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 (&gt;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 (&gt;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. / <p>QC 20160523</p>

Non-metallic inclusions in molten steel have received worldwide attention due to their serious influence on both the steel product quality and the steel production process. These inclusions may come from the de-oxidation process, the re-oxidation by air and/or slag due to an entrainment during steel transfer, and so on. The presence of some inclusion types can cause a termination of a casting process by clogging a nozzle. Thus, a good knowledge of the inclusion behavior and deposition rate in steel flows is really important to understand phenomena such as nozzle clogging. In this thesis, inclusion behaviors and deposition rates in steel flows were investigated by using mathematical simulations and validation by experiments. A ladle teeming process was simulated and Ce2O3 inclusion behavior during a teeming stage was studied. A Lagrangian method was used to track the inclusions in a steel flow and to compare the behaviors of inclusions of different sizes. In addition, a statistical analysis was conducted by the use of a stochastic turbulence model to investigate the behaviors of different-sized inclusions in different nozzle regions. The results show that inclusions with a diameter smaller than 20 μm were found to have similar trajectories and velocity distributions in the nozzle. The inertia force and buoyancy force were found to play an important role for the behavior of large-size inclusions or clusters. The statistical analysis results indicate that the region close to the connection region of the straight pipe and the expanding part of the nozzle seems to be very sensitive for an inclusion deposition. In order to know the deposition rate of non-metallic inclusions, an improved Eulerian particle deposition model was developed and subsequently used to predict the deposition rate of inclusions. It accounts for the differences in properties between air and liquid metals and considers Brownian and turbulent diffusion, turbophoresis and thermophoresis as transport mechanisms. A CFD model was firstly built up to obtain the friction velocity caused by a fluid flow. Then, the friction velocity was put into the deposition model to calculate the deposition rate. For  the  case  of  inclusion/particle  deposition  in  vertical  steel  flows,  effects  on  the deposition rate of parameters such as steel flow rate, particle diameter, particle density, wall roughness and temperature gradient near a wall were investigated. The results show that the steel flow rate/friction velocity has a very important influence on the rate of the deposition of large particles, for which turbophoresis is the main deposition mechanism. For small particles, both the wall roughness and thermophoresis have a significant influence on the particle deposition rate. The extended Eulerian model was thereafter used to predict the inclusion deposition rate in a submerged entry nozzle (SEN). Deposition rates of different-size inclusions in the SEN were obtained. The result shows that the steel flow is non-uniform in the SEN of the tundish. This leads to an uneven distribution of the inclusion deposition rates at different locations of the inner wall of the SEN. A large deposition rate was found to occur at the regions near the SEN inlet, the SEN bottom and the upper region of two SEN ports. For the case of an inclusion/particle deposition in horizontal straight channel flows, the deposition rates of particles at different locations of a horizontal straight pipe cross- section were found to be different due to the influence of gravity and buoyancy. For small particles with a small particle relaxation time, the gravity separation is important for their deposition  behaviors  at  high  and  low  parts  of  the  horizontal  pipe  compared  to  the turbophoresis. For large particles with a large particle relaxation time, turbophoresis is the dominating deposition mechanism. / <p>QC 20150326</p>

