VAR炉熔炼过程中磁场作用的分析

针对VAR炉的结构特点,探讨了真空自耗熔炼过程中磁场产生的原因及其在熔化区域分布的规律;分析了VAR熔炼过程中存在的3种主要磁场,即熔化电流自生的水平磁场、外加的纵向磁场和VAR炉自身及周围铁质结构件产生的杂散磁场,对熔炼过程及铸锭质量的影响。     

Liquid Metal Pool Behavior during the Vacuum Arc Remelting of INCONEL 718

Non-steady-state ensemble arc behavior has been observed during the Vacuum Arc Remelting (VAR) of 508-mm-diameter ingots of INCONEL 718. The liquid metal flow in the melt pool of a 508-mm ingot during VAR has been simulated under two alternative sets of conditions: (1) a steady-state axisymmetrical arc distribution, as has been typically used in modeling work previously; and (b) a transient asymmetrical arc distribution. Due to the computational requirements, neither mass flux nor solidification were modeled; instead, the pool shape was fixed from measurements from a 508-mm-diameter ingot, and a constant pool wall temperature of 1609 K was used. The transient simulation assumed a localized Gaussian arc whose effective center was located at a distance of 0.1 m from the ingot centerline; this simulation rotated clockwise around the centerline with a period of 36 seconds. The steady-state model was simulated with axisymmetrical distributions of current and power input to the pool top surface calculated by time averaging the transient current and power inputs. The standard k-ε solver of ANSYS CFX 5.6 software was used for both simulations. The transient model results suggest that 5 seconds of asymmetrical arc behavior is enough to change the pool from steady state to transient and that, after 30 seconds, the flow is almost fully developed (at least to the accuracy of the model) and dominated by the Lorentz force. Aspects of the model results agree with key features of the melt pool observed during VAR.     

On the Modeling of Thermal Radiation at the Top Surface of a Vacuum Arc Remelting Ingot

Two models have been implemented for calculating the thermal radiation emitted at the ingot top in the VAR process, namely, a crude model that considers only radiative heat transfer between the free surface and electrode tip and a more detailed model that describes all radiative exchanges between the ingot, electrode, and crucible wall using a radiosity method. From the results of the second model, it is found that the radiative heat flux at the ingot top may depend heavily on the arc gap length and the electrode radius, but remains almost unaffected by variations of the electrode height. Both radiation models have been integrated into a CFD numerical code that simulates the growth and solidification of a VAR ingot. The simulation of a Ti-6-4 alloy melt shows that use of the detailed radiation model leads to some significant modification of the simulation results compared with the simple model. This is especially true during the hot-topping phase, where the top radiation plays an increasingly important role compared with the arc energy input. Thus, while the crude model has the advantage of its simplicity, use of the detailed model should be preferred.     

Innovation approaches to controlling the electric regimes of electric arc furnaces

The processes of current passage in an ac electric arc furnace (EAF) are subjected to industrial experiments and mathematical simulation. It is shown that, when a charge is melted, arcs between charge fragments exist in series with main arc discharges, and these arcs influence the stability of the main arc discharges. The measurement of instantaneous currents and voltages allowed us to perform a real-time calculation of the electrical characteristics of a three-phase circuit and to determine the θ parameter, which characterizes the nonlinearity of the circuit segment between electrodes. Based on these studies, we created an advanced system for controlling the electric regime of EAF.     

Electric Melting of Iron-Ore Prereduced Pellets in an Electric Arc Furnace

This article discusses the aspects of the melting loss in electric steelmaking during continuous feeding of prereduced pellets into the bath of an electric arc furnace via hollow electrodes. It is shown that adjustment of the melting loss and the dust discharge from electric arcs by changing the pellet consumption and accounting for the heat parameters of furnace operation makes it possible to significantly increase the ingot-to-product yield during electric steelmaking.     

The Role of Side Arcing in the Global Energy Partition during Vacuum Arc Remelting of INCONEL 718

Non-steady-state ensemble arc behavior has been observed during the Vacuum Arc Remelting (VAR) of 508-mm-diameter ingots of INCONEL 718. The liquid metal flow in the melt pool of a 508-mm ingot during VAR has been simulated under two alternative sets of conditions: (1) a steady-state axisymmetrical arc distribution, as has been typically used in modeling work previously; and (b) a transient asymmetrical arc distribution. Due to the computational requirements, neither mass flux nor solidification were modeled; instead, the pool shape was fixed from measurements from a 508-mm-diameter ingot, and a constant pool wall temperature of 1609 K was used. The transient simulation assumed a localized Gaussian arc whose effective center was located at a distance of 0.1 m from the ingot centerline; this simulation rotated clockwise around the centerline with a period of 36 seconds. The steady-state model was simulated with axisymmetrical distributions of current and power input to the pool top surface calculated by time averaging the transient current and power inputs. The standard k-ε solver of ANSYS CFX 5.6 software was used for both simulations. The transient model results suggest that 5 seconds of asymmetrical arc behavior is enough to change the pool from steady state to transient and that, after 30 seconds, the flow is almost fully developed (at least to the accuracy of the model) and dominated by the Lorentz force. Aspects of the model results agree with key features of the melt pool observed during VAR. This article is based on a presentation given at the International Symposium on Liquid Metal Processing and Casting (LMPC 2007), which occurred in September 2007 in Nancy, France.

