Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Ladle treatment'

In the present thesis, the correlation between ladle glaze and non-metallic inclusions in the ladle treatment was studied. A number of industrial trials with full scale ladle and laboratory works were performed to investigate the inclusions in the ladle treatment. BaO was used as tracer in the ladle slag to investigate the effect of slag on inclusion composition and the formation of non-metallic inclusions by ladle glaze. BaO was detected in the inclusions of all followed heats. This observation showed strong evidence for the generation of non-metallic inclusions by the ladle glaze. The increase of the fractions of BaO containing inclusions and their average content of BaO in the first heat with tracer suggested that the effect of slag on the composition of inclusions was a very slow process. The detachment of ladle glaze and the chemical transformations of oxide solution in the MgO matrix were investigated. The experimental results evidently showed that the ladle glaze could be the source of inclusions continually during the ladle treatment. Samples of liquid oxide solution to simulate the liquid oxide inclusions carried over from EAF were equilibrated with molten steel under controlled atmosphere. The results along with thermodynamic calculation suggested that the SiO2 content of inclusions from EAF could be considerably reduced by dissolved aluminium in the steel. This would explain the vanishing of inclusions containing high SiO2 content after deoxidation. Due to the lack of experimental data, the viscosities of slags in the Al2O3-CaO-MgO-SiO2 system were measured using the rotating cylinder method in the temperature range of 1720 to 1910 K. Eight different slag compositions related to the secondary steel making operations were selected. Viscosities in this system and its sub-systems were expressed as a function of temperature and composition based on the viscosity model developed earlier at KTH. The activities of oxide components in the Al2O3-CaO-MgO-SiO2 systems at 1873 K were measured by equilibrating liquid slag and metal. Either silicon or copper was used as the metal phase and the oxygen partial pressure was controlled with different mixing rates of Ar and CO gas flow in equilibrium with graphite. Iso-activity lines were drawn from the measured activity values in the isothermal section of the slag systems. Nine series of industrial trials were carried out using the same ladle in each series to examine the effect of ladle slag on the number of non-metallic inclusions in the next heat. It was found that the number of inclusions increased with SiO2 content of the ladle slag in the previous heat. No clear trends were found for the effects of viscosity and MgO activity of the previous slag on the number of inclusions. Theoretical analysis based on the experimental results suggested that the formation of 2CaO∙SiO2 followed but the dusting of the compound made the refractory more porous, which was reasonable for the number of non-metallic inclusions.

The thesis is based on two supplements with two major objectives. In the first supplement equilibrium top slag-steel bulk and inclusions-steel bulk were investigated by comparison between calculated and measured oxygen activity values. This was done by applying different oxide activity models for slags combined with thermodynamic calculations. In the second supplement the inclusion composition is studied during the ladle refining process. The inclusion composition is related to top slag composition and other parameters during ladle

treatment.

The work was carried out by collecting data during well controlled sampling procedures at two different steel plants. Extensive inclusion analyses in Scanning Electron Microscope, SEM, were done. The data was used together with thermodynamics for a description of the interaction between slag-steel-inclusion interaction during ladle treatment.

Evaluation of inclusion composition during the ladle refining have revealed that the majority of the inclusions belonged to the system Al₂O₃-CaO-MgO-SiO₂ and showed a continuous composition change throughout the ladle refining process, from high Al₂O_3, via MgO-spinel to finally complex types rich in CaO and Al₂O_3. The final composition after vacuum treatment was found to be close to the top slag composition. Small process parameter changes and practical variations during ladle refining were proven to give large differences of the inclusion composition.

Finally, it was concluded that equilibrium does not exist between top slag and steel bulk, with respect to oxygen, for the studied conditions. However, the equilibrium does exist between the steel bulk and inclusion.