Para atender os altos níveis de produção exigidos dos Altos Fornos, a disponibilidade dos Canais de Corrida e dos Carros Torpedo torna-se um fator estratégico. Dentre as propostas de manutenção e reparo disponíveis pela indústria de refratários, a utilização de concretos refratários bombeáveis desponta como um recurso que possibilita, sinergicamente, realizar o reparo de forma localizada e em curtos tempos de parada. Utilizando esse tipo de material, existem, basicamente, dois tipos de aplicação: a realizada por \"Gunning\" e por \"Shotcrete\", cuja principal distinção para o usuário ocorre em função do teor de rebote, sendo os valores médios típicos de 15 % para o primeiro caso e de 5 % no segundo. Este estudo visou comparar o desempenho de concretos refratários para aplicação por bombeamento, destinados como revestimento refratários de Canais de Corrida e/ou de Carros Torpedo. As principais conclusões revelaram que dentre os concretos aplicados nos Canais de Corrida, o mais resistente à corrosão pelo ferro gusa liquido/escória é o concreto A-CLE por apresentar a fases espinélio (MgAl2O4) e não possuir SiO2 livre em sua matriz. Dentre os concretos indicados para aplicação em Carros Torpedo, o que teve melhor desempenho é o concreto C-CT seguido, em segundo lugar, pelo concreto B-T15 e, por fim, B-T85. Nesse caso a presença simultânea da fase SiC, de agentes redutores de molhabilidade (Cgraf), aditivos metálicos (Al0) , da ausência de aluminatos de cálcio, entre outros fatores, resultou em melhor desempenho. / The high productivity of blast furnaces and the availability of Torpedos Ladles and Blast Furnace Runners has a strategic factor for hot metal producers. Considering this, maximizing the refractories performance in a integrated siderurgic Plant must be achieved at a minimal cost. Among the available technologies for repairs and maintenance in the refractories Industry, the pumpable castables appear as a solution that allows, sinergically, do the repair and save valuable time. Basically there are two kinds of application : Gunning and Shotcrete technlogy. The main difference is the rebound index, around 15% for the first and 5% for the last one. This work compared the wear resistance performance of five pumpable refractory castables suggested by the suppliers for application in Blast Furnace Runners and/or Torpedo Ladle. The conclusions of this study revealed that amongst the available castables for the lining application, the A-CLE product is the most resistant against the molten hot metal/ slag bath at laboratorial Finger Test because , between other variables , it has the MgAl2O4 phase and is not free of SiO2 phase in the matrix. And regarding the castables indicated for Torpedo ladles application, C-CT product showed, comparatively a lower wear than the other ones (B-T15 and B-T85) since it has phases as SiC, C, and Alº in its composition.

O aumento da demanda por aços cada vez mais exigentes, em termos de composição química e limpidez interna, faz com que as condições de refino nas aciarias sejam cada vez mais severas. Ao mesmo tempo, o aumento dos tempos de tratamento do aço, aliado às outras variáveis operacionais como quantidades e tipos de adições químicas, etc. fazem com que haja um aumento no tempo de contato entre o revestimento refratário das panelas de transporte de aço e escórias com conseqüente redução do desempenho (vida) de tais revestimentos refratários. Apesar dos esforços no intuito de redução de custos com redução de consumos de refratários, é cada vez maior a pressão sobre os custos de produção e de segurança operacional. Neste sentido, a construção de modelos de previsão de vida em função de tais variáveis é de extrema importância para a gestão de processos e contratos, estabilidade operacional e segurança. Além disso, os estudos de post-mortem podem contribuir no sentido de compreensão física e química de tais fenômenos e mecanismos de desgaste, contribuindo assim para a validação de tais modelos determinísticos. Neste estudo, buscou-se verificar quais variáveis operacionais influem no desempenho (vida) das panelas através de correlações estatísticas. O modelamento levou em consideração os dados de 6 meses de operação da aciaria de uma usina integrada com capacidade de 4,5 Mt/ano. O estudo post-mortem realizado em uma das panelas, após o final de sua campanha, mostrou-se eficiente na validação de tais correlações e no entendimento físico e químico dos possíveis fenômenos e mecanismos de desgaste. As análises mostraram que as variáveis que impactam a vida das panelas de aço são a temperatura de vazamento do aço, temperatura do aço na panela pós vazamento, quantidade de aço chapas grossas (CG) produzido, rota de tratamento dessulfurado, tempo de panela cheia, participação do forno panela no refino secundário, condições da panela, carga de aço na panela, adições de nefelina, escória sintética, fios de cálcio silício (CaSi) e ferro alumínio cálcio (FeAlCa), ligas de manganês e tempos de tratamento no refino secundário. O estudo de post-mortem de amostras de refratário da linha de escória extraída de uma das panelas revelou que o principal mecanismo de desgaste desta região é a corrosão química pela escória que é facilitada pelas adições de nefelina. / The increased demand for increasingly demanding steels, in terms of chemical composition and internal sanity, makes the conditions of refining in steelmaking plants are increasingly stringent and select. At the same time, increasing metallurgical treatment times, combined with the various other operating variables such as the quantities and types of chemical additions, etc. makes that there is an increase in contact time between the refractory coating of steel transport ladles and slag with a consequent reduction in performance (life) of such refractory linings. Despite efforts in order to reduce costs with a reduction of refractory consumption, it is increasing the pressure on the costs of production and operational safety. In this sense, the construction of life prediction models according to such variables is extremely important for cost reduction, process management and procurement, operational stability and safety. Moreover, post-mortem studies can contribute towards chemical and physical understanding of such phenomena and wear mechanisms, thus contributing to the validation of such deterministic models. In this study, we sought to determine which operating variables really influence the performance (life) of the ladles through statistics correlations. The modeling took into account data from 6 months of operation of an integrated steelmaking plant with capacity of 4.5 Mt / year. The study post-mortem conducted on some ladles, after the end of their campaigns, was effective in the validation of such correlations and in the physical and chemical understanding of possible phenomena and wear mechanisms. The analysis showed that the variables that impact in the life of steel\'s ladles are the steel taping temperature, the steel taping temperature in the ladle after taping, amount of produced plate mill (CG) steel, desulfurized treatment route, ladle full time, participation of the ladle furnace in the secondary refining, ladle conditions, steel load in the ladle, nepheline additions, synthetic slag, calcium silicon (CaSi) and iron aluminium calcium (FeAlCa) wires, manganese alloys and treatment times in the secondary refining. The post-mortem study of slagline\'s refractory samples extracted from ladles in operation revealed that the main wear mechanism in this region is the chemical corrosion by slag and is facilitated by additions of nepheline.

Submitted by William Justo Figueiro (williamjf) on 2015-07-22T23:07:49Z No. of bitstreams: 1 03d.pdf: 22951970 bytes, checksum: 9da38abb9560e49f24444b1189b463ca (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-22T23:07:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 03d.pdf: 22951970 bytes, checksum: 9da38abb9560e49f24444b1189b463ca (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Nenhuma / A escória é um dos inúmeros resíduos gerados nos processos siderúrgicos de fabricação do aço e tem como composição básica óxidos metálicos e nãometálicos. Dependendo do processo de geração ela pode ser escória de altoforno (fusão redutora de minérios) ou de aciaria elétrica (produção do aço). A escória do forno panela de aciaria elétrica, utilizada nesta pesquisa, é gerada na etapa do refino secundário no forno panela, sendo este o processo de refino secundário mais utilizado no Brasil. Existem outros resíduos gerados na aciaria como: pó de aciaria, refratários e plásticos, que às vezes por serem em pouca quantidade ou por questões operacionais da empresa não são segregados. A reciclagem de resíduos é uma prática que deve ser incorporada como uma alternativa quando não existe chance de minimização. Nos últimos anos as pesquisas sobre reciclagem externa das escórias voltaram-se principalmente para a incorporação em cimento e concreto (como agregado graúdo ou miúdofunção filler) e mais recentemente no material cerâmico, com poucos estudos ainda com escória do forno panela. Nota-se também que existe uma tendência mundial nas últimas décadas de reciclagem de resíduos em associação (mais de um resíduo na formação de um material) e normalmente isto ocorre em materiais cerâmicos devido a sua alta capacidade de incorporação de outros materiais. Esta pesquisa buscou com diversos métodos de caracterização da escória do forno panela de aciaria elétrica avaliar a viabilidade técnica da reciclagem em material cerâmico. Para as condições desta pesquisa e mediante ensaios (perda ao fogo, análise térmica, retração linear, resistência mecânica na flexão, absorção de água, porosidade aparente, análise visual e em lupa e MEV) com a escória do