Gas permeability evaluation of granulated slag particles packed bed during softening and melting stage with fanning's equation

Negative effect from low coke rate operation at cohesive zone is obvious because it makes thinning of coke slit thickness. Correct knowledge about gas permeability of cohesive layer is becoming more and more important. In order to precisely understand cohesive behaviour, a softening and melting simulator under rapid heating and quenching conditions was applied for clarify a determinant factor of gas permeability behaviour. To focus on softening and melting behaviour, granulated slag particle bed layer without iron oxide was prepared as packed bed sample layer can show softening and melting. The packed bed slag samples in graphite crucible were rapidly heated up to 1 200°C, and then gradually heated up to 1 500°C with 10°C/min under inert gas atmosphere and 0.1 MPa load. Gas pressure drop and shrinkage degree of the sample layer were measured during the softening and melting test, and quenched sample was made at certain temperature when the maximum gas pressure drop was measured. The CT observation of the quenched sample provided 3D shape information of gas path shape in sample packed bed. Gas pressure drop was estimated with fanning's equation with the gas path information. The estimation values were shown positive correlation with measured maximum pressure drop. The CT observation also gave triple line length among molten slag, graphite, and gas. Combination the triple line length and molten slag surface tension could use for evaluation of static force balance when maximum pressure drop obtained.