Two industrial studies and one set of lab scale trials have been done. In addition, a theoretical study has been done. The main focus has been on non metallic inclusion composition during the ladle refining operation in industrial steel production. Sampling has been done together with careful inclusion determination. The inclusion composition is related to different variables. In the industrial trials samples have been taken at different steps during the ladle refining period. Steel and slag composition as well as temperature and oxygen activity have been determined. The thesis is based on five supplements with different major objectives, all related to the inclusion composition. The equilibrium top slag-steel bulk and inclusions-steel bulk were investigated by comparison between calculated and measured oxygen activity values. The oxygen activity and relation to temperature has also been discussed as well as oxygen activity and temperature gradients. The effect of vacuum pressure on inclusion composition has been evaluated in a theoretical study as well as lab scale trials. The inclusion composition has been studied during the industrial ladle treatment process. The inclusion composition was related to top slag composition and other parameters during ladle treatment. The major findings in the thesis are the lack of equilibrium conditions with respect to top-slag and steel bulk before vacuum treatment. The inclusions have been found to be closer to equilibrium with the steel bulk. Al/Al2O3 equilibrium has been found to control the oxygen activity after Al-deoxidation. Evaluation of inclusion composition during the ladle refining has revealed that the majority of the inclusions showed a continuous composition change throughout the ladle refining process, from high Al2O3, via MgO-spinel to finally complex types rich in CaO and Al2O3. The final inclusion composition after vacuum treatment was found to be close to the top slag composition. Vacuum pressure has been found to have a theoretical effect on inclusion composition at very low pressures.
QC 20100712

 

In order to optimise the ladle treatment mass transfer modelling of aluminium addition and homogenisation time was carried out. It was stressed that incorporating slag-metal reactions into the mass transfer modelling strongly would enhance the reliability and amount of information to be analyzed from the CFD calculations.

 

In the present work, a thermodynamic model taking all the involved slag metal reactions into consideration was incorporated into a 2-D fluid flow model of an argon stirred ladle. Both thermodynamic constraints and mass balance were considered. The activities of the oxide components in the slag phase were described using the thermodynamic model by Björkvall and the liquid metal using the dilute solution model. Desulphurization was simulated using the sulphide capacity model developed by KTH group. A 2-D fluid flow model considering the slag, steel and argon phases was adopted.

 

The model predictions were compared with industrial data and the agreement was found quite satisfactory. The promising model calculation would encourage new CFD simulation of 3-D along this direction.

 

The present study was carried out to investigate theformation and chemical development of non-metallic inclusionsduring ladle treatment of steel.

To begin with, an investigation of the deoxidation processand the impact of aluminium addition was carried out. For thispurpose, a new experimental setup was constructed. The setupallowed the examination of the deoxidation process as afunction of time by using a quenching technique. Preliminaryexperiments showed that homogeneous nucleation of alumina tookplace in the areas supersaturated with aluminium. Theseexperiments also showed that agglomeration of alumina particleswas a very rapid process, even when the convection in the meltwas negligible.

In order to examine whether aluminium supersaturation occursduring industrial practice, the deoxidation of liquid steelwith aluminium wire injection in a gas-stirred ladle wassimulated by mathematical modeling using a Computational FluidDynamics (CFD) approach. The results showed that theconcentration of aluminium in the vicinity of the aluminiumwire injection was high enough to generate homogeneousnucleation of alumina.

Aiming at an understanding of the inclusion chemistry duringthe ladle process, an industrial study was performed atUddeholm Tooling AB. The impact of slag-lining reactions andladle glaze as a source of inclusions in the melt was alsostudied. The experimental results were analysed from athermodynamic viewpoint to gain an insight into the origins ofthe inclusions and their changes along the process of the ladletreatment. Six types of inclusions were found in the steel. Thetypes of inclusions present varied along the history of theladle treatment. Three types of inclusions were found in theliquid steel before deoxidation, namely type A (a liquidinclusion with high SiO2 concentration), type B (spinel) andtype C (a combination of type A and type B). Thermodynamicanalysis indicated that these types of inclusions could begenerated by the reaction between the Electric Arc Furnace(EAF) slag and the ladle glaze, during the filling of theladle. The addition of aluminium resulted in the formation ofalumina inclusions (type E), which agglomerated and separatedfrom the steel very fast. The spinel inclusions of type B werefound to be unstable at low oxygen potentials. The inclusionsof this type would react with the liquid metal forming theinclusions of type F (spinel in the centre surrounded by anoxide solution containing Al2O3, CaO and MgO). Further,reaction between the liquid metal and inclusions of type Fwould result in the inclusions of type G, an oxide solutionmostly consisting of Al2O3 and CaO with small amounts of MgOand SiO2. The inclusions of type G were the only inclusionsfound in the steel before casting.

Steel cleanliness as a function of stirring practice during vacuum degassing treatment have been investigated in industrial studies at the steel plants of SSAB Special Steels in Oxelösund and Uddeholm AB in Hagfors. The cleanliness was examined with regards to the contents of sulphur, nitrogen and large inclusions (>10µm). The stirring practice during the vacuum degassing treatment has been studied with respect to time, namely by shortening the vacuum degassing treatment time from 24 to 15 minutes. Furthermore, the effect of the stirring intensity was studied by measuring the open eye zone using camera recordings. The focus has been to study the effect of a shortened vacuum degassing time as well as a controlled stirring intensity on the steel cleanliness. Moreover, study the effect of subsequent induction stirring, after vacuum degassing, on the amount of inclusions. By taking steel and slag samples taken before and after the vacuum degassing treatment, the different stirring practices could be investigated. It should be noted that all heats reached the desired composition regardless of the treatment time and stirring practice. The results from the trials at SSAB Special Steels showed that the stirring practice during vacuum degassing have an effect on the total number of inclusions. The strong argon stirring during vacuum degassing with visible open eyes resulted in an average increase of 400% of the total amount of inclusions >10µm. However, no difference between a vacuum degassing time of 24 or 15 minutes was seen with respect to the increased amount of inclusions, denitrogenization or desulphurization. During the subsequent induction stirring, which was softer with no open eyes, the effect of the stirring practice was unclear due to overlapping confidence intervals. An average decrease of 65% of the total amount of inclusions >10 µm was seen for the heats  with non-overlapping confidence intervals. Based on these results it can be suggested that the use of a soft induction stirring after the vacuum degassing treatment as a possible process change to reach lower amounts of large inclusions. The stirring intensity during the vacuum degassing treatment was measured as the average ladle eye size during the trials at Uddeholm AB. This, due to that stronger stirring results in larger ladle eye zone. The results show that the amount of smaller inclusions (<11.2 μm) decrease by up to 90% compared to the original amount, regardless of the stirring intensity. A stronger stirring showed tendency to increase the amount of large inclusion (>22.4 μm). Moreover, the denitrogenization and desulphurization was not affected by the changed stirring intensity during vacuum degassing. It was also found that the average ladle eye size did not correlate to the logged average argon flow.

QC 20150522

Today, there is a high demand on clean steel for high performance materialproperties. Thus, steel producers try to deliver a steel product with the highestquality and cleanliness to the market. The number of parameters that affect thesteel cleanliness may vary depending on the required material properties of thefinal product. However, the non-metallic inclusion characteristics represent one ofthe most important parameters. More specifically, the composition, size, numberand morphology affect steel cleanliness. In this work, selected parameters affectingthe inclusion characteristics were studied using the following methods: i)thermodynamic calculations (including computational thermodynamiccalculations), ii) inclusion determinations using a cross sectional (CS) method (2Dinvestigations) and iii) inclusion determinations using an electrolytic extraction(EE) method (3D investigations). The computational thermodynamic calculations of the slag-steel and inclusion-steelequilibriums were carried out using the Thermo-Calc software. With the help ofthese calculations, the influence of the slag carryover on the top slag, aluminumcontent in steel and sulfur distribution ratio as well as predictions of stable phasesof inclusions were studied. In addition, inclusion determinations of tool steel gradesamples collected during various stages of the ladle treatment in a scrap-based steelplant were carried out using both 2D and 3D methods. Furthermore, inclusiondeterminations of bearing steel grade samples from a runner system after ingotcasting were performed using a 2D metallographic method (CS-method). Also, theINCAFeature software was used, when using cross sectional method, in order tocollect more statistics of the inclusion characteristics. It was found that slag carryover has a large influence on the composition of theactual top slag as well as the aluminum content in the steel as well as the sulfurdistribution ratio. In addition, steel and slag were found to be in “near”-equilibriumconditions, after the completion of the vacuum degassing operation. Furthermore,the composition of small-size inclusions in samples taken from tool steel was foundto be very scattered. Moreover, the composition of the large-size inclusions wasfound to be less scattered. Furthermore, closer to the top slag composition insamples collected after vacuum degassing. Finally, the accuracy of the inclusioncomposition determinations of tool steel samples using the electrolytic extractionmethod was found to be better than for the cross sectional method. The worseaccuracy of the CS-method is due to a considerable effect of matrix elements oninclusion composition.
QC 20100709

