Dissolution behavior of Al_(2)O_(3)inclusions into CaO-MgO-SiO_(2)-Al_(2)O_(3)-TiO_(2)system ladle slags

To investigate the dissolution behaviors of Al_(2)O_(3)inclusions in CaO-5wt%MgO-SiO_(2)-30wt%Al_(2)O_(3)-TiO_(2)system ladle slags,confocal scanning laser microscopy was conducted on the slags with different TiO_(2)contents(0-10wt%),and scanning electron microscopy was performed to study the interfacial reaction between Al_(2)O_(3)and this slag system.The results disclose that the dissolution of Al_(2)O_(3)inclusions does not result in the formation of new phases at the boundary between the slag and the inclusions.In TiO_(2)-bearing and TiO_(2)-free ladle slags,there is no difference in the dissolution mechanism of Al_(2)O_(3)inclusions at steelmaking temperatures.Boundary layer diffusion is found as the controlling step of the dissolution of Al_(2)O_(3),and the diffusion coefficient is in the range of 4.18×10^(-10)to 2.18×10^(-9)m^(2)/s at 1450-1500℃.Compared with the solubility of Al_(2)O_(3)in the slags,slag viscosity and temperature play a more profound role in the dissolution of Al_(2)O_(3)inclusions.A lower viscosity and a lower melting point of the slags are beneficial for the dissolution.Suitable addition of TiO_(2)(e.g.,5wt%)in ladle slags can enhance the dissolution of Al_(2)O_(3)inclusions because of the low viscosity and melting point of the slags,while excessive addition of TiO_(2)(e.g.,10wt%)shows the opposite trend.

Effect of Additives on Melting Point of LATS Refining Ladle Slag

To avoid slag sticking on the ladle immersion cover during the LATS refining and alloying process, the effect of Al2O3 on the melting point of the ladle slag was studied and the additives including CaF2, B2O3, Li2O, and CaO were used to decrease the melting point of the ladle slag. The melting point was measured using the hemisphere method. The results show that the addition of Al2O3 to the ladle slag increases the melting point. The fluxing action is not remarkable if only CaF2 or CaO is used as the additive. The fluxing action of the composite additive obtained by the mixing of CaO and CaF2 in the mass proportion of ωCaO：ωCaF2=2 ： 1 is preferred. The fluxing action of B2O3 is also notable. When the B2O3 content in mass percent is in the range from 2% to 10%, the corresponding melting point is 1 380 ℃ to 1 290℃. The fluxing action of Li2O is the most remarkable. When the Li2O content is up to 5%, the melting point of the slag is lower than 1 300 ℃.

Ladle Slag of Electric Steelmaking as Alkaline Agent on Controlling of Acid Mine Drainage Generation

Commercial coal production in the southern region of Brazil (comprising the Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul states) has been occurring since the beginning of the twentieth century. Regarding the Santa Catarina coalfields, about 60% - 65% of the ROM coal is discharged at dump deposits as waste. These wastes can lead to the formation of acid mine drainage (AMD), a source of ground and surface water pollution. One of the technologies used for preventing AMD consists of the alkaline additive method. Thus, the aim of this work was to study, at laboratory scale, the DAM control by blending coal waste with a metallurgical slag. A coal-tailing sample was collected from a coal mine, and the slag was obtained from a semi-integrated steel plant. Static tests were carried out by the acid-base account method to determine the balance between the acid-producing and acid-consuming (neutralizing) mineral components of the samples. Kinetic tests were conducted in humidity cells, following the ASTM D 5744-96 method, for a period of 80 weeks. The results showed that the coal tailing generates AMD. However, environmental problems can be minimized by mixing the coal waste with the metallurgical slag in 1:1 or 1:1.5 proportions. The kinetic experiments proved that, in this condition, the lixiviation presents a higher pH and a lower concentration of acidity, metals, and sulfate. Finally, it is possible to conclude that the blending slag in coal tailing deposits can be a viable alternative for DAM control in coal mining.

Thermodynamic Behavior of Manganese and Phosphorus between Liquid Iron and CaO-MgO-SiO_2-Al_2O_3-Fe_tO-MnO-P_2O_5 Slags

The thermodynamic behavior of manganese and phosphorus between liquid iron and CaO-MgO-SiO2-Al2O3-FetO-MnO-P2O5 ladle slag system was addressed by investigating the thermodynamic equilibria between liquid iron containing Mn and P and the ladle slag at 1873 K. The Mn distribution ratio L-Mn increases with increasing FetO content and decreasing the basicity ((%CaO + %MgO)/(%SiO2 + %Al2O3 + %P2O5)) in slag, while the P distribution ratio Lp seems to be increased as FetO content and the basicity increases. The values of L-Mn and L-p decrease by the addition of Al2O3 into slag. The expression of the dependence of L-Mn and L-p on the basicity and FetO content in slag was obtained.

Thermodynamics of Ti in liquid steels and slags

Thermodynamics of Ti in liquid steels and slags was studied in order to establish a data base for the prediction of TiO_x and TiN formation in liquid steels.The interaction parameters between Ti and i(i = Cr,Ti,Al, Si,Ni,Mo,Nb,N,O) in liquid iron and the equilibrium constants for the formation of TiN and TiO_x in liquid iron were determined as a function of temperature.In view of high Ti yield during ladle treatment,thermodynamics of titanium oxides in ladle slags was studied as well.Activity coefficient and redox equilibrium of TiO_x in MgO saturated CaO-Al_2O_3 slag are also discussed by measuring the distribution ratio of Ti between slag and iron melts and the Ti^(3+)/Ti^(4+) ratio in slag at 1 873 K.

