Abstract: The fluid flow phenomena of the hot metal during KR mechanical stirring desulfurization process was investigated using water model. The effect of the rotation speed and the immersion depth of the impeller on the velocity and turbulent kinetic energy in the ladle was discussed using a particle image velocimetry (PIV). The flow pattern in the KR ladle was a typical doubleroll flow. When the rotation speed of the impeller increased from 110 r/min to 210 r/min, the spatial distribution of the velocity and turbulent kinetic energy changed little while the maximum velocity increased from 0.15 m/s to 0.3m/s, and the turbulent kinetic energy increased from 0.01 m²/s² to 0.035  m²/s². When the immersion depth of the impeller varied, the spatial distribution of the velocity and turbulent kinetic energy changed significantly while the magnititude varied little.

Key words: KR desulphurization, water model, particle image velocimetry, fluid flow field, turbulent kinetic energy