forno panela de aciaria elétrica, exceto no ensaio de absorção de água (corpos de prova sinterizados a 950°C - D1 com 5% e D45 com 10%), a escória mostrou potencial para ser utilizada como coproduto. Os corpos de prova D45 mostraram uma tendência de maior resistência mecânica que os corpos D1, isto provavelmente está relacionado a menor quantidade de CaO que a escória D45 contém, característica esta ligada ao seu maior tempo de estocagem. Os resultados obtidos permitem incorporar até 15% (teor máximo testado) da escória de forno panela de aciaria elétrica no material cerâmico com função de vedação ou estrutural. / The slag is one of the many solid wastes generated in the steelmaking processes of steel production, which is constituted by metallic and non-metallic oxides. Depending on the process of slag generation, it can be slag blast furnace (smelting reduction of ores) or electric arc furnace (steel production). The slag ladle furnace from electric steelmaking, used in this study is generated in the stage of secondary refining in ladle furnace, which is the stage of refinement most used in Brazil. There are other solid wastes generated in the steel plant, such as electric arc furnace dust, refractory and plastics, which are sometimes in small quantities, and because of operational issues the company is unable to be segregated. The recycling of solid waste is a practice that should be incorporated as an alternative when there is no chance of minimizing. In recent years research on recycling of slag outside turned mainly to the incorporation in cement and concrete (as aggregate or filler kid-function) and more recently a few studies are related to its addition in the ceramic material. Actually, there is a worldwide trend to recycle solid waste in combination (more than one residue in the formation of a material) and very often this occurs in ceramic materials due to its high capacity to incorporate other materials. This research, with the various methods of characterization of the slag from ladle furnace, were carried out to evaluate the technical feasibility of recycling in ceramic material. Considering the conditions of this study and all tests (loss on ignition, thermal analysis, linear shrinkage, mechanical strength in bending, water absorption, porosity, visual analysis and microscope and SEM) used to study the ladle furnace slag, except the test of water absorption (specimens sintered at 950°C - D1 to D45 and 5% to 10%), the s lag has shown a potential to be used as by-product. The samples D45 showed a trend of greater strength than the bodies D1, this is probably related to the least amount of CaO to the slag contain D45, a characteristic linked to its longer storage. The results show the incorporation up to 15% (maximum level tested) of the ladle furnace from electric steelmaking in the ceramic material as bricks or structural blocks.

O trabalho disserta sobre a investigação dos mecanismos de degradação da placa refratária utilizada no sistema de válvula gaveta, o qual controla o fluxo de aço líquido da panela da aciaria para o distribuidor. As placas estudadas eram do tipo Al2O3-ZrO2-C. Na investigação foram caracterizadas e analisadas placas novas e usadas. Também foi feito teste de corrosão estático para avaliação da interação química das placas com a escória proveniente do processo de refino secundário. Além disso, foi feito experimento em laboratório para avaliar o desgaste das placas devido a presença de resquícios de escória entre as placas no processo de abertura da válvula. Tal experimento foi realizado nos moldes do teste de resistência de argamassa usado por Leroy (EQUIPE DE FURNAS, 1997). Para tanto foram usadas técnicas de caracterização como Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura (MEV), Espectroscopia de Dispersão em Energia (EDS), Fluorescência de raios x (FRX) e Difração de raios x (DRX). Por meio de análises foi possível propor explicações para os mecanismos de degradação, como a corrosão devido ao contato com a escória e a formação de desgaste em forma de lingueta devido ao uso de válvula semiaberta Principalmente, a partir dos experimentos realizados foi possível identificar um mecanismo de degradação ainda não abordado na literatura: o desgaste do material das placas ocasionado pela abertura da válvula gaveta quando as placas estão ligadas por escória solidificada. Devido à falta de metodologia específica para abordar esse tema, adotou-se um método usado para avaliar a resistência de cimetos e argamassas na investigação sobre a influência da adesão da escória na degradação das placas. Tal método, chamado de tração direta (L.A.Farias, 2016), mostrou uma degradação intensa das placas. A reação química entre a placa aluminosa e a escória é a responsável pela adesão entre as duas placas e a escória. A adesão por escória mostrou que pode ser tão resistente quanto a ligação entre as partículas do refratário, que teve partículas retiradas no teste de tração direta. Assim, conclui-se que a interação química entre a placa e a escória, aliada a movimentação de abre e fecha do conjunto de placas quando a escória já solidificou, são mecanismos importantes na degradação das placas Al2O3-ZrO2-C de válvula gaveta. / This master’s dissertation investigates the deterioration of one of the parts that make up the sliding gate system of a steelmaking ladle. This part controls the liquid steel flow from the ladle to the tundish. These parts are called plates and may be made of different refractory ceramic materials. However, the plates used in this study are made of Al2O3-ZrO2-C. New parts and after service parts were analyzed. A static corrosion test was performed to analyze the chemical interaction between the refractory plates and the slag derived from steelmaking refining process. A laboratory experiment was carried out to evaluate wear due to remnants of slag between the sliding gate plates during the opening and closing of the gate. Such experiment was performed based on Mortar Resistance test used by Leroy. To analyze the materials, characterization techniques such as Scan Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and X-ray diffraction were used. Based on the results of these analyses, a series of deterioration mechanisms were presented, such as the corrosion due to slag contact, and intensification of wear due to the use of semi-open valve. Mainly, from the performed experiments it was possible to identify a deterioration mechanism, that has not been discussed in literature yet This wear mechanism happens when the sliding gate plates are bonded by solidified slag, which is caused by opened valves, and leads to the extraction of particles from the surface of the plates. Due the lack of methodology to evaluate this kind of deterioration mechanism, a methodology based on mortar testing was developed. This method, called direct tensile test (L.A.Farias, 2016), showed intense deterioration. The chemical reaction between aluminum oxide refractory plate and the slag is responsible for the adhesion between plates and slag. This adhesion may be as strong as adhesion between the particles of the refractory, since refactory particles were removed in the test. Thus, it was concluded that the chemical interaction between refractory plate and slag, alied to the opening and closing mechanism are important in the deterioration of the Al2O3-ZrO2-C plates of the slide gate of the ladle.

Há uma demanda por competitividade entre as indústrias de aços, a fim de alcançar a excelência definida pelo termo clean steel. O processo de desgaseificação a vácuo (VD) ocorre durante o Refino Secundário de aços especiais. Sua principal função é remover gases indesejáveis, especialmente o hidrogênio. Entretanto, durante este processo, o fenômeno de flotação e a absorção de inclusões são reportados. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi estudar a viscosidade de escórias e a capacidade da estação de desgaseificação a vácuo do tipo tanque na limpeza de aços sob uma perspectiva industrial. Para realizar este objetivo, foram coletadas amostras de escória e aço antes e após a etapa de vácuo. Os resultados em limpeza de aço foram relacionados à energia de agitação durante o tratamento a vácuo (associada a um parâmetro cinético - βs) e ao efeito da viscosidade de escórias. É possível observar um decréscimo expressivo na população de inclusões entre as condições antes e após tratamento de desgaseificação a vácuo. A remoção de inclusões durante o vácuo atinge 64, 75 e 78% para as faixas de diâmetro de 2,5-5, 5-15 e ≥ 15 μm, respectivamente. Após o processo de desgaseificação, a composição das inclusões não-metálicas aproxima-se da composição química da escória. O processo de agitação na estação de desgaseificação a vácuo promove uma diminuição significativa na densidade de inclusões na faixa de diâmetro de 2,5-15 μm. Além disso, ao aumentar a intensidade do parâmetro cinético, a composição química de inclusões não-metálicas foi afetada e o teor de enxofre presente no aço líquido foi reduzido. Quanto às viscosidades efetiva das escórias, conclui-se que, para valores mais baixos (0,20 Pa.s) aumenta-se a capacidade da escória na remoção de inclusões, enquanto que valores mais altos (> 0,40 Pa.s) aparentaram ser