This diploma thesis deals with the influence of graded deformation of 8Cr3MoV steel rolling mills on the structure and mechanical properties. The theoretical part of this thesis describes general requirements for rolling mills, commonly used material, and the making of hot rolling mill rolls with emphasis on 8Cr3MoV steel. The second part is a report on experimental material and used methods. Then the results are presented. The influence of distance from the longitudinal axis of ingot and graded deformation on the forged shaft on the structure and mechanical properties are discussed at the end of this thesis, as well as a comparison of structure and mechanical properties of ingot and forged shaft.

<p dir="ltr">The global steel industry, serving as a fundamental cornerstone of modern civilization and essential to infrastructure, manufacturing, and technological advancements, continