Control of refractory back attack and tuyere metal penetration during bottom gas injection in the BOF

Consideration of the prototype tuyere geometry for injection of inert gas through the bottom in a basic oxygen steel furnace, as well as a requirement for specifying an optimal flow for bottom wear and metal penetration, led to experimental investigations to apply the results of previous workers to this specific case. Flow velocity profile development within the tuyere was proposed as significant, and an experimental scheme was designed to test this. We propose that the design criterion for the conditions of optimal flow of the prototype geometry be based on non-dimensional mass velocity (NDMV).