Open Access

ARTICLE

Multiphysics Simulation of Flow and Heat Transfer in Titanium Slag Smelting within an Electric Arc Furnace

Yifan Wang¹, Shan Qing^1,2,*, Jifan Li^1,3,*, Xiaohui Zhang^1,3, Junxiao Wang⁴

1 Faculty of Metallurgy and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, China
2 National Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Energy Saving and Environment Protection Technology in Metallurgy and Chemical Engineering Industry, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunmin, 650093, China
3 Yunnan Key Laboratory of Clean Energy and Energy Storage Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, China
4 Kunming Cigarette Factory, HongyunHonghe Tobacco (Group) Co., Ltd., Kunming, 650000, China

* Corresponding Authors: Shan Qing. Email: ; Jifan Li. Email:

Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing 2025, 21(9), 2253-2272. https://doi.org/10.32604/fdmp.2025.067429

Received 03 May 2025; Accepted 05 August 2025; Issue published 30 September 2025

Abstract

Heat and mass transfer within an electric arc furnace are strongly influenced by extreme temperatures and complex electromagnetic fields. Variations in temperature distribution play a crucial role in determining melt flow patterns and in the formation of stagnant regions, commonly referred to as dead zones. To better understand the internal flow dynamics and thermal behavior of the furnace, this study develops a multiphysics coupled model that integrates fluid heat transfer with Maxwell’s electromagnetic field equations. Numerical simulations are conducted to systematically examine how key operational parameters, such as electric current and arc characteristics, affect the heat transfer performance inside the furnace. The analysis reveals that arc length is the dominant factor governing both current density and heat distribution in the molten bath. Specifically, increasing the arc length from 200 mm to 400 mm results in a 16.1% rise in maximum current density within the titanium slag layer, from 7128 A/m² to 8270 A/m². However, a longer arc also introduces higher interfacial thermal resistance, which impedes heat transfer efficiency and leads to a significant drop in the peak temperature of the titanium slag, from 2618 K to 2125 K. These findings underscore the dual impact of arc length on both electrical and thermal behavior, highlighting the need for careful optimization.

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Keywords

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