Mass transfer between gas and molten iron in the induction furnace equipped with flow controller

The rate of nitrogen absorption of liquid iron was measured in a high-frequency-induction furnace equipped with a flow controller which makes it possible to control flow intensity near the melt surface under constant temperatures. The controller is composed of a secondary coil which is installed in the gap between the crucible and the induction coil, and an external coil connected to the secondary coil outside the furnace. By changing the turn number of the external coil, the magnetic field and electromagnetic force can be changed in the vicinity of the secondary coil. The rate of nitrogen absorption in molten iron was measured in a high frequency induction furnace, 20k\V, 30kHz. The mass transfer coefficient (k) at 1873K could be changed from 8xl04 to 5xl04m/s by the flow controller. The numerical analysis on the fluid flow and mass transfer was also made. The two dimensional Navier-Stokes equations for laminar and turbulent conditions were solved numerically. The masstransfer coefficients were then obtained by solving the two dimensional nitrogen transfer equation for laminar flow, and by the eddy-cell model based on the computed values of energy dissipation rate for turbulent flow. A good agreement between estimated and observed values was obtained for turbulent flow condition.