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A Multiscale Transient Modeling Approach for Predicting the Solidification Structure in VAR-Processed Alloy 718 Ingots

This paper describes the development and validation of a comprehensive multiscale modeling approach capable of predicting at the mesoscopic scale level the ingot solidification structure and solidification-related defects commonly occurring during the vacuum arc remelting (VAR) process. The approach consists of a coupling between a fully transient macroscopic code and a mesoscopic solidification structure code. The predictions from the multiscale model, including grain morphology and size and columnar-to-equiaxed transition, were validated against experimental measurements for a 20-inch (508 mm) diameter VAR alloy 718 ingots. The validated model was then used to investigate the effects of melting rate and ingot diameter on the solidification structure of VAR processed 718 ingots.     

Nitrogen Removal and Arc Voltage Increase in EAF Steelmaking by Methane Injection into the Arc

Methane injection into the arcs of electric arc furnaces has been shown on pilot scale to lead to a remarkable arc voltage increase at constant arc current and arc length. Recent investigations have been concerned with the associated metallurgical effects making use of a gas‐tight 150‐kg arc furnace operated with two AC plasma torches. A first test with bored graphite electrodes in this furnace confirmed the power increase observed during methane injection. The carburization slowly occurring when 6 % CH₄ were injected into the argon atmosphere of the furnace could be avoided by adding minor amounts of CO₂. A slag layer decreased mass transfer rates without noticeably affecting heat transfer. Manganese loss by evaporation was measured to investigate the influence of power increase and slag layers. From the results, an increase of 200 K was concluded for the melt surface temperature when CH₄ was added to pure argon. Methane injection into the arcs proved to accelerate nitrogen removal considerably. Starting with an intentionally high nitrogen content of about 200 ppm, the nitrogen removal rate was found to be slowest with pure argon plasma arcs, faster with 90 % Ar + 10 % H₂, and fastest with 95 % Ar + 5 % CH₄ reaching final contents of less than 20 ppm of nitrogen. Based on thermodynamic calculations, the denitrogenation reactions appear to take place via atomic nitrogen in pure argon plasma, via NH₃ in Ar + H₂ and via HCN in Ar + CH₄.     

Segregation Development in Multiple Melt Vacuum Arc Remelting

A numerical model of the vacuum arc remelting (VAR) process was used to study multistage VAR processes. The studies of low and high power 3XVAR confirmed the results of the single stage process studies for Ti-10-2-3: (1) high arc power results in strong electromagnetically driven flow and undesirably high macrosegregation; (2) low arc power does not generate significant Lorentz forces and the flow is dominated by weaker buoyancy forces, which cause less segregation; and (3) even short-lived changes in process conditions during the run may result in a switch of the flow regime in low power cases from buoyancy driven to electromagnetically driven. The switch of flow regime results in an increase in macrosegregation levels and a change in the pattern of solute redistribution. The most significant finding in the studies of 3XVAR processing of Ti-10-2-3 is the small effect of the electrode composition distribution on ingot segregation development. In both low and high power VAR cases, macrosegregation levels and patterns in the final ingots were similar to those demonstrated assuming a uniform electrode for that final case. However, for low power cases, nonuniformities in the electrode composition may strongly affect the final ingot macrosegregation. The nonuniformity in the composition of the electrode results in the formation of additional buoyancy forces within the liquid pool, which can cause a switch from buoyancy driven flow to the undesirable electromagnetically driven flow regime and a drastic change in segregation development. This article is based on a presentation given at the International Symposium on Liquid Metal Processing and Casting (LMPC 2007), which occurred in September 2007 in Nancy, France.     

Electrode Erosion due to High‐Current Electric Arcs in Silicon and Ferrosilicon Furnaces

The role of the electric arc in the consumption of electrodes in submerged arc furnaces has long been discussed. The environment does not make direct measurement possible, so simulation has been used to evaluate the arcs contribution to the erosion. Magnetofluiddynamic (MFD) electric arc simulations and a cathode / anode sub‐model developed in order to provide boundary conditions to the arc model have been used for this purpose. In the case of high‐current industrial AC arcs, arc currents are typically ~100 kA, phase voltages ~100 V and total furnace power ~10 ‐ 60 MW. The results show that although enormous amounts of material is evaporated, due to recondensation of vapour, less than half of the total electrode consumption in an industrial furnace can be attributed to the arc. The largest contributor is chemical corrosion. Results from this analysis indicated that there are probably more than one arc present in the crater.     

