Sulphide Capacities of CaO‐SiO2‐Al2O3‐MgO Slags

In Japanese steelworks, hot metal is now being produced by a scrap melting process. With this process, removals of sulphur is very much handicapped because of very high sulphur levels (0.04‐ to 0.09‐ pct by weight) and relatively low tapping temperatures (1623 to 1723 K). In order to overcome such handicaps, the authors explored on the respective phase diagrams. These explorations revealed that {CaO‐SiO₂‐Al₂O₃‐MgO} slags with Al₂O₃ contents of 30‐ to 35‐pct by weight would be good candidates as reagents for sulphur removal from high sulphur hot metal at relatively low temperatures. For better understanding of the thermodynamic properties of the candidate slags, in this study, sulphide capacities were determined through gas/slag equilibrium technique. The experimental results suggest that there would be, at least, a “window” to remove sulphur from high sulphur hot metal as relatively low temperatures.     

Viscosities of the Quaternary Al2O3‐CaO‐MgO‐SiO2 Slags

Viscosities of some quaternary slags in the Al₂O₃‐CaO‐MgO‐SiO₂ system were measured using the rotating cylinder method. Eight different slag compositions were selected. These slag compositions ranging in the high basicity region were directly related to the secondary steel making operations. The measurements were carried out in the temperature range of 1720 to 1910 K. 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 iso‐viscosity contours in the Al₂O₃‐CaO‐MgO‐SiO₂ system relevant to ladle slags were calculated at 1823 K and 1873 K for 5 mass% MgO and 10 mass% MgO sections. The predicted results showed good agreement with experimental values and the literature data.     

Water Capacity Model of Al2O3‐CaO‐MgO‐SiO2 Quaternary Slag System

The focus of the present work was to develop a water capacity model for the quaternary slag system Al₂O₃‐CaO‐MgO‐SiO₂. In the model, a silicate melt was considered to consist of two ion groupings, viz. cation grouping and oxygen ion. The water capacity of a melt is supposed to depend on the interactions between the cations in the presence of oxygen ions. These interactions were determined on the basis of the experimentally measured water solubility data. Only binary interactions were employed in the model. For the system CaO‐SiO₂, disagreement in the literature data was found. Since the interaction between Ca²⁺ and Si⁴⁺ would play an important role, experiments were carried out to determine the water capacities of some CaO‐SiO₂ slags. For this purpose a thermogravimetric method was employed. Iso‐lines of water capacities at constant MgO contents were predicted by the model and compared with the experimental data from literature. The model calculations agreed well with the experimental results.     

Composition Control of CaO‐MgO‐Al2O3‐SiO2 Inclusions in Tire Cord Steel ‐ a Thermodynamic Analysis

The effect of oxide component content on the low melting point zone (LMP) in the CaO‐MgO‐Al₂O₃‐SiO₂ system has been analysed using FactSage software. The contents of dissolved elements [Si], [Mg], [O] and [Al] in liquid steel in equilibrium with the LMP inclusions in the CaO‐MgO‐Al₂O₃‐SiO₂ system have been calculated. The results show that the CaO‐MgO‐Al₂O₃‐SiO₂ system has the largest LMP zone (below 1400°C) when the Al₂O₃ content is 20% or the MgO content is 10%. The LMP zone becomes wide with the increase in CaO content (within the range of 0~30 mass%) and the decrease in SiO₂ (from 25 to 5 mass%). To obtain the LMP (below 1400°C) inclusions, the [Mg], [Al] and [O] contents must be controlled within the range of 0.2~2 ppm, 1.0~2.0 ppm and 60~100 ppm, respectively.     

MgO Saturation in Secondary Metallurgical Lime‐aluminate and Lime‐silicate Slags

This paper provides an informative basis on MgO saturation in secondary metallurgical slags by conducting thermo‐chemical calculations in the ternary base system Al₂O₃‐CaO‐SiO₂ at 1600 °C, 1650 °C and 1700 °C using FactSage^TM6.0. The results for lime‐aluminate and lime‐silicate slag are displayed in a straightforward and illustrative manner. In addition, approximate equations describe the temperature dependencies: a temperature rise of 50 °C increases the MgO saturation limit by about 1 wt. %.     

Thermodynamics of Composition Control of CaO‐MnO‐Al2O3‐SiO2 Inclusions in Tire Cord Steel

The effect of oxide component content on the low melting point zone (simplified as LMP) in the CaO‐MnO‐Al₂O₃‐SiO₂ system has been analysed by FactSage. The contents of [Si], [Mn], [O] and [Al] in liquid steel which are in equilibrium with the LMP inclusions in the CaO‐MnO‐Al₂O₃‐SiO₂ system have been calculated. The results show that the CaO‐MnO‐Al₂O₃‐SiO₂ system has the largest LMP zone (below 1400°C) when the Al₂O₃ content is 20% or the CaO content is 15%, and that the LMP zone becomes wider with increase in SiO₂ and MnO contents (within the range of 0~25%). To obtain LMP inclusions (below 1400°C), [Si] and [Mn] can be controlled within a wide range, but [Al] and [O] must be controlled within the range of 0.5~5 ppm and 50~120 ppm, respectively.     

Phase Equilibrium of the System CaO‐P2O5‐SiO2 between 1473 K and 1673 K

Phase equilibrium was investigated in the ternary system of CaO‐P₂O₅‐SiO₂ at 1473K, 1573K and 1673K.     

Influence of SiO2 Addition on the Properties of Al2O3‐CaO‐CaF2 Slag

The Al₂O₃‐CaO‐CaF₂ slag system is used in making special quality steels by the electro‐slag re‐melting process (ESR). The purpose of our investigation was to analyse ESR slag that contained SiO₂. The slag samples with different SiO₂ fractions (0 ‐ 20 mass %) were examined by chemical analysis, differential thermal analysis, simultaneous thermal analysis, X‐ray diffraction, electron microscopy and wetting angle measurement. With addition of SiO₂ the polymerization of slags was increased due to the formation of new silicate complex compounds that influenced their melting points and wetting angles.     

Oxidation State of Titanium in CaO‐SiO2‐TiOx Slags at 1873K

Oxidation state of titanium was determined in CaO‐SiO₂‐TiO_x slags in the composition range 25‐53 percent CaO, 27‐46 percent SiO₂, 10‐55 percent TiO_x at 1873K using gas equilibration method. In the experiments, slags with different titanium oxide contents were equilibrated with a known carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide ratio. The results were used to determine the Ti³⁺ and Ti⁴⁺ contents as well as the activity coefficient ratio of corresponding oxides in the slag. The dependence of the activity coefficient ratio as a function of oxygen partial pressure was determined.     

Electrochemical Measurements of Oxygen Potentials in the Slag System CaO‐P2O5‐SiO2‐FexO

The liquidus compositions of the four‐phase assemblages in the quaternary system of CaO‐P₂O₅‐SiO₂‐Fe_xO were determined at 1473 and 1573 K by employing electron probe microanalysis. Measurements were also made on the Fe_xO activities at temperatures between 1373K and 1699K by employing an electrochemical technique involving stabilized zirconia electrolyte.     

Study of Boronizing Mechanism of High‐Alumina Slag

As the Al₂O₃ content of the iron‐making raw materials increasing, the Al₂O₃ content in the slag increases as well, which is the certain result in the development of the iron‐making process. Based on the slag which was from the 2# blast furnace in Hebei Qianan of China, 7 different kinds of B compositions were added. The viscosity values of the CaO ‐MgO‐Al₂O₃‐SiO₂‐B₂O₃ system were measured by using the torque. The SEM and EDS apparatus were used to observe the variation characteristics of the boronizing slag of the blast furnace. Viscosity mechanism model of the boronazing high‐alumina slag was got from the analysis of the EDS compositions. These detailed analysis including the influence on the slag forming components result from different B contents which shows the conclusion that the suitable B content makes good to the viscosity, melting temperature and stability of high‐alumina slag.     

