Modelling of electric arc furnace off-gas

removal system
N. Timoshenko*, A. Semko and S. Timoshenko
A mathematical model of an electric arc furnace off-gas removal system, aimed at improving the
energy efficiency of the smelting process, was created and verified by methods of physical
modelling and numerical simulations. For an industrial-scale furnace, equipped with annular
distributing off-gas suction system, the possibility to reduce fugitive emissions by 40%, air inflow
by 24%, total emissions by 13% and the melting dust removal by 33% was shown. The obtained
data will allow, according to estimations, specific energy consumption to reduce by at least 16–
20 kW h t21 and increase the environmental performance of the furnace.
Keywords: Electric arc furnace, Off-gas removal system, Numerical simulations, Energy efficiency, Environmental safety

Introduction the environment due to lowering of the air inflow,

Today, ,35% of the world steel is melted in electric arc
furnaces (EAFs). In the EAF, heat loss with off-gases in
the form of tangible and chemical heat reaches 15% of
the required specific energy to produce steel. The loss of
charge materials is 10–12%, of which about 20–30% is in
the form of smelting dust.1,2
The off-gases are removed from the furnace through a
special suction elbow, which is an integral part of the
EAF roof. Specificity of the off-gas removal in modern
EAF process is in the following:
(i) due to a relatively small cross-section area of the
suction elbow, gas flowrate under the negative
pressure in the gas cleaning system is high, which
entails removal of charge materials in form of
oxidised dust from the furnace
(ii) infiltration of the cold air into the furnace mainly
through the slag door, leading to oxidation of
charge materials, graphite electrodes and energy loss
(iii) fugitive dust and gas emissions through electrode
gaps aggravate low energy efficiency of the
furnace and reduce its environmental safety.
These factors cause lower thermal efficiency and higher
loss of charge materials in the EAF in comparison with
the basic oxygen furnace of the same productivity.
Localisation of dust and gas emissions in the EAF is
one of the ways to improve the thermal efficiency and
reduce emissions of the melting process. According to
preliminary evaluation, reduction of the off-gas emis-
sions in 120 t EAF by 1% is equal to save US$70 000–
75 000/year due to energy and charge saving.
Formulation of problem
It seems important to develop off-gas removal system of
the EAF, which is more energy efficient and better for
Donetsk National University, General Physics Department, Universitet-
skaya str. 24, Donetsk 83001, Ukraine
*Corresponding author, email n.timoshenko@donnu.edu.ua
melting dust and fugitive gas emissions. To achieve these
objectives, in the present study, a strategy to increase
and to distribute the suction surface with bringing it
closer to the area of the electrode holes is proposed.
Mathematical statement of problem;
analytical, experimental and numerical
solutions
The main feature of the proposed strategy is a uniform
suction of the off-gases into annular exhaust duct,
covering the electrode region, through special slots,
positioned around the duct.
The method of calculation of the exhaust duct is
constructed in the framework of ventilation theory
based on the integral law of mass conservation,
momentum balance and the Bernoulli equation.3,4 In
this theory, the gas parameters are averaged over the
cross-section of the flow, and the viscosity is taken into
account by coefficient of resistance, which is determined
experimentally.
Let us consider (Fig. 1) the model of exhaust duct 1 of
constant cross-section with length L, width a and height
h. Because of the comparatively large value of the annular
duct radius in real EAF, the duct of the model can be
replaced by linear. On a lateral side of the duct, n slots of
varying widths are located at the same distance from each
other, through which gas from the surroundings is sucked
due to pressure drop. The region between adjacent slots is
a section of the duct of cross-sectional area S. One end of
the duct is plugged, and in the other end air is pumped out
by fan 3 at a rate of Qk. The average velocity of airflow in
the slot is vi, and the average longitudinal velocity of the
air along the duct is wi.
The task consists of finding the areas of the slots si,
providing a uniform air inflow along the length of the
duct.
Calculations were performed for the following condi-
tions: length L51?0 m, width a50?05 m and height

ß 2014 Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining

Published by Maney on behalf of the Institute
Received 15 May 2013; accepted 16 October 2013
DOI 10.1179/1743281213Y.0000000163 Ironmaking and Steelmaking 2014 VOL 41 NO 4 257
Timoshenko et al. Modelling of electric arc furnace off-gas removal system

