Production efficiency during the secondary refining stage in the ladle is related to the mixture's phenomenas. Because of this, it is very important to understand the mixture's state as it occurs during the liquid steel treatment in the ladle, aiming for process optimization. So, the present study wants to determine, through a physical model in reduced scale (1:6), the effect of operational variables such as: gas injection, gas injection position, tracer addition and measurement position, and the mixing times in the homogenization system. The results make it possible to conclude that the mixing time tends to decrease with gas injection increase and that the mixing time at 1/2 radios is greater than the one at 1/5 radios. These results are in accordance with other researchers' papers referring to the wall effect and the model scale.
physical model; ladle metallurgy; gas injection; mixing times
