The near field blast–wave propagation dynamics has been a subject of intense research in recent past. Since experiments on a large scale are difficult to carry out, focus has been directed towards recreating these blast waves inside the laboratory by expending minuscule amounts of energy(few joules),which have been termed here as micro–blast waves. In the present study, micro-blast waves are generated from the open end of a small diameter polymer tube (Inner Diameter of 1.3 mm)coated on its inner side with negligible amounts of HMX explosive (~18 mg/m), along with traces of aluminium powder. Experimental, numerical, and analytical approaches have been adopted in this investigation to understand the generation and subsequent propagation of these micro–blast waves in the open domain. Time–resolved schlieren flow visualization experiments, using a high speed digital camera, and dynamic pressure measurements (head–on and side–on pressures) have been carried out. Quasi one dimensional numerical modeling of the detonation process inside the tube, has been carried out by considering the reaction kinetics of a single(HMX) reaction to account for the reaction dynamics of HMX. The one dimensional numerical model is then coupled to a commercial Navier– Stokes equation solver to understand the propagation of the blast wave from the open end of the tube. A theory that is valid for large scale explosions of intermediate strength was then used for the first time to understand the propagation dynamics of these micro–blast waves. From the experiments, the trajectory of the blast wave was mapped, and its initial Mach number was found to be about 3.7. The side–on overpressure was found to be 5.5 psi at a distance of 20 mm from the tube, along an axis, offset by 30 mm from the tube axis. These values were found to compare quite well with the numerically obtained data in the open domain. From the numerical model of the tube, the energy in the blast wave was inferred to be 1.5 J. This value was then used in the analytical theory and excellent correlation was obtained, suggesting the exciting possibility of using such theories, validated for large-scale explosions, to describe these micro–blasts. Considering the uncertainties in the approximate model, a better estimate of energy was obtained by working back the energy(using the analytical model) from the trajectory data as 1.25 J. The average TNT equivalent, a measure of its strength relative to a TNT explosion, was found to be 0.3. A few benchmark experiments, demonstrating the capability of this novel blast device have also been done by comparing them against the extant large–scale explosion database, suggesting the possibility of using these micro–blast waves to study certain aspects of large–scale explosions.

No description available.

The reactivity and micro-structure of three coals and two cokes used in iron and steel manufacture have been studied by a variety of techniques, including gas sorption analysis, thermal analysis and microscopy. Changes in surface areas and porosities of the coals and cokes during combustion have been determined by a gravimetric nitrogen sorption technique at 77K. The cokes and coals have been studied by thermal analysis under isothermal and dynamic conditions in different gas atmospheres. Rates of reaction have been correlated with surface area changes. Attempts have been made to calculate activation energies from Kissinger plots of DTA data. Microstructural changes in the cokes and coals during carbon burn-off have been investigated by electron microscopy. Relative porosities have been estimated by image analysis. Mechanical strengths of the cokes have been measured and correlated with porosity data. Selected metals in the carbons have been determined by flame photometry, atomic absorption spectroscopy and Mossbauer spectroscopy. The composition of residual mineral matter (ash) has been investigated by X-ray diffraction. The chemical compositions of the coal distillates have been characterised by ir/uv spectrosopy, NMR spectroscopy and by GC-MS techniques. Calorific values of the carbons have been determined. Results are discussed in relation to previous work and to applications 1n blast furnace practice. In coal combustion the surface areas increase during the initial stages of carbon burn-off, reaching maximum at about 50% burn-off before decreasing. The increases are considerably higher at 400° and 500° C than at 300° C for all three coals. Hysteresis data from the sorption isotherms show that the coals develop full ranges of mesa-porosity and some micro-porosity during burn-off at the higher temperatures. However, the coal oxidation is only slightly accelerated, since most of the new surface is located in the micro- and meso- pores where access to atmospheric oxygen is restricted by slow diffusion, so that the earlier stages of oxidation are approximately linear with time. This improves our knowledge of current empirical industrial carbon solution tests. There is comparatively little change in surface during the coking of the Coals at 1000° C and only restricted sintering of the coal ashes at 300- 500° C. In the combustion of the cokes in carbon dioxide at 1000° C the maxima in surface areas occur within 25% burn-off. However, one of the cokes shows a second maximum at later stages of burn-off, ascribed to the European component in the parent coal blend. This gives a more uniform rate of burn-off which is advantageous industrially.

No description available.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the tensile strength of metallurgical coke and both the textural composition of the carbon matrix and the porous structure of the coke, and further to assess the use of these structural features as bases of methods of coke strength prediction. The forty-four cokes examined were produced in a small pilot-oven from blended-coal charges based on six coals differing widely in rank. Their textural composition was assessed by incident polarized-light microscopy while pore structural parameters were measured by computerized image analysis allied to reflected light microscopy. The tensile strength of coke could be related to textural data with accuracy using several relationships, some of which were based on a model for the tensile failure of coke. Relationships between tensile strength and pore sturctural parameters were less successful, possibly because of difficulties associated with the measuring system used. Neverthless relationships involving combinations of pore structural and textural data were developed and investigated. It was shown that relationships between tensile strength and calculated textural data had promise as the basis of a method of coke strength prediction. Also, tensile strengths could be calculated from the blend composition and the tensile strength of the coke produced from component cokes. Both methods have value in different situations.