1 Model of exhaust duct and experimental device

h50?25 m. The dimensions of the duct (L&h&a) allow si

us to consider a two-dimensional task.
For the case of uniform suction, the flowrate through
a single slot is
Qk
dQ~
n the model of an exhaust duct with four slots was
Air flowrate through cross section of the duct behind
the slot i will be
Qi ~wi S~idQ
where wi is the average longitudinal velocity of the air
along the duct in the middle between the slots, S5ah is
the cross-sectional area of the duct and i is the section
(slot) number.
Amount of air flowing through the slot is
dQ~vi si
where vi is the average rate of flow of air in the slot,
which depends on the depression in the duct and is
connected with the static pressure pi in the section by
Bernoulli’s equation
rv2i
pi ~pa {
2m2
where m is the flow coefficient, depending on the shape
and thickness of the slots (4), r is the gas density and pa
is the pressure outside the duct.
Let us write the momentum equation in the projection
on the axis of the duct for two sections i and iz1 located
in the middle between two adjacent sections
pi zrw2i ~piz1 zrw2iz1 zdp
where dp is the pressure loss due to friction, which is
defined by
l rw2i l2 S1
dp~ S1 ~ i 3 rdQ2 (6)
4 2S 8S
where S1 ~½2(azh)L=n is the lateral surface area of one
section of the duct, and l is the friction factor in the
duct.
After substitution of expressions (2)–(4) and (6) in
equation (5) and transformations, we obtain the follow-
ing recurrent relation for determining the area of the slots
siz1 ~ h (7)
2m2 s2  i1=2
1z S2 i 2iz1z lS1 2
8S i
In accordance with the abovementioned procedure,
(1)
designed. The calculations of air inflow through each
slot on the base of measured velocity were performed in
order to verify compliance with the equation (7).
Experimental device (Fig. 1) includes exhaust off-gas
(2) duct 1 with four slots (I–IV) connected through a
smooth nozzle 2 with fan 3. The negative pressure is
controlled by throttle valve 4 of the fan. The velocity of
air in slots of the exhaust duct is measured by hot wire
anemometer 5 in three points vertically in each slot and
averaged. The signal from measuring device after
processing by the analogue to digital converter 6 are
(3) recorded and analysed by computer 7.
Along with the experimental testing of a mathematical
model, the numerical methods based on application
packages COMSOL5 and CosmosFloWorks6 were
involved to calculate the exhaust duct. These packages
are an interactive environment for modelling and solving
all kinds of scientific and engineering problems based on
(4) partial differential equations using a finite element
method.
Air was chosen as the working fluid. Preliminary
analysis showed that the flow is turbulent. The calcula-
tion is performed numerically and is based on Navier–
Stokes equation (8) and continuity equation (9), using
the k2e model of turbulence
w
L~ 1
(5) z(+~ w~{ +pzg+2~
w)~ wzF (8)
Lt r
div~
w~0 (9)
where r is the density, w is the velocity, p is the pressure,
t is the time, F is the volume forces and g is the kine-
matic viscosity.
The boundary conditions of the problem: negative
pressure 25 Pa on the suction face, normal conditions on
slits, ‘real’ wall, the rest boundaries. Duct sizes were set
according to experimental device, which slots widths
were calculated using formula (7).

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2 Velocity field in duct, obtained in COMSOL
3 Velocity field in duct, obtained in CosmosFloWorks
The example of airflow velocity field in the exhaust
duct, obtained in COMSOL and CosmosFloWorks, is
shown in Figs. 2 and 3 respectively.
Comparison of relative values of the air inflows into the
slots along the duct (Fig. 4) calculated by the analytical
method, numerical simulations and experimental data
shows that the compared values vary no more than 18%.
This allows us to state that the mathematical model is
reliable and can be used for the engineering design of the
EAF off-gas removal system.
Numerical modelling of EAF off-gas
removal system
A new design of the EAF off-gas removal system
(Fig. 5a) is proposed. In contrast to the traditional
system (Fig. 5b), it is equipped with a circular exhaust
duct 1 with variable by half-perimeter (due to the
symmetry of the gas stream) width of the slots, mounted
on top chamber 2 of the roof 3. Parameters of the slots 4
were calculated by the formula (7) from the position of
uniform suction of the off-gas along duct perimeter: area
of slots increases with their angular position (0–180u) with
4 Comparison of air inflows along exhaust duct
Timoshenko et al. Modelling of electric arc furnace off-gas removal system
respect to the longitudinal axis of the suction elbow 5. Air
inflows from outside the furnace in the slag door 6. A
liquid period of melting is considered.
Testing of the proposed technical solution of the EAF
off-gas removal system was performed with the aid of
the application package CosmosFloWorks in SolidWorks.
The calculation is performed numerically based on
Navier–Stokes equation (8) and continuity equation (9)
using the k2e model of turbulence. Gravity is taken into
account.
The boundary conditions are as follows (Fig. 5):
negative pressure 25 Pa in a face of the suction elbow;
normal pressure and temperature in the slag door 6 and
electrode gaps 7; volume flowrate of 5 m3 s21 out of the
bath 8 at a temperature of 1850 K due to oxygen blowing
and carbon powder injection into the liquid steel; and the
‘real’ wall, the rest boundaries. Dimensions of the furnace
correspond to an industrial-scale EAF (120 t) and are the
same for options a and b: diameter of the bath 5?5 m,
height of the shell 2. 8m, electrode diameter 0?6 m,
electrodes split diameter of 1?25 m, the size of the slag
door of 0?860?7 m and cross-section area of the suction
elbow of 1?13 m2.
Ironmaking and Steelmaking 2014 VOL 41 NO 4 259
Timoshenko et al. Modelling of electric arc furnace off-gas removal system

5 a off-gas removal system with annular distributing exhaust duct and b traditional EAF off-gas removal system

6 Streamlines of gaseous medium in EAF working space for a annular distributing exhaust duct and b traditional off-gas
removal system

The objective was to obtain a calculation of the velocity
field of the gaseous medium in the furnace with regard to
off-gas removal system design a and b in comparable
conditions and assess, in particular, the air leaks in the
EAF slag door, dust removal and fugitive emissions.
Figure 6 shows streamlines inside the EAF. Cup 1 over
the roof 2 is arbitrary and is used to estimate fugitive dust–
gas emissions off the furnace into the gaps 3 around the
electrodes. Analysis of the velocity field indicates a less
intensive motion and lower average speed of the gaseous
medium into the furnace, equipped with annular dis-
tributing exhaust duct 4, versus traditional off-gas removal
system (despite of the slight increase of local flowrate in
the slot area). According to the calculations of flow
characteristics at specific areas (Table 1), the application
of the proposed off-gas system can reduce the air inflow
into the furnace by 24%, fugitive emissions by 40% and the
overall removal of the process gas from the furnace
(through suction elbow 5) through the pipe by 13%. In
practice, these results have a positive impact on the energy
efficiency of the furnace by reducing emissions of the dust–
gas environment and loss of charge materials in the EAF.
It also enhances environmental safety of the furnace.
To verify the thesis about loss of charge materials,
movement of smelting dust particles in the EAF was
investigated using a special in-built subprogram ‘particle
study’. Initial conditions were as follows. Molten bath 6
(Fig. 6) generates the dust particles of average size of
261025 m and density of 3 kg m23 with mass flowrate
of 0?05 kg s21 uniformly over the surface due to oxygen

Table 1 Study of gas flows in EAF off-gas removal systems

Proportion of total off gas flow/%

Design solution of off-gas Off-gas emissions in
removal system fugitive emissions Air inflow in slag door suction elbow/m3 s21

Traditional 10.9 30.4 6.9

Proposed 8.8 23.0 5.7
Efficiency of proposed solution/% 19 24 13

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 Timoshenko et al. Modelling of electric arc furnace off-gas removal system

Table 2 Study of dust particles flows in EAF off-gas removal systems

Proportion of particles escaping from the EAF/%

Design solution of off-gas Proportion of particles,
removal system Through electrode gaps Through suction elbow Total returning to the bath/%

Traditional 5 50 55 45
Proposed 3 34 37 63
Efficiency of proposed solution/% 40 32 33 40

blowing and carbon powder injection. The behaviour of
100 conventional dust particles in the gas dynamic
conditions of the considered off-gas removal system
options was studied. Proportion of particles escaped
through the suction elbow 5, through the electrode gaps
3 and returned to the bath and is shown in Table 2.
According to the obtained data, total loss of materials
from the EAF in the form of dust decreases by 33%; the
main part of dust returns to the bath due to less intensive
flows into the working space. At given conditions, there is
a possibility of more effective reduction of iron oxides by
carbon from the slag into molten bath. Moreover, fugitive
emissions of the dust through electrode gaps decrease by
40%, which can enhance the environmental performance
of the furnace.
width of slots, mounted on top chamber of the roof, is
proposed. Parameters of the slots were calculated from
the position of uniform suction of the gas along duct
perimeter using a mathematical model.
Using a software package CosmosFloWorks with
respect to the 120 t EAF were shown the possibilities to
reduce fugitive emissions by 40%, air inflow into the
furnace by 24%, total emissions by 13% and the melting
dust removal by 33% due to annular distributing suction
system, based on mathematical model. The obtained
data will allow, according to estimations, to reduce
specific energy consumption by at least 16–20 kW h t21
and increase the environmental performance of the
furnace.

Conclusions
Electric arc furnace energy efficiency to a large extent is
determined by off-gas emissions. A mathematical model
of the EAF off-gas removal system was developed to
perform a strategy to increase and to distribute the
suction surface with bringing it closer to the area of the
electrode holes. These measures are aimed at reducing
energy consumption due to lowering of the air inflow,
dust removal and fugitive emissions.
Physical and numerical experiments confirmed the
reliability of mathematical model.
A new design of the EAF off-gas removal system,
equipped with a circular exhaust duct with variable
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