In this study it was aimed to analyse refining processes such as decreasing reducible oxide content of ladle slag with affecting parameters in low carbon aluminum killed grades and for the research Erdemir low carbon steel grades 7112K and 7110K are selected. There was a negative correlation between reducible oxide amount in ladle slag and desulphurization capacity of ladle slag with metal-slag reaction and steel internal cleanliness. To refine these properties of slag, aluminium dross, which was aluminium production discard and has a metallic content around %30-35 was used and after ladle treatment operation, decrease in reducible oxides such as FetO, MnO, SiO2, P2O5 was analysed. After the study it was observed that 653 kg. of converter slag leaked during tapping of steel and SiO2 ve P2O5 content of ladle slag had negligible change after ladle treatment. According to the results, it is observed that initial %10-12 (FetO + MnO) content was reduced to % 4.5-5.0 (FetO + MnO) after ladle treatment with use of aluminium dross. Beside of this, in order to see the effect of this slag reduction on steel cleanliness, low carbon aluminium killed grades were compared with ultra-low carbon aluminium killed grades having (FetO + MnO) content of %16-17 in slag. It was seen that reoxidation of aluminium (loss of dissolved aluminium) during continuous casting for ULC (ultra-low carbon) gradesis 144 ppm but for LC grades it was 94 ppm and it was being expected that ULC steel group would have higher inclusion content after casting.