电弧炉技术在球墨铸铁钢锭模生产上的应用

将冲天炉和电弧炉这两种生产球墨铸铁钢锭模的工艺特点及应用效果进行了对比，结果表明，采用电弧炉冶炼球墨铸铁钢锭模能够提高钢锭模使用寿命，改善钢锭质量。     

神经网络电弧炉—精炼炉的控制系统

用基于工业计算机网络的电弧炉控制系统,采用三层网络结构,可以实现炼钢过程的优化控制及数据监控,完成作业优化,提高作业效率,通过基于预估补偿的专家控制系统,使1台40t电弧炉的电耗由50kWh/t降至475kWh/t。     

电弧炉电弧特性与节电可行性分析

为了最优化修正电弧炉现场操作工艺,达到提高效率,降低电弧炉能耗的目的,分析了电弧炉的电弧特性以及电弧炉节电的可行性。     

On the Dissolution of Nitrided Titanium Defects During Vacuum Arc Remelting of Ti Alloys

The elimination of high interstitial defects (also known as hard-α inclusions) is of great importance to the titanium industry. This article presents a model capable of simulating the motion and dissolution of such defects during their residence in the pool of a vacuum arc remelted (VAR) ingot. To predict the complete history of that inclusion, the study couples a dissolution model of the defect and a Lagrangian particle-tracking model. This numerical tool is implemented in SOLAR (solidification during arc remelting), a computational fluid dynamics code developed at the Nancy School of Mines in the framework of an important research project conducted during the last 15 years, which aims to study and optimize the VAR process. The dissolution model numerically solves the nitrogen diffusion equation in a spherical inclusion and in thermal equilibrium with the surrounding fluid. The computational domain is divided into a central zone (α phase) and a surrounding layer (β phase), which appears because the diffusion of nitrogen into the liquid pool causes some solidification. The dissolution kinetics strongly depend on the liquid temperature and velocity of the inclusion. The model can compute the nitrogen profile in the defect at each moment as well as the thickness of the different layers; therefore, it can compute the overall size of the inclusion. The trajectory model consists of solving Newton’s law of motion. Because the inclusion size is large, the consequence of fluid-flow turbulence is to modify the local flow around the inclusion so that the drag is affected. Results presented and discussed in this article include a parametric study of the influence of the pool thermohydrodynamics, the relative inclusion–fluid density, and the initial diameter of the defect as it enters the melt pool. Finally, an example of the full history of an inclusion during triple VAR illustrates the possibility to remove such a defect effectively by dissolving it in the liquid phase.     

USS122G钢锭真空电弧重熔工艺的数值模拟

 超高强度不锈钢以其超高强度和良好的韧性以及优异的耐腐蚀性能而广泛地应用在航空、航天等领域。真空自耗重熔(VAR)作为生产超高强度不锈钢铸锭的主要生产技术,具有去除钢中有害杂质、改善钢中元素偏析的功能。为了研究新型Cr-Co-Ni-Mo合金体系超高强度不锈钢USS122G的真空电弧重熔过程,通过工艺仿真优化软件(Melf-Flow-VAR),对VAR过程的宏观传热、传质和流动现象进行模拟,建立USS122G合金VAR过程的二维轴对称数学模型,预测了不同冷却速度下的温度场和熔池形貌,并着重分析了特定熔速下的温度场、流场的演变,有无氦气冷却的元素宏观偏析情况,最后以模拟工艺制备了USS122G合金660 mm铸锭进行验证。结果表明,熔速增加,熔池深度加深,熔池形貌由低熔速扁平状圆弧状高熔速深“U”变化,熔炼速率为4.5 kg/min的熔池形貌具有较窄的糊状区,在此熔速下,熔池形貌呈现圆弧状,且真空自耗炉的输入功率较低,流场模拟结果显示流体的流动方向沿边部向下,中部向上,在铸锭右侧呈现顺时针运动规律;模拟熔池在达到稳态后深度为132 mm,此时模拟熔池深度与实测结果基本一致;在熔炼过程中Cr和C元素均发生正向偏析,采用氦气冷却的铸锭中元素偏析程度较小,在距钢锭1/2R处到边部Cr和C元素分布规律与模拟结果吻合较好。本项研究成果为钢的工业化稳定生产提供了可靠的数据支撑。     

电弧炉炉尘综合处理技术及应用

从电弧炉炉尘综合治理利用的角度出发,介绍了当前国外治理电弧炉炉尘的技术和方法.详细陈述了火法、湿法以及其它方法处理电弧炉炉尘的原理,并且简述了这些工艺的可行性.     

电炉回收烟气余热实现负能除尘

淮钢70t电炉随着生产率的大幅提高,除尘系统能力不足,大量高温烟气余热浪费等问题同时也暴露出来,为此,结合设备、工艺特点,采用先进技术,对电炉除尘系统进行了技术改造,既治理了烟尘同时又回收了高温烟气余热,实现了电炉的负能除尘。     

现代超高功率电弧炉的技术特征

综述了现代超高功率电弧炉的技术特征和效果。指出目前超高功率电弧炉技术的发展主要体现在高变压器利用率、工艺和流程优化、改善环境等方面。