Vol. 337 No. 3 (2026)
DOI https://doi.org/10.18799/24131830/2026/3/5329
Results of physical and numerical modeling of a perforated bed for an iron liquid-phase reduction reactor
Relevance. Over the last two decades, there has been a steady growth in steel production both in the Russian Federation and globally. This trend necessitates the development of innovative steelmaking processes aimed at improving energy efficiency and reducing production costs. The conventional steelmaking technology, based on an integrated metallurgical cycle using blast furnaces, remains widespread but is characterized by significant environmental impacts. Specifically, coke production generates gaseous emissions of up to 1.250 cubic meters per ton of steel produced, accounting for approximately half of all gaseous emissions in the ferrous metallurgy sector. In the search for environmentally friendly and energy-efficient solutions, particular attention is paid to non-blast furnace steelmaking methods. To date, about a hundred different direct reduction processes have been developed, though only a few have reached industrial scale. Aim. To establish a scientific and technical framework for continuous non-blast furnace smelting reduction technology, experimentally validate the efficiency of a perforated hearth, which minimizes heat loss through the refractory lining by effectively returning heat to the working zone of the unit. Methods. Experimental research and numerical modeling. Results. The authors developed a dedicated experimental setup to investigate heat transfer characteristics in a perforated hearth design. This equipment enables comprehensive measurements of temperature gradients throughout the hearth volume. Comparative tests of thermal characteristics were conducted under two different operating modes: active water bubbling through the perforated structure and a stationary state. Experiments established a significant reduction in heat transfer intensity within the perforated hearth area: under bubbling conditions, temperatures of 36.01°C were recorded near the water and 28.8°C in the remote zone, compared to 40.15 and 33.11°C, respectively, in the stationary mode. The developed mathematical model demonstrated high accuracy in predicting temperature fields, with an error margin not exceeding 8% relative to the experimental data.
For citation: Strogonov K.V., Lvov D.D., Murashov V.A., Semenov M.D. Results of physical and numerical modeling of a perforated bed for an iron liquid-phase reduction reactor. Bulletin of the Tomsk Polytechnic University. Geo Assets Engineering, 2026, vol. 337, no. 3, pp. 128–138. https://doi.org/10.18799/24131830/2026/3/5329
Keywords:
energy efficiency, iron reduction, steel production, bubbling, hydrogen, natural gas, experiment
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