Nous étudions par simulation numérique le transport et le dépôt turbulent d’inclusions d’oxydes métalliques (de l’ordre de 10 µm de diamètre) en suspension dans l’acier liquide. Deux surfaces de dépôt sont envisagées : l’interface acier liquide/paroi solide et l’interface métal liquide/laitier. Dans les deux cas, nous nous focalisons sur la couche limite adjacente à l’interface. Le comportement des inclusions en suspension est examiné à l’aide d’un suivi lagrangien où le poids, la poussée d’Archimède, la force d’accélération en volume, la force de masse ajoutée et la force de traînée sont prises en compte dans l’équation de la dynamique. Dans le cas de la paroi solide, nous nous appuyons sur une représentation schématique de l’écoulement du métal liquide dans la sous-couche visqueuse et dans la zone tampon, où les structures turbulentes qui apportent le liquide à la paroi (sweeps) ou l’éjectent (bursts) sont décrites analytiquement (modèle d’Ahmadi). Les simulations numériques montrent que les mécanismes principaux de dépôt des inclusions sont la sédimentation et dans une moindre mesure l’interception directe. Notons cependant que la contribution de l’interception directe croît avec l’intensité turbulente de l’écoulement et peut devenir prépondérante pour les vitesses de frottement les plus élevées (au-delà de 0,1 m.s-1). Les effets inertiels ont, quant à eux, une contribution négligeable sur le dépôt des inclusions (contrairement au cas des aérosols). Enfin, la prise en compte des interactions hydrodynamiques entre les inclusions et la paroi solide conduit à une diminution significative de la vitesse de dépôt des inclusions. Dans le cas de l’interface acier liquide/laitier, l’écoulement du métal liquide est calculé par simulation numérique directe (DNS) à l’échelle de la couche de surface. La turbulence, générée à distance de l’interface par un forçage aléatoire, diffuse vers l’interface métal liquide/laitier modélisée comme une surface libre indéformable. L’évolution des inclusions en suspension est obtenue par un suivi lagrangien à l’aide d’un couplage one-way. Le nombre de Reynolds de surface des simulations varie de 68 à 235. Le diamètre des inclusions varie de 10-5m à 5.10-5m et le rapport entre la densité des inclusions et la densité du métal varie de 0,5 (inclusions d’alumine) à 1 (inclusions fictives). Il apparaît que le dépôt des inclusions d’alumine est contrôlé par la sédimentation. En l’absence d’effet gravitaire, le dépôt d’inclusions est contrôlé par l’interception directe et dépend fortement du nombre de Reynolds de surface. Dans ce dernier cas, nous montrons que la vitesse de dépôt adimensionnée par la vitesse de Kolmogorov de surface est proportionnelle au diamètre des inclusions adimensionné par la longueur de Kolmogorov de surface. La prise en compte des interactions hydrodynamiques entre les inclusions et la surface libre conduit à une diminution de moitié de la contribution de l’interception directe mais affecte peu la contribution gravitationnelle. En outre, en l’absence d’effet gravitaire, la linéarité entre la vitesse de dépôt adimensionnée et le diamètre des inclusions adimensionné est conservée
The deposition of metallic oxide inclusions (of about 10 µm in diameter) suspended in liquid steel is studied by numerical simulation. Two types of deposition surface are investigated, i.e., the liquid steel/solid wall interface and the liquid steel/liquid slag interface. In both cases, we focus on the boundary layer adjacent to the interface. The inclusion behavior is examined thanks to Lagrangian particle tracking: Newton’s second law governing inclusion motion includes the buoyancy force, the pressure gradient force, the added mass force and the steady drag force.For the liquid steel/solid wall interface, the inclusion behavior is analyzed in the buffer layer and in the viscous layer. These layers are described according to Ahmadi’s model, which provides a kinematic representation of the turbulent structures responsible for deposition, i.e., the sweeps and the bursts of liquid. The numerical simulations show that the deposition is mainly controlled by sedimentation. However, since the direct interception contribution increases with the turbulence intensity, direct interception becomes dominant for the highest values of the friction velocity (greater than 0.1 m.s-1). When the hydrodynamic interactions between the inclusions and the solid surface are taken into account, the deposition velocity is significantly reduced. Finally, it should be noted that the inertial forces have a negligible effect on the inclusion deposition velocity. For the liquid steel/liquid slag interface, the inclusion turbulent deposition is investigated using direct numerical simulation of the liquid flow combined with Lagrangian particle tracking under conditions of one-way coupling. The interface is modeled as a non-deformable free-slip surface. Unsheared turbulence is generated by random forcing in a finite-height region parallel to the free-slip surface. In between, the turbulence diffuses toward the free surface. The Reynolds number at the interface varies from 68 to 235. The inclusion diameter varies from 10-5m to 5.10-5m and the particle to liquid density ratio from 0.5 (alumina inclusions) to 1 (fictitious inclusions). It appears that the deposition of alumina inclusions is controlled by sedimentation whereas direct interception is the only deposition mechanism for non-buoyant inclusions. In the latter case, the deposition velocity strongly depends on the surface Reynolds number. It is shown that the deposition velocity made dimensionless by the free surface characteristic velocity scales as the inclusion diameter made dimensionless by the Kolmogorov length scale calculated at the free surface. When the hydrodynamic interactions between the inclusions and the free surface are taken into account, the direct interception contribution of the deposition velocity is significantly reduced (about half of the value without hydrodynamic retardation) but the scaling law is conserved