"In-situ Recycling" :Monolithic Ladle Repair with Shotcreting

The service life of refractories in ladle walls is limited by corrosion,abrasion,thermal shock and structural spalling mechanisms. When the ladle is lined with bricks they typically need to be completely removed after a certain number of heats to be replaced by new bricks of the same size as the original bricks. Not so for monolithic ladle linings. At the end of their service life the remains of the castable can almost completely be recycled as they can in fact stay in place. Only the worn-out part of the lining has to be replaced by a new castable. 20%-50% of the initial ladle lining can be recycled ＂insitu＂. The installation can efficiently be done by shotcreting technics. But it requires a castable that resists slag penetration very well. Castables based on a calcium magnesium aluminate bond provide the required penetration resistance. Pumping and shotcreting is very well adapted for repairs of blast furnace shafts,torpedo cars,hot metal and steel ladle linings[1]. However,very little is published about how a good pumping and shotcreting performance can be achieved when the installation has to be done under extreme weather conditions. At high ambient temperature the challenge is to ensure a good pumping result without early castable stiffening. Blockage of the pump would be the consequence. At low ambient temperature the difficulty is to de-activate the highly efficient deflocculant fast enough with a gelling agent added intothe wet mix at the nozzle to prevent the gunned material slipping off the wall. This paper studies strategies how to achieve good installed properties even at extreme ambient temperatures. The interactions between deflocculants,retarders,gelling agents,and calcium magnesium aluminate binder as a function of temperature are studied for an alumina- spinel ladle castable. Beside a new gelling agent for this castable type also a special stabilizer to reduce the temperature sensitivity has been investigated. It will be highlighted how the use of the new calcium magnesium aluminate binder in ladle castables and shotcretes maximises their service life and minimises material consumption.

Effect of TiO2 Addition on Slag Resistance of Lightweight Corundum-spinel Castables

Five lightweight castables containing different TiO2 additions were prepared by using porous corundum - spinel （ MgAl2O4 ） ceramics as aggregate. Corrosion of the lightweight cstables by ladle slag was conducted using a static crucible test. The effect of the TiO2 addition on the slag resistances of the lightweight corundum -spinel castables was investigated through SEM, EDS and Fact- Sage@ software, etc. h was found that TiO2 additi,ve t,vmoted the sintering degree of the castables, deereased the average pore .size, the apparent porosity, and the contact area between the casmbles and slag, and then en- hanced the corrosion resistance. However, TiO2 additive decreased the viscosity of the penetrated .slag simultane- ously, and then deteriorated the penetration resistance.

Study on Control Technology of Slag Composition for Low-Sulfur and Low-Oxygen Steel

In order to reduce the content of oxygen and sulfur in steel, and produce low-sulfur and low-oxygen steel, study on slag has been carried out. Refining slag system of CaO-SiO2-Al2O3 is put forward with the consideration of slag amount from converter, oxidizability of slag and activity of oxygen in molten steel. On this basis, refining slagging system for low-sulfur and low-oxygen steel has been developed combined with the modification of slag from converter and composition control of refining slag in LF treatment process. The results show that oxygen content is not more than 15×10-6, as well as sulfur content is as low as 0.005% in tube blank steel. And it achieves the production of low-sulfur and low-oxygen steel.

Multiphase modeling of fluid dynamic in ladle steel operations under non-isothermal conditions

A numerical simulation was performed to study the flow pattern,mixing time and open-eye slag produced by argon gas injection in an industrial scale steel ladle under non-isothermal conditions.The liquid steel remains 5min before the injection,and thermal stratification and convective flows were analyzed.Three different sequences in stages employing various argon-gas flow rates were simulated.In the first case,a sequence with the highest flow rates of argon was applied,while in the second and the third sequences,the intermediate and the lowest flow rates of argon gas were used,respectively.For determining the chemistry homogenization,the mixing time was computed and analyzed in all three cases.It was found that the cold steel is located near the walls while the steel with a high temperature is accumulated in the center of the ladle above the argon-gas tuyere.The higher and lower flows promote a faster chemistry homogenization owing to the secondary recirculations that are developed closer to the walls.The results from steel temperature drop show a good concordance with plant trial measurements.

Development of Ultra-Low Oxygen Automobile Gear Steel

In view of process conditions of Vanadium Recovery and Steelmaking Plant, PanGang Group Panzhihua steel and Vanadium Co.,Ltd., and on the basis of making choice of a reasonable deoxidization process, some measures have been taken to the development of automobile gear steel (20CrMoH) such as the pre-refining technology during converter tapping, "white slag" refining in LF, RH Vacuum treatment, and even protective casting technology. Also different and suitable models of argon blowing from bottom of ladle were adopted in the platform after converter, LF refining and calcium treatment. Test results show that the high cleanness 20CrMoH gear steel slab with T[O] ≤15×10-6(The average T[O] is 11.8×10-6) could be obtained through all these measures.