Three-Dimensional Effects of Torch Arrangement on the Thermo-Fluid Fields inside the Plasma Furnace

Abstract

Abstract Numerical simulation was proposed here to investigate the three-dimensional effects of torch arrangement on the thermo-fluid fields inside the plasma furnace in a plasma medical waste treatment system. Different turbulence models were used and the simulation results were compared with previous measurement results. The effect of the torch arrangement on the flow and temperature fields was clarified by different rotary-cutting angles. It is shown that the torch arrangement affects strongly the thermo-fluid fields. An appropriate rotary-cutting angle is beneficial to safe and complete decomposition of the medical waste due to a more uniform temperature distribution inside the furnace. Besides, the life of the furnace would be greatly shortened for the case where the rotary-cutting angle is 0 ° because the thermal plasma jets converged in the central area of the molten pool and caused severe thermal shocks to the furnace throat.