Statistical Model for Estimating the Flow Characteristics of Blast Furnace Slag

Abstract

A study of the flow characteristics of blast furnace slag is important to observe the softening and melting phenomena in blast furnace which greatly influence the extent and location of the cohesive zone having a direct impact on the blast furnace operation, quality of hot metal and the coke consumption. Ideally, the Blast Furnace slag should neither be very viscous nor very fluid.
Viscous slag interferes with efficient slag- metal separation; while a slag with very low viscosity is more likely to interfere with the thermal balance of the Furnace & affect the retention time of the metal droplets in the slag affecting the slag metal reactions/ exchanges. Flow characteristics in the Blast Furnace slag can provide a fair knowledge about the location & extent of the cohesive zone in the Furnace.
The present work aims at characterizing the Blast Furnace slag on the basis of its flow characteristics. Empirical equations are developed to predict the flow characteristics of Blast Furnace slag and the same was validated through further experimentation. The flow characteristics of the Blast Furnace slag (synthetic slag prepared in laboratory in line with the compositional details as encountered in the industry) is determined for C/S (CaO/SiO2) variation, MgO content variation and Al2O3 variation. Also, the effect of the MgO content on microstructural and chemical behaviour of synthetic slag is studied using noble technique of heating microscope, XRD and SEM.