Original Article

Numerical simulation study of solid–liquid phase transformation and heat transfer process of iron ore particle

¹ School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083 PR China
² School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia

^* e-mail: wangzheny@126.com

Received: 22 June 2025
Accepted: 2 October 2025

Abstract

The softening and melting behavior of iron ore is a critical parameter that affects the efficiency of the blast furnace ironmaking process. In order to gain a deeper understanding of the melting behavior of iron ore particles from a kinetic perspective, a three-dimensional model for the melting process of iron ore particles was established to study the effects of particle size, initial temperature, gas flow velocity, and temperature on the phase transformation and heat transfer process of iron ore particles. The simulation results indicate that the particle size has the most significant impact on the phase transformation and heat transfer process. The use of smaller particles is beneficial for improving heat transfer capacity and melting rate, reducing the thickness of the cohesive zone, and improving production efficiency. In addition, the gas flow rate mainly affected the time when iron ore particles begin to melt. As the velocity of gas flow increases and the initial temperature difference between the gas and iron ore increases, the heat transfer ability is enhanced, and the migration speed of the liquid phase interface is accelerated. The results of this study could help to improve the efficiency of the blast furnace ironmaking process by providing a better understanding of the phase transformation process of iron ore particles under different environmental condition.