Original Article

Effect of preheating temperature on the jet characteristics of a five-hole oxygen lance in a high-temperature environment

¹ School of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
² School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Qingdao City University, Qingdao 266106, PR China
³ Langfang Branch of Hebei Institute of Special Equipment Supervision and Inspection, Langfang 065000, PR China
⁴ School of Materials and Metallurgy, University of Science and Technology Liaoning, Anshan 114051, PR China

^* e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Received: 21 November 2025
Accepted: 10 March 2026

Abstract

In the process of top-blown converter steelmaking, the jet characteristics of the oxygen lance nozzle have a direct impact on the slag melting rate within the molten pool and the stirring effect of the molten steel, which influence steelmaking efficiency and product quality. In this research, a five-hole oxygen lance nozzle model suitable for 100-ton converters was established. Through numerical simulation, the effect of oxygen preheating temperature (300–900 K) on velocity decay, impact characteristics, and stirring performance of the five-hole oxygen lance jet under high-temperature conditions (1873 K) was analyzed. Results indicate that at high temperatures, increasing the oxygen preheating temperature significantly extends the length of the high-velocity jet region (jet velocity ≥500 m/s). However, this intensifies jet deflection and velocity decay, while also substantially shortening the length of the supersonic region. The optimal operating gun positions are 2.9 m for slag treatment and 2.5 m for conventional melting operations, corresponding to oxygen preheating temperatures of 800 and 600 K, respectively. Compared to the preheating temperature of 300 K, the 800 K oxygen jet increases the slag treatment area by 62.23% and reduces molten steel splashing by 76.44%. At a preheat temperature of 600 K, the effective impact area of the oxygen jet increases by 5.38%, the molten steel splatter rate decreases by 77.09%, and the mixing time increases by 68.18%. Notably, selecting an appropriate preheating temperature can effectively reduce splatter and enhance slag melting rate while also slightly improving smelting efficiency. Although mixing time significantly increases during this process, it can be shortened by adjusting the torch position and oxygen flow rate.