prejudiciais à limpeza do aço. / There is a demand in competitiveness within the steel industry towards achieving excellence defined by clean steel term. The process of vacuum degassing (VD) occurs during the secondary refining of special steels. Its main function is to remove undesirable gases, primarily hydrogen. However, during this process, flotation phenomenon and inclusions absorption are reported. The aim of the present work was to study the slag viscosity and vacuum degassing (tank type) capacity in steel cleanliness from an industry perspective. To achieve this objective, slag and steel samples were taken before and after vacuum stage. The results in steel cleanliness were related to the stirring energy of the vacuum station (associated to a kinetic parameter – βs) and to the effect of slag viscosity. It is possible to observe an expressive decrease in the population of inclusions between the conditions before and after vacuum degassing treatment. The removal of inclusions during the vacuum stage reaches 64, 75 and 78% in the diameter ranges of 2,5-5, 5-15 and ≥ 15 μm, respectively. After the degassing process, the composition of non-metallic inclusions seemed to approach the slags’ chemical compositions. The stirring process in the vacuum degassing station promotes a significant decrease in the inclusion density with 2,5-15 μm diameter range. Also, by increasing the kinetic parameter intensity, the composition of non-metallic inclusions was affected. The sulfur content present in liquid steel was reduced. Regarding the effective viscosities of slags, it was concluded that lower values (0,20 Pa.s) increased slag capacity in inclusion removal, whereas higher values (> 0,40 Pa.s) was detrimental to steel cleanliness.

Para atender os altos níveis de produção exigidos dos Altos Fornos, a disponibilidade dos Canais de Corrida e dos Carros Torpedo torna-se um fator estratégico. Dentre as propostas de manutenção e reparo disponíveis pela indústria de refratários, a utilização de concretos refratários bombeáveis desponta como um recurso que possibilita, sinergicamente, realizar o reparo de forma localizada e em curtos tempos de parada. Utilizando esse tipo de material, existem, basicamente, dois tipos de aplicação: a realizada por \"Gunning\" e por \"Shotcrete\", cuja principal distinção para o usuário ocorre em função do teor de rebote, sendo os valores médios típicos de 15 % para o primeiro caso e de 5 % no segundo. Este estudo visou comparar o desempenho de concretos refratários para aplicação por bombeamento, destinados como revestimento refratários de Canais de Corrida e/ou de Carros Torpedo. As principais conclusões revelaram que dentre os concretos aplicados nos Canais de Corrida, o mais resistente à corrosão pelo ferro gusa liquido/escória é o concreto A-CLE por apresentar a fases espinélio (MgAl2O4) e não possuir SiO2 livre em sua matriz. Dentre os concretos indicados para aplicação em Carros Torpedo, o que teve melhor desempenho é o concreto C-CT seguido, em segundo lugar, pelo concreto B-T15 e, por fim, B-T85. Nesse caso a presença simultânea da fase SiC, de agentes redutores de molhabilidade (Cgraf), aditivos metálicos (Al0) , da ausência de aluminatos de cálcio, entre outros fatores, resultou em melhor desempenho. / The high productivity of blast furnaces and the availability of Torpedos Ladles and Blast Furnace Runners has a strategic factor for hot metal producers. Considering this, maximizing the refractories performance in a integrated siderurgic Plant must be achieved at a minimal cost. Among the available technologies for repairs and maintenance in the refractories Industry, the pumpable castables appear as a solution that allows, sinergically, do the repair and save valuable time. Basically there are two kinds of application : Gunning and Shotcrete technlogy. The main difference is the rebound index, around 15% for the first and 5% for the last one. This work compared the wear resistance performance of five pumpable refractory castables suggested by the suppliers for application in Blast Furnace Runners and/or Torpedo Ladle. The conclusions of this study revealed that amongst the available castables for the lining application, the A-CLE product is the most resistant against the molten hot metal/ slag bath at laboratorial Finger Test because , between other variables , it has the MgAl2O4 phase and is not free of SiO2 phase in the matrix. And regarding the castables indicated for Torpedo ladles application, C-CT product showed, comparatively a lower wear than the other ones (B-T15 and B-T85) since it has phases as SiC, C, and Alº in its composition.

