Use of Numerical Methods for the Design of Thermal Protection of an RFID-Based Contactless Identification System of Ladles

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

In metallurgical processes, especially in the determination and computational prediction of hearth erosion in blast furnace ironmaking, semi-analytical solution methods can be used to monitor temperatures in multilayer linings. The technique is based on a local analytical solution of a single material layer, combined with a numerical solution scheme for the temperature of the material in ladle furnace. The work verified the correctness of the model through actual measurements, and on this basis, carry out numerical simulation for the conditions that cannot be operated. This is an interesting work and the results are useful. It is suggested to publish on the journal. Minor changes are suggested.

 1、FRID，The full name is required for the first abbreviation.

2、Whether Figure 5 and Figure 4 are related. It is suggested to show the specific position of the ladle installed in Figure 4, or explain it separately.

3、In the process of numerical calculation, the specific values of boundary conditions need to be given.

4、Figure 7，10 and other figures units of temperature field need to be supplemented.

5、In Figure 9,Temperature on the warmer surface of the cylinder (measurement), The temperature of the warmer surface is the specific line or average temperature of the surface is not clear. The specific location of the calculated or measured temperature distribution is suggested to be marked in the figures.

Author Response

1. The full name RFID is written in the abstract.
2. The original figures 4 and 5 have been replaced by a new figure showing a specific position of the RFID sensor and thermal insulation box on the steel shell of the ladle.
3. Boundary conditions for numerical simulations during the ladle work campaign and for caisson vacuum stations were added into the text.
4. Temperature field units have been added to Figures 7, 10, 12, 13 (new order 6, 9, 11, 12).
5. Figure 8 (new order 7) specified the locations for obtaining the temperature curves shown in Figure 9 (new order 8).

Reviewer 2 Report

This paper describes numerical simulation of heat transfer from a steel ladle to an insulated RFID transponder attached to the ladle for ID purposes.  The work aims to find an insulation solution to keep the temperature of the RFID transponder within the acceptable temperature range. The heat transfer problem is not very complex, and would not justify publication in itself, but within the applied  context of finding a solution to a practical problem, the paper is of interest.

I suggest some improvements to the paper below, and I have also marked some minor suggestions for polishing of the English expression on a copy of the paper attached.

The summary of numerical methods for heat transfer solution is overly long, not very sophisticated, and contains errors (e.g. the units attached to eqns(6) and (7) are wrong). The authors should describe briefly only the methods used, not all the other possibilities.

Fluent uses a finite volume method, as very clearly stated in the Ansys manual. It does not use the finite element method, as stated by the authors in the paper.

p. 8: “The finite element calculation was performed in the simulation software ANSYS Fluent”: Fluent uses a finite volume method.

Figs 7 and 8 should be plotted using the same colour scales. I don’t think many people would find the colour scale used in Fig 7 very intuitive.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

1. In Equations 6 and 7, the units were corrected. The authors specified the methods used and removed the redundant text describing the other methods full name RFID is written in the abstract.
2. The original Errors in the name of the method used have been removed in the text
3. The same error has been fixed in the following text regarding ANSYS software.
4. In Figure 7 (new order 6), the colour temperature scale was changed to be the same as in Figure 8 (new order 7).
5. According to the reviewer's suggestion, formal and grammatical errors in the text sent in Pdf format were corrected.