Open Access

ARTICLE

CFD-Guided Structural Optimization of Blast Furnace Gas Fine Desulfurization Systems

Chuang Guan^1,2, Wei Fu³, Guodong Cai¹, Fengling Yang¹, Jiangtao Liu¹, Hangyu Wu¹, Chuantao Wu¹, Chunyu Zhang¹, Ming Gao^2,*

1 Shandong Guoshun Construction Group Co., Ltd., Jinan, China
2 School of Nuclear Science, Energy and Power, Shandong University, Jinan, China
3 Zaozhuang Bayi Coal Water Slurry Thermal Power Co., Ltd., Zaozhuang, China

* Corresponding Author: Ming Gao. Email:

Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing 2026, 22(8), 4 https://doi.org/10.32604/fdmp.2026.084304

Received 20 April 2026; Accepted 24 July 2026; Issue published 04 September 2026

Abstract

Flow maldistribution and local short-circuiting within blast furnace gas fine desulfurization systems can substantially impair desulfurization performance while increasing hydraulic losses and energy consumption. To elucidate the underlying flow mechanisms, a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model accounting for the pressure variation across the top gas recovery turbine (TRT) was developed to investigate the flow characteristics under both high- and low-pressure operating conditions. Guided by the numerical analysis, an integrated structural optimization strategy, combining inlet deflector plates with the sealing of perforated plates adjacent to partition regions, was proposed. The optimized configuration significantly enhanced flow uniformity throughout the system. Flow distribution deviations were reduced to within ±0.30% in the low-pressure section and to approximately ±3.85% in the high-pressure section during operation of the central tower. Correspondingly, the average velocity uniformity index increased from 0.82 to 0.97 in the low-pressure section and from 0.76 to 0.92 in the high-pressure section. The predicted gas residence time in the low-pressure section reached approximately 8.6 s, promoting prolonged gas-solid contact and thereby improving the conditions for sulfur removal. The simulations further demonstrate that operating pressure exerts a decisive influence on the flow field: the high-pressure section is considerably more susceptible to flow maldistribution and localized jet impingement, whereas the low-pressure section exhibits a more stable and homogeneous flow structure. Overall, the proposed optimization strategy effectively mitigates flow non-uniformity while simultaneously improving hydraulic performance, providing a robust design framework for achieving low-resistance, high-efficiency blast furnace gas fine desulfurization systems.

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