Discrete particle simulation of gas-solid flow in a blast furnace

Experimental observations revealed that the stagnant zone, which forms in the lower central part of a blast furnace, is an important feature of solid flow, and that it is affected strongly by gas flow. However, it is difficult to model this feature within the framework of continuum mechanics without empirical or arbitrary treatments. This paper reports the use of discrete particle simulation for solid phase, combined with computational fluid dynamics for gas phase, to examine the gas-solid flow behaviour. It is shown that the proposed approach can generate a stagnant zone at the lower part of blast furnace, consistent with experimental observations. The effects of gas flowrate, particle and wall properties are examined in terms of solid flow patterns, velocity field, and normal force structure.