An analysis of hot spot phenomenon in BOF process

The hot spot phenomenon in Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) process, a manufacturing process of steel and iron and the rate of oxidation of iron at high spots were analyzed. BOF process has been used in steelmaking process because of its high productivity, and the high rates of refining reactions are due to localized superheated reaction zone known as hot spot, developed under oxygen jet. The hot spot must be localized and transient phenomenon, and the oxidation of iron in hot spots takes place at slow rate, so that it does not effect the decarburization reaction in BOF process. The behavior of the hot spot temperature has been studied during the decarburization of iron melt by top blown oxygen in 50kg capacity converter using a two color pyrometer. The result of the experiment indicates that temperature developed at hot spots in BOF process is responsible by the oxidation of iron and that the rate of iron oxidation is controlled by the rate of oxygen supply.