Analysis of the thermal-kinetic-fluid-dynamic profile of a slab reheating furnace using CFD-dynamic mesh

Abstract

In this work, the actual operating conditions of a walking beam and direct flame reheating furnace for conventional steel slabs in continuous motion were numerically simulated. The fluid dynamics, heat transfer, chemical species and combustion were solved in a coupled way using a continuous readaptation of the computational domain by means of a dynamic mesh. The results were validated by means of temperature measurements averaged over 24 hours of plant operation with 16 thermocouples, resulting in an average error of 2.56%. With the reduction in flow rates in the range of 70-85% and a decrease in load of ?66.5% there was an overheating in the furnace of up to 33% in excess. The use of dynamic meshes allowed the oxide growth rate to be studied showing that, the higher the temperatures and residence times in the furnace, the higher the oxidation rate of the slab.