Fluid flow phenomena in metals processing operations: Numerical description of the fluid flow field by an impinging gas jet on a liquid surface

A gas jet impinging onto a gas-liquid interface of a free surface is numerically investigated using the second order turbulence model (RSM). The deformation of the gas-liquid interface is modeled by the volume of fluid (VOF) method. The computed results are compared with the numerical and experimental data of Munoz et al. The numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental and numerical previous data. The model is used to simulate the hydrodynamic behavior of the free liquid surface being deformed by the air jet impingement. The study of flow and turbulent characteristics have been performed for different jet Reynolds numbers (Re = 2000, 3000, 5000, 6000) and various nozzle diameters (h/e=4-6-10). The surface cavity parameters, such as depth and width, are analyzed in this paper. The wave behaviors of the free surface are described qualitatively to extract the characteristic wave numbers for each gas flow rate. The penetration depth increases with a rise in the flow rate. Numerical results confirm that the jet with small nozzle-to-surface distances (h/e=4) provide a number of complex phenomena in comparison with the surfaces with the large nozzle-to-surface distances (h/e = 6, 10). This problem is thought to be relevant in steel making practice. Also, the results should be helpful for the interpretation of laboratory scale studies in which metals are contacted with impinging gas jets.