Quantification of powder phase transient accumulation behaviour in gas–powder–liquid flow through a packed bed with the cohesive zone of a blast furnace

Lower regions of industrial reactors, such as blast furnace, are complex multiphase system in which, gas, powder, and liquid flow co-, counter-, and cross-currently. Laboratory-scale experimental models are yet to consider this multiphase transport, even under chemically inert, cold conditions. In the iron-making blast furnace, the presence of fused metal and non-wetting nature of liquid iron towards coke bed challenges the simultaneous transport of gas, powder and liquid. Adverse conditions results in powder accumulation and liquid hold-up which decrease the coke bed’s permeability, and consequently, the furnace’s productivity. An experimental investigation on the aforementioned system is conducted for various flow conditions. Greater gas pressure drop, increase in raceway size, localized flooding of liquid, and distinct powder accumulation characteristics are observed as phases are introduced into the bed. Exploratory data analysis yields steady-state and transient correlations for powder hold-ups. The validity and functionality of these correlations are demonstrated.