Abstract: KR (Kanbara Reactor) method is the mainstream desulfurization method in hot metal pretreatment. The mixing efficiency of three kinds of blades, namely, the regular four-blade propeller, the spiral three-blade propeller and the double-layer regular four-blade propeller, was studied by numerical simulation method. The results showed that the mixing time of the double-layer regular four-blade propeller was 7.3 % shorter than that of the regular four-blade propeller, and 37.9 % shorter than that of the spiral three-blade propeller. Through the analysis of the axial velocity and turbulent kinetic energy distribution in the molten iron, it was found that the axial velocity of the molten iron in the double-layer regular four-blade propeller agitator was larger, and the turbulent kinetic energy in the molten iron was widely diffused. The average turbulent kinetic energy of double-layer regular four-blade propeller was 28 % greater than that of regular four-blade propeller and 1.8 % greater than that of spiral three-blade propeller.

Key words: KR desulfurization, mixing time, turbulent kinetic energy, axial velocity, numerical simulation