In the present thesis a study on the thermal state of steelmaking ladles was undertaken. The transient hot wire method was verified for thermal conductivity measurements on metallurgical slags and applied to ladle slag measurements. Temperature measurements on ladles in an industrial environment were carried out. The emissivities of the outer and inner shells of steelmaking ladles were investigated. Two dynamic models were developed to predict the heat transfer and fluid flow in a preheating and teeming ladle. The gathered thermal conductivity values for ladle slag were used to study the effect of the slag layer on the top surface of the melt on heat transfer and fluid flow in a teeming ladle. In the first stage, the transient hot-wire method was verified to measure the thermal conductivity of metallurgical slags at steelmaking temperatures. A numerical model was developed, cold model experiments were conducted and test measurements using a high temperature experimental setup were carried out. To minimize natural convection and to obtain more reliable measurements, the crucible diameter, the hot-wire diameter, the applied current, the position of the wire in the crucible and the cooling on the upper surface of the crucible were studied. Investigations into the choice of sheathing material of the circuit exposed to the slag were also made. It was found that only certain materials were suitable for slag measurements depending on slag composition and temperature. The electrical resistivity of the hot wire was measured to make the thermal conductivity calculation more reliable. The wire diameter also played a major role due to the heat generation per surface area. The thermal conductivity should be derived from the values measured during the first seconds. In this initial stage, the effect of the natural convection as a function of the wire position in the crucible, the cooling on the top surface and the diameter of the crucible are negligible. A compromise has to be made in choosing the electrical current, since higher current results in higher sensitivity but at the same time in more natural convection. In the second stage, the thermal conductivities of four different ladle slags were measured at 1773 K, 1823 K, 1873 K and 1923 K using the transient hot wire method. Very good reproducibility was obtained. The thermal conductivity did not vary substantially with the variation of slag composition at 1873 K and 1923 K, at which the slag samples were all entirely liquid. The thermal conductivities were low. It was found that the precipitation of solid phase resulted in a considerable increase of thermal conductivity. In the third stage, a two dimensional model was developed in order to predict the temperature distribution in the ladle wall during the preheating process. The model calculated the heat transfer and the velocity field in the gas phase inside the ladle as well as the heat transfer in the solid walls during the preheating process. Measurements of the temperature profiles in an industrial ladle were carried out using an infrared thermography. The measurements were made both inside and outside the ladle. The model predictions were found to be in reasonably good agreement with the measured temperatures. It was found that the preheating time could be minimized when the working lining became thinner. The effect ofthe distance between the lid and the ladle was also studied by the model. The results indicated that there was no significant temperature change on the upper side wall of the ladle. On the lower side wall and bottom the temperature changed slightly. The temperature difference in the lower part of the ladle could be explained by the larger flame distance from the bottom layer. In the fourth stage, a two dimensional axisymmetric model was developed to predict the heat flux in a steelmaking ladle during the teeming process. The model predicts dynamically the flow fields in both the liquid phase and the gas phase along with the movement of the liquid upper surface. The model also predicts the temperature distributions in the liquid metal, gas phase and all layers in the ladle