Heat Transfer Analysis of Blast Furnace Stave Cooler

Blast furnace cooling technology is critical for enhancing productivity and extending furnace campaign life in the metallurgical industry. This study presents a comprehensive heat transfer analysis of a blast furnace stave cooler, utilizing both numerical simulations and experimental validations conducted at the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP). A three-dimensional (3D) model of the stave cooler was developed using ANSYS® software to calculate temperature distributions and heat dissipation. The analysis compared the performance of different stave materials (cast iron, copper, and aluminum) and cooling mediums (water and nitrogen) under thermal loads ranging from 573 K to 1723 K. Results indicate that copper staves exhibit superior thermal performance due to higher thermal conductivity, and nitrogen can serve as an effective alternative cooling medium when its mass flow rate is adjusted to compensate for its lower specific heat compared to water. The numerical results closely corroborate experimental data, validating the model's accuracy.

Keywords: Stave Cooler, Blast Furnace Cooling, Heat Transfer, ANSYS, Nitrogen Cooling