It is well known that inclusions affect the properties of steels and alloys. Therefore, it is important to understand what type of inclusions that exist and how they behave and especially with a focus on large size inclusions. Thus, the large size non-metallic inclusions in ferroalloy FeTi70R were investigated in two dimensions (2D) by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in combination with an energy dispersive technique (EDS). It was found that the FeTi70R ferroalloy contain complex oxide inclusions consisting mostly of CaO, SiO2 and TiOx. Furthermore, experimental trials were performed to investigate how these inclusions behaved when entering a melt. More specifically, a comparison between pure Fe and an Alloy 825 grade were made. These results determined the parameters effect on the transformation of the inclusions in the melt. The large size non-metallic inclusions in Alloy 825 during the ladle treatment were investigated during industrial trials by using both two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) microscopic investigations. The results showed that inclusions consisted of spherical oxides and clusters made up of oxides and nitrides. Further investigations found that the spherical inclusions were transformed from existing NMI in the FeTi70R ferroalloy and slag particles. As for the clusters, they originate from deoxidation products. Furthermore, small inclusions precipitated in the local zones around the added FeTi70R ferroalloy and titanium nitrides. Investigations also found that only Al2O3-MgO and TiN clusters exist after casting. Industrial trials were performed during the last period of the ladle treatment and using a combined electromagnetic (EMS) and gas (GS) stirring. The purpose to investigate the effect of different EMS directions on the agglomeration and on the removal of Al2O3-MgO and TiN clusters. The investigations were then performed in 3D after an electrolytic extraction of the metal samples. The results show that electromagnetic stirring in the upwards direction is best for the agglomeration of the Al2O3-MgO and TiN clusters. However, electromagnetic stirring in the downwards direction is more effective to remove clusters from the melt. This is in agreement with the theoretical predictions based on Stokes’, Brownian and Turbulent collisions. Also, the calculations showed that for Al2O3-MgO clusters with sizes <20 μm the Turbulent collision is the defining factor for agglomeration. However, both Stokes’ and Turbulent collisions are dominant for larger inclusions. For the TiN clusters, turbulent collisions is the dominant factor. Further investigations with more heats and stirring modes were done by using 2D microscopic investigations. More specifically, the number, size, composition and morphology of different inclusions were determined by using SEM in combination with EDS and Inca Feature analyses. The results show that the EMS in downwards direction with a 0.04 m3 min-1 gas flow rate promotes a general removal of Al2O3-MgO and TiN inclusions. Furthermore, that the upwards EMS direction promotes a drastically increase of inclusions having an equivalent size smaller than 11.2 μm. Moreover, the stirring with a 0.02 m3 min-1 gas flow rate has a better removal rate for both downwards and upwards stirring directions compared to the stirring with a 0.04 m3 min-1 gas flow rate. However, no influence on the inclusion composition and morphology could be seen from the different stirring modes.
