LES modelling of turbulent flow, heat exchange and particle transport in industrial induction channel furnaces

S. Pavlovs¹ - A. Jakoviċs¹ - E. Baake² - B. Nacke² - M. Kirpo^{1, 3}

¹ Laboratory for Mathematical Modelling of Environmental and Technological Processes, University of Latvia, 8 Zellu str., LV-1002 Riga, Latvia
² Institute of Electrotechnology Leibniz, University of Hannover, Wilhelm-Busch-Str. 4, D-30167 Hannover, Germany
³ Bosch Solar Energy AG, Robert-Bosch-Str. 1, 99310 Arnstadt, Germany

Abstract
The paper presents new results of the long-term computations of turbulent flow and low-frequency oscillations of the temperature field in the industrial induction channel furnace (ICF) with a widened channel branch and different iron yoke positions. The computations of turbulent heat and mass exchange in the melt are performed using a 3D transient Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approach. A 3D electromagnetic (EM) model was used for Lorentz force density computations, which act as a source term in the Navier-Stokes equations of the melt flow. The distributions of alloying additions into the melt and disjointed impurities due to channel erosion are discussed for a symmetrical ICF and an ICF with one widened branch of the channel. Cloud distributions and particle trajectories are obtained using a Lagrangian approach along with LES modelled velocity and thermal fields. A long-term analysis of the particle transport for industrial ICFs has been performed for the first time. Tables 1, Figs 11, Refs 10.