Modeling study on the flow patterns of gas–liquid flow for fast decarburization during the RH process

A water model and a high-speed video camera were utilized in the 300-t RH equipment to study the effect of steel flow patterns in a vacuum chamber on fast decarburization and a superior flow-pattern map was obtained during the practical RH process. There are three flow patterns with different bubbling characteristics and steel surface states in the vacuum chamber： boiling pattern（BP）, transition pattern（TP）, and wave pattern（WP）. The effect of the liquid-steel level and the residence time of the steel in the chamber on flow patterns and decarburization reaction were investigated, respectively. The liquid-steel level significantly affected the flow-pattern transition from BP to WP, and the residence time and reaction area were crucial to evaluate the whole decarburization process rather than the circulation flow rate and mixing time. A superior flow-pattern map during the practical RH process showed that the steel flow pattern changed from BP to TP quickly, and then remained as TP until the end of decarburization.

Development of RH refining technology at Baosteel

With the strong demand for the development of automobile sheets, tin plates, household appliances, silicon steel, pipeline steel and other products as well as for the quality improvement of steel products, remarkable progress has been made in RH refining technology and equipment design since Baosteel began production more than 20 years ago. The vacuum degassing ratio of Baosteel has jumped from 35% in the initial stage when Baosteel began production, to the current ratio of approximately 60%, and will soon reach 75% in the near future. The independent innovations in RH refming technology in Baosteel, such as RH equipment optimization, vacuum decarburization, inclusion control, deoxidation, desulfurization, rhythm adjustment between primary steelmaking and continuous casting, the high efficiency of the RH refining process, and other aspects of RH technology, have all effectively met the requirements of developing new steel products, quality improvement and logistical control. Complete sets of RH equipment and refining technology have been successfully exported to the domestic steel plants. In the future, Baosteel will make further efforts to improve efficiency, stabilize production and quality, and realize special line production, so that the RH degasser will play a greater role in Baosteel.

A novel route to enhance high-temperature mechanical property and thermal shock resistance of low-carbon Mgo-C bricks by introducing ZrSiO_(4)

Conventional MgO-C bricks(graphite content>14 wt.%)produce a great deal of greenhouse gas emission,while low-carbon MgO-C bricks have serious thermal shock resistance during high-temperature service.To enhance the high-temperature mechanical property and thermal shock resistance of low-carbon MgO-C bricks,a novel route of introducing ZrSiO_(4) powder into low-carbon MgO-C bricks was reported in such refractories with 2 wt.% flaky graphite.The results indicate that the low-carbon MgO-C brick with 0.5 wt.%ZrSiO_(4) addition has the maximum hot modulus of rupture at 1400℃ and the corresponding specimen fired in the carbon embedded atmosphere has the maximum residual strength ratio(98.6%)after three thermal shock cycles.It is found that some needle-like AlON and plate-like Al_(2)O_(3)-ZrO_(2) composites were in situ formed in the matrices after the low-carbon MgO-C bricks were coked at 1400℃,which can enhance the high-temperature mechanical property and thermal shock resistance due to the effect of fiber toughening and particle toughening.Moreover,CO_(2) emission of the newly developed low-carbon MgO-C bricks is reduced by 58.3% per ton steel after using them as the working lining of a 90 t vacuum oxygen decarburization ladle.