Thermodynamic analysis of vanadium distribution behavior in blast furnaces and basic oxygen furnaces

Abstract

Abstract Production data from a vanadium (V)-containing titaniferous magnetite (VTM) smelting blast furnace (BF) ironmaking plant and a V-recovering basic oxygen furnace (BOF) shop were collected over a period of 1 year. The corresponding thermodynamics was analyzed in terms of V reduction in the BF operation and V oxidation in the BOF operation. The thermodynamic calculations were performed using the software Multi-Phase Equilibrium (MPE), in which generalized central atom model was introduced into the description of molten slag and applied for the slag database. The effects of operating conditions on V distribution ratios between slag and hot metal/semi-steel were analyzed and compared with the plant data. The simulated results could reproduce the variation of V distribution ratios with slag temperature and composition and provide the guidance for operators to control V distribution behavior for the better process operation.