wall. Again, industrial measurements were performed using an infrared thermography, both inside the ladle after teeming and at the wall outside the ladle during the whole process sequence. The model predictions were found to be in agreement with the measured data. It was found that the heat transfer to the surrounding atmosphere and the conductivity of the highly insulating layer were the most important factors for the heat loss. The decrease of the thickness of the working lining was found to have limited effect on the total heat flux. In the fifth and final stage, the effect of the slag layer on the top surface of the melt, on fluid flow and on heat transfer in a teeming ladle was investigated theoretically. The two dimensional axisymmetric model developed in the fourth stage was used. To predict the effect of the slag layer a stationary heat conduction boundary condition including thermal conductivity and slag layer thickness was employed. Different calculations with differing thermal conductivity values for the slag layer were carried out. The calculations showed that the effect of the slag layer was insignificant. This could be explained by the similarity of the thermal conductivity of slag and gas phase. / <p>QC 20121010</p>

In the present work, the thermodynamic activites of ironoxide, denoted as "FeO" in the slag systems Al2O3-"FeO", CaO-"FeO", "FeO"-SiO2, Al2O3-"FeO"-SiO2, CaO-"FeO"-SiO2and "FeO"-MgO-SiO2were investigated by employing the gasequilibration technique at steelmaking temperatures. Thestrategy was to expose the molten slag mixtures kept inplatinum crucibles for an oxygen potential, determined by aCO/CO2-ratio. A part of the iron reduced from the "FeO"in the slag phase was dissolved into the Pt crucible. In order to obtain the activites of "FeO", chemical analysisof the quenched slag samples together with thermodynamicinformation of the binary metallic system Fe-Pt is required.Careful experimental work was carried out by employing asolid-state galvanic cell technique as well as calorimetricmeasurements in the temperature ranges of 1073-1273 K and300-1988 K respectively. The outcome of these experiments wasincorporated along with previous studies into a CALPHAD-type ofthermodynamic assessment performed with the Thermo-Calc™software. The proposed equilibrium diagram enabledextrapolation to higher temperatures. The experimentally obtained activites of "FeO" in thepresent work, along with earlier investigations were assessedwith the KTH slag model, THERMOSLAG©. New binaryparameters were evolved and incorporated in THERMOSLAG©.The present model calculations are compared with othercommercially available software such as F*A*C*T™andThermo-Calc™. The validity of the modified model wasinvestigated by measurements carried out in case of Al2O3-"FeO"-SiO2, CaO-"FeO"-SiO2and "FeO"-MgO-SiO2ternary slags. The potential of the model tocompute the activities in the case of multicomponent slags wasdemonstrated. A correlation between the activity of a metallic oxide in aternary slag system and the sulphide capacity of the slag wasinvestigated by using the solubility of sulphur in the binarysystems CaO-SiO2and Al2O3-CaO along with the sulphide capacity of the Al2O3-CaO-SiO2system. The estimated values of the activitieswere found to be in good agreement with the measured values.This correlation also gives the possibility to elucidate theapplicability of Henry's law to the activity of a metallicsulphide and to determine the order in the affinity of a cationto sulphur between two metallic oxides in a slag. Model calculations were performed with THERMOSLAG©, by using plant data from the ladle refiningprocess at OVAKO Steel, Hofors, Sweden. It was found thatoxygen estimations in the metal from the "FeO" analyses ofslags, obtained by conventional sampling and analysis methodwere less reliable. Reliable estimation of the oxygen levelsutilising the sulphur partition between the slag and the metalwere carried out using THERMOSLAG© software. <b>Keywords:</b>Thermodynamics, Activity, Galvanic cell,Calorimetry, Gas equilibration technique, Iron-platinum alloys,FeO, Slags, Modelling, Ladle