Pulverized coal injection (PCI) technology is widely practised in blast furnace ironmaking due to economic, operational and environmental benefits. High burnout of pulverized coal in the tuyere and raceway is required for high PCI rate operation. A comprehensive review reveals that although there have been a variety of PCI models, there is still an evident need for a more realistic model for PCI operation in blast furnace. Aiming to build a comprehensive PCI model of a full-scale blast furnace, this thesis presents a series of three-dimensional mathematical models, in terms of model development, validation and application, in a sequence from a pilot-scale to a full-scale, from a simple to complicated geometry, from a coal only system to a coupled coal/coke system. Firstly a three-dimensional model of pulverized coal combustion is developed and applied to a pilot-scale PCI test rig. This model is validated against the measurements from two pilot-scale test rigs in terms of gas species composition and coal burnout. The gas-solid flow and coal combustion are simulated and analysed. The results indicate that the model is able to describe the evolutions of coal particles and provide detailed gas species distributions. It is also sensitive to various parameters and hence robust in examining various blast furnace operations. This model is then extended to examine the combustion of coal blends. The coal blend model is also validated against the experimental results for a range of coal blends conditions. The overall performance of a coal blend and the individual behaviours of its component coals are analysed. More importantly, the synergistic effect of coal blending on overall burnout is examined and the underlying mechanisms are explored. It is indicated that such synergistic effect can be optimized by adjusting the blending fraction, so as to compensate for the decreased burnout under high coal rate operation. The model provides an effective tool for the optimum design of coal blends. As a scale-up phase, the coal combustion model is applied to the blowpipe-tuyereraceway region of a full-scale blast furnace, where the raceway is simplified as a tube with a slight expansion. The in-furnace phenomena are simulated and analysed, focusing on the main coal plume. The effect of cooling gas conditions on combustion behaviours is investigated. Among the three types of cooling gas (methane, air, and oxygen), oxygen gives the highest coal burnout. Finally, a three-dimensional integrated mathematical model of pulverized coaVcoke combustion is developed. The model is applied to the blowpipe-tuyere-raceway-coke bed region of a full-scale blast furnace, which features a complicated raceway geometry and coke bed properties. The model is validated against the measurements in terms of coal burnout from a test rig and gas composition from a blast furnace, respectively. The model gives a comprehensive full-scale picture of the flow and thermo-chemical characteristics of PCI process. The typical operational parameters are then examined in terms of coal burnout and gas composition. It is indicated that the final burnout along the tuyere axis is insensitive to some operational parameters. The average burnout over the raceway surface can better represent the amount of unburnt coal particles entering the surrounding coke bed and it is also found to be more sensitive to the changes of most parameters. In addition, the underlying mechanisms of coal combustion are obtained. The coal burnout strongly depends on both oxygen availability and residence time. The existence of recirculation region gives a more realistic coal particle residence time and burnout. Compared with the fore-mentioned two models, this model is considered as a more comprehensive model of PCI operation for understanding the infurnace behaviours and provides more reliable information for the design of operational parameters.

This work examines the fundamental flow behaviour of granular materials under conditions relevant to blast furnace. Such a study may have some impact on the development of new technology to improve performance of blast furnace operation. The blast furnace operation involves rich granular dynamics phenomena which currently attract a strong interest from wide scientific and engineering community. In this work, percolation phenomenon is analyzed extensively. Percolation phenomenon is one of the most significant factors which cause particle segregation and mixing. In blast furnace when sinter and coke of different size and density are charged, percolation phenomenon occurs. In this work percolation properties like percolation velocity, residence time distribution and radial dispersion are checked for different material properties of percolating particles. It was found that percolation behaviour is related to many factors. Percolation properties of a single particle and also for batches of percolating particle were examined. The effect of external forces on percolation properties is also checked. DEM simulation method was found to be suitable for analysis of percolation flow behaviour of different types of particles. It was also found that the change of packed bed conditions has a great impact on particle percolation and segregation behaviour. In a packed bed, vibration and liquid of different properties were introduced. Particle dynamics in descending packed bed condition was checked. The effect of vibration and descending velocity was measured for percolation behaviour. Both vibration frequency and amplitude are important factors for particle flow in such a packed bed. Descending velocity of packed particles combined with vibration was found to have a pronounced impact on percolation behaviour. Liquid properties like viscosity and density affect particle dynamics significantly. Particle segregation in a pile was investigated as an extension of the percolation study. The effects of diameter ratio of binary feed, initial mixing ratio, feed rate in case of central feeding on conical pile were investigated. It was found that all of those parameters affect particle flow and segregation. Flowing layer over static pile was simulated and velocity profile and mixing ratio in different layers were observed. 3-D Screening Layer model was validated by DEM and experiment. In case of multipoint feed system, a conical pile which is similar to the deadman of a blast furnace was generated and the flowing layer characteristics over this static pile was also analysed.

Thesis (M.E.)--University of Canterbury, 2007. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-106). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, August, 2004. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 136-138).

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Rhode Island, 2007 / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 136-140).