallic composite roll. In ‘‘Effect of Conductive
platinum-group metal production. Injection of gases Circuits on Bonding Quality of Bimetallic Compos-
into the vessel generally takes place at transonic or ite Roll Produced by Electroslag Remelting Clad-
supersonic velocities, leading to extremely violent ding,’’ Y. Cao et al. investigated the production of a
multiphase flow of the slag and metal phases inside. bimetallic composite roll through the electroslag
As demonstrated in ‘‘Numerical Simulation of Noz- remelting method, in particular evaluating the most
zle Height on the Effect of Fluid Flow in a Peirce– efficient circuit configuration through combined
Smith Converter’’ by T. Lu et al., computational modeling and experiment. The different circuit
fluid dynamics modeling can give tremendous configuration was demonstrated to affect the uni-
insight into the flow and mixing patterns inside formity of key physical fields in the process such as
such vessels, permitting rapid evaluation of pro- electrical potential, current density, temperature,
posed design changes in silico prior to Lorentz force, and velocity distribution. The study
implementation. concluded that the so-called ESTM circuit is the
Interaction between gas jets and molten materi- most efficient, and this was demonstrated through a
als is a common phenomenon in pyrometallurgical production of bimetallic rolls of C45 and GCr15
processing, particularly in secondary treatment bearing steels.
units such as ladle furnaces and converters. The design of gas injection lance nozzles for basic
Depending on the momentum of the impinging oxygen furnace steelmaking and other top-blown
jet, the resulting deformation of the liquid surface converter processes is a complex and intricate art.
can range from minimal to extreme, affecting the The understanding of nozzle behavior can be greatly
interfacial surface area available for chemical augmented with computational modeling
reactions and mass transfer. In ‘‘Cavity Formation approaches, which generate detailed information
Induced by a Gas Jet Impinging on a Liquid about the compressible fluid flow fields in and
Computational Modelling in Pyrometallurgy: Part II 2887

around the nozzle and how they interact with the All titles and authors of the articles published under
rest of the furnace. In ‘‘Influence of Preheating the topic ‘‘Computational Modeling in Pyrometal-
Temperature on the Characteristics of O2 + CO2 Jet lurgy’’ in the October 2021 issue (vol. 73, no. 10) of
by Mixed Injection with a Swirling Oxygen Nozzle,’’ JOM can be accessed via the journal’s page at: http://
C. Feng et al. study the process impact of preheating link.springer.com/journal/11837/73/10/page/1.
the gas mix fed to a swirling lance nozzle design,
drawing a number of conclusions with practical Publisher’s Note Springer Nature remains neutral with re-
implications for the operation of such systems. gard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional
affiliations.