CaO—SiO2—Na2O三元渣系的挥发率

采用失重法对ＣａＯ－ＳｉＯ２－Ｎａ２Ｏ三元渣系在不同温度下的挥发率进行了测量。结果表明，在烧结温度下，低熔点渣的挥发率呈三段式变化，而高熔点渣无此特性；当修正碱度Ｒ′＞１、成分固定时，只有在温度超过其流动温度时才能显著提高挥发率；温度一定时，挥发率随着碱度Ｒ及Ｎａ２ＣＯ３含量的增加而提高；当Ｒ′＜１时，温度、碱度、Ｎａ２ＣＯ３含量对挥发率的影响都不大。     

New Methods for In‐Situ Determination of Iron Oxide in Steelmaking Slags

Although iron oxide is the most important component of steelmaking slags, no reliable technique for its in‐situ determination has been established yet. This paper however, presents data on the effect of iron oxide on the electrical conductivity of CaO‐SiO₂‐FeO‐Fe₂O₃ melts, and on limiting current and impedance in direct current or alternating current charge transfer at iron electrodes. The strong influence of iron oxide content can be utilized for in‐situ determination of total iron oxide content and Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ ratio. The possible probe designs are presented and the principles and procedures of the measurement are explained.     

The Effect of MgO on the Viscosity of the CaO‐SiO2‐20 wt%Al2O3‐MgO Slag System

The viscosities of CaO‐SiO₂‐20 wt%Al₂O₃‐MgO slags (CaO/SiO₂ = 1.0–1.2, wt%MgO = 5–13) were measured to estimate the effect of MgO on the viscous behaviour at elevated temperatures. The slag viscosity at 1773 K decreased with increasing MgO contents, which was typical of a basic oxide component at relatively low basicity (CaO/SiO₂) of 1.0. The FT‐IR spectroscopic analysis of the slag structure seems to verify this behaviour. However, an unexpected contradiction with the temperature dependence was observed above 10 wt%MgO and above CaO/SiO₂ of 1.2. Although the apparent activation energy was expected to decrease with additions of the basic oxide component MgO, the apparent activation energy increased. This unexpected behaviour seems to be related to the change in the primary phase field correlating to the phase diagram corresponding to the slag composition. Therefore, in order to understand the viscosity at both high Al₂O₃ and MgO, not only should the typical depolymerization of the slag structure with high MgO content be considered but also the primary phases of which the molten slag originates.     

Recovery of Chromium from AOD‐Converter Slags

Slags from the production of high‐alloyed steel contain both chemically bound chromium (mainly as Cr₂O₃) in the mineral fraction and elemental chromium in the metallic remainders. Thermochemical post treatment of the slag in an electric arc furnace under reducing conditions enables the nearly complete recovery of the total amount of chromium in form of a metallic alloy. The best results were achieved by resistance melting (submerged electrodes) with addition of a reducing agent into the melt. The efficiencies of the reducing agents carbon, aluminium, silicon (as ferrosilicon) and silicon carbide were investigated and compared. As aluminium is the strongest reducing agent, it is less selective and reduces much more SiO₂ than Cr₂O₃. While SiC shows only low reactivity because of its high thermal resistance, carbon and silicon had the highest reducing potentials: More than 97% of the chemically bound chromium can be recovered by application of these reducing agents. Due to the high temperature required for the reduction of the chromium compounds, the reduction of SiO₂ as an undesired side reaction cannot be avoided. However, compared with mechanical procedures that are limited to the recovery of the metallic remainders, the total chromium recovery can be significantly increased by the described reductive melting procedure.