Det är välkänt att inneslutningar påverkar egenskaperna i stål och legeringar. Därför är det viktigt att förstå vilken sorts inneslutningar som existerar samt hur de beter sig, särskilt stora inneslutningar. Således undersöktes de stora icke-metalliska inneslutningarna i ferrolegeringen FeTi70R i två dimensioner (2D) genom att använda svepelektronmikroskopi (SEM) i kombination med energidispersionsteknik (EDS). Det visade sig att ferrolegeringen FeTi70R innehåller komplexa oxidinneslutningar bestående huvudsakligen av CaO, Si02 och TiOx. Vidare utfördes laborativa försök för att undersöka hur dessa inneslutningar uppträder när de kommer ner i det smälta stålet. Mer specifikt så gjordes en jämförelse mellan rent Fe och Alloy 825 legeringen. Dessa resultat fastställde hur olika parametrar påverkade inneslutningarnas omvandling i smältan. De stora icke-metalliska inneslutningarna i Alloy 825 legeringen under skänkugnsbehandlingen undersöktes vid industriella försök med hjälp av både tvådimensionella (2D) och tredimensionella (3D) mikroskopiska undersökningar. Resultaten visade att inneslutningarna bestod av sfäriska oxider och kluster uppbyggda av oxider och nitrider. Ytterligare undersökningar visade att de sfäriska inneslutningarna omvandlades från befintliga icke-metalliska inneslutningar i ferrolegeringen FeTi70R och slaggpartiklar. När det gäller kluster härrör de från desoxidationsprodukter. Vidare så bildades små inneslutningar i de lokala zonerna kring den tillsatta FeTi70R legeringen och kring titanitriderna. Undersökningarna fann också att endast Al2O3-MgO och TiN-kluster existerar efter gjutning. De industriella försöken utfördes under den sista perioden av skänkugnsbehandlingen och med en kombinerad elektromagnetisk (EMS) och gas (GS) omröring. Syftet med detta var att undersöka effekten av olika riktningar på EMS omrörningen på agglomerationen och avskiljningen av Al2O3-MgO- och TiN klustren. Undersökningarna utfördes sedan i 3D efter en elektrolytisk extraktion av metallproverna. Resultaten visar att en uppåtriktad elektromagnetisk omröring är bäst för agglomereringen av Al2O3-MgO inneslutningar och TiN kluster. Emellertid så är en nedåtriktad elektromagnetisk omröring effektivare för att avlägsna kluster från smältan. Dessa resultat överensstämmer med de teoretiska förutsägelserna baserade på Stokes, Brownian och Turbulent kollisionsvolymer. Dessutom visade beräkningarna att för Al2O3-MgO kluster med storlekar <20 μm är det turbulenta kollisioner som är den avgörande faktorn för agglomerering. Dock är det både Stokes och de Turbulenta kollisionerna som dominerar för större inneslutningar. För TiN klustren är det de turbulenta kollisionerna som är den dominerande faktorn. Ytterligare undersökningar med fler charger av Alloy 825 och olika omrörningsmetoder gjordes baserade på 2D mikroskopiska undersökningar. Mer specifikt så bestämdes antalet, storleken, sammansättningen och morfologin för olika inneslutningar med användning av SEM i kombination med EDS och Inca Feature analyser. Resultaten visar att en nedåtriktad EMS i kombination med ett gasflöde på 0,04 m3 min-1 främjar ett generellt avlägsnande av Al2O3-MgO och TiN inneslutningar. Vidare främjar den uppåtriktade EMS omrörningen en drastisk ökning av inneslutningar med en ekvivalent storlek av 11,2 μm eller mindre. Vidare har omröringen med ett gasflöde på 0,02 m3 min-1 en bättre avskiljningshastighet för inneslutningar i både nedåt och uppåtgående omrörningsriktningar jämfört med omrörningen med ett gasflöde på 0,04 m3 min-1. Emellertid kunde inget inflytande på sammansättningen och morfologin ses från de olika omrörningssätten.

QC 20171122

The aim of the present work was to get an overview of the steel cleanness in tool steel. Plant trial studies of three steel grades were done with different focuses. Firstly the change of the inclusion characteristics during the vacuum degassing in the ladle was looked upon. The top slag composition was altered and sampling was made before and after vacuum degassing and the results showed that the top slag composition has an effect on the inclusion composition. Thermodynamic calculations indicated that the oxygen activity for the steel/inclusion was twice as large as that of the steel/top slag before vacuum degassing. However, after vacuum degassing the oxygen activity values were close. In order to study the inclusion characteristics during vacuum degassing the process was interrupted at five pre-determined time points for sampling. During vacuum the number of the smaller inclusions was decreased. However, for the larger inclusions (>11.2µm) the number of inclusions had increased. Throughout the degassing process the inclusion composition was found to approach the top slag composition and at the end of the process only one type of inclusion composition was found. The removal of hydrogen, nitrogen and sulphur was studied. Samples were taken before and after vacuum degassing. It was found that the removal kinetics of hydrogen and nitrogen can be described with first-order reactions. When 10 minutes of vacuum degassing have passed, the removal of hydrogen and nitrogen is more or less finished for the studied steel grades. Two steel grades with similar process route and with only a few differences in steel composition were studied. The sum of FeO and MnO was found to be a clear indicator for when reoxidation had taken place. The results from oxygen activity calculations indicate that calculations of oxygen activities with multivalence slag species such as Fe and Cr requires measurements for validations to ensure that reliable results are obtained.
Syftet med denna studie var att få en överblick av verktygsståls renhet. Studier på tre olika stålsorter utfördes. Inneslutningsbilden under vakuumbehandling undersöktes. Resultaten är baserade på industriförsök likväl som termodynamiska beräkningar. Försöken gjordes på två olika stålsorter där toppslaggens sammansättning varierades och stål- och slaggprover tog ut före och efter vakuumbehandling. Proverna analyserades för att bestämma den kemiska sammansättningen på stål och slagg, men inneslutningsbilden undersöktes också. Med hjälp av termodynamiska beräkningar beräknades syreaktiviteten för jämvikterna stål/inneslutning och stål/toppslag. Beräkningarna jämfördes sinsemellan samt med uppmätt syreaktivitet från stålsmältan. Resultaten visar att toppslaggens sammansättning har en påverkan på inneslutningarnas sammansättning. Specifikt så fanns att när CaO-halten i toppslaggen ökar syns en ökning av CaO i inneslutningssammansättningen. De termodynamiska beräkningarna visar att syreaktiviten för jämvikten stål/inneslutning är dubbelt så stor som den för jämvikten stål/topplagg före vakuumbehandling. Dock är syreaktiviteterna för de olika jämvikterna lika efter vakuumbehandlingen. För att studera hur inneslutningsbilden utvecklas under vakuumbehandling avbröts vakuumbehandlingen vid fem förutbestämda tidpunkter. Vid varje avbrott av vakuumbehandlingen togs stål- och slaggprover som analyserades för att bestämma totalsyre, inneslutningsmängd och inneslutningssammansättning. Före vakuumbehandlingen var antalet inneslutningar stort, medan antalet små inneslutningar minskade under vakuumbehandlingen. Däremot konstaterades att antalet stora inneslutningarna (>11.2μm) ökade under avgasningen. Vad beträffar inneslutningssammansättningen syntes en variation i analys före vakuumbehandlingen som sedan förändrades till att likna toppslaggens sammansättning under vakuumbehandlingstiden. I slutet av processen märktes endast en typ av inneslutningssammansättning i stålsmältan. Vad som också noterades var att efter ungefär 10 minuter av vakuumbehandling så hade inneslutningsantalet nått sitt minimumvärde. För att erhålla rent stål är väte-, kväve- och svavelreningen också av stor vikt under vakuumbehandlingen. Dessa tre element studerades genom att prover togs vid olika tillfällen i processen; före, under (vid fem olika förutbestämda tidpunkter) och efter vakuumbehandling. De kemiska sammansättningarna för stål- och slaggproverna användes för att beräkna väte-, kväve- och svavelreningarna. Beräkningarna visade att för väte och kväve så kan kinetiken beskrivas med en förstagradsekvation. Specifikt så gäller detta för stålsorten i studien, samt under förutsättningen att svavelhalten är lägre än 0,003 vikts-%. Dessutom så visade resultaten att väte- och kvävereningen är i stort sett klar för den studerade stålsorten efter 10 minuters vakuumbehandling. När det gäller svavel så kan en förstagradsekvation inte användas vid beräkningarna Istället uppvisar svavel en tendens att följa jämviktshalten av svavel genom hela avgasningsprocessen. Genom att kontrollera processen finns stora möjligheter att erhålla en bra renhet på stålet. Två stålsorter studerades i denna specifika studie, där de hade en liknande processväg samt endast ix några små skillnader i stålanalysen. Stål- och slaggprover samlades in och analyserades. Summan av FeO och MnO visade sig vara en klar indikation på när reoxidation har skett, men mängden "carry-over" slagg från ljusbågsugnen kunde inte predikteras med hjälp av någon specifik indikator. Dessutom så beräknades syreaktiviten och beräkningarna jämfördes sedan med uppmätt syre i stålet. Resultaten indikerar att beräkningar av syreaktivitet med toppslagger som innehåller multivalenselement, såsom Fe och Cr, kräver valideringar med mätningar för att trovärdiga predikteringar ska erhållas.

QC 20160523