Process Simulation: Process Model Settings

The following outlines what you can set on the Configuration window under Process and when you click Edit Process Model. The overall steps to set this up are described in Defining the Process Simulation.

Under Process, enter a Name and Duration.

For more complex processes, you could, for example, enter the process reference as its Name as is done for the EERZ example PMET_06_Ladle_Furnace_Kinetics.tcu.

Choose a Process model. Click Edit Process Model to enter details as below.

You can create your own Process model and name them so these are available to choose from the list in the future. This is done using the Edit Process Model window.

Edit Process Model

To open the Edit Process Model window, click Edit Process Model to access the following settings.

For Pressure, this is can be either Constant throughout the process or be changed during the process (using Table input here and then entering values in the Process Schedule). Choose:

  • Constant to choose a unit (Pascal, Atmospheres, or Bar) and then enter a numerical value in the field.

    Only constant pressure throughout the process can be used. Also, the pressure only influences reactions involving the gas phase.

  • Table input to add or use the values entered in the Process Schedule table.

In this section define the material zone(s), which are added to a Zone or Reaction zone on the Materials tab.

Enter a Name and density (in kg/m3) for the zones.

For example, enter Steel and Slag, which in the next section are available to define for Zone 1 or Zone 2 in the Reaction zone.

Select the Allow degassing checkbox to be able to simulate vacuum degassing, for example.

Click the Button: plus sign to add something Add button to define additional items and the Remove minus sign button Remove button to delete items.

In this section you are defining either a Reaction zone and/or Transfer of phase group.

Select the Allow degassing checkbox to be able to simulate vacuum degassing, for example.

Click the Button: plus sign to add something Add button to define additional items and the Remove minus sign button Remove button to delete items.

If you choose Reaction zone from the list then enter an area (in m2).

Next choose from each Zone 1 and Zone 2 list the Zone as defined above, for example Steel or Slag.

For mass transfer coefficient choose:

  • Constant to enter a numeric value in the field in m/s for each.
  • Table input to add or use the values entered in the Process Schedule table.

Reaction zone area and mass transfer coefficient defines the kinetics of the reaction between the two zones. A large area and fast mass transfer results in fast kinetics.

If you choose to define a Transfer of phase group, then choose the state as Liquid metal, Solid metal, All metal, Solid oxides, Liquid oxides, All oxides, or Gas.

Then choose the two zones (e.g. Steel or Slag) to define from zone and to zone. Then enter a value and choose a time from the list, Percent per minute or Percent per second.

This parameter defines how fast “foreign” phases are transferred from one zone to another. A typical example is the flotation of oxide inclusions in liquid steel up into the slag phase.

Choose the type of heat to apply to the process: Constant cooling, Heat transfer, and/or Heat.

Click the Button: plus sign to add something Add button to define additional items and the Remove minus sign button Remove button to delete items.

If you choose Constant cooling, enter a Name, choose either Zone or Reaction Zone and enter a numerical value in the field in MW (megawatts).

If you choose Zone, you can further choose either Zone defined above (e.g. Steel or Slag). If you choose Reaction Zone, then heat is lost from the EERZ, the size of which is calculated at each timestep depending on the kinetic parameters defined in Reaction Zone.

This parameter defines how much heat is lost from a zone (or the reaction zone) by radiation or convection and results in an overall cooling of the system.

If you choose Heat transfer, select two zones between where heat should flow and enter a heat transfer coefficient in Wm2/K.

As different amounts of material and also different amounts of heat can be added to the different zones, these temperature are different. As the two zones are in contact heat flows from the hotter zone to the cooler zone thus equalizing the temperature. The amount of heat flowing from one zone to the other is defined by the Heat transfer. A high heat transfer coefficient leads to fast temperature equalization, a small heat transfer coefficient results in the zones keeping different temperatures.

If you choose Heat, enter a Name, then select Zone or Reaction zone, choose a Zone (e.g. Steel or Slag) and enter a percentage of MW efficiency in the field.

Select Heat if the system is actively heated by an external heat source such as an electric arc or induction coil. Here only the efficiency is defined, which is the percentage of power (for example electrical power) that is transformed into heat that enters the system and heats it up. The profile of power versus time is defined in the Process Schedule.

Click Save when the Process Model is defined and enter a Process model name. Each time you save a process model it adds it to the list on the main Configuration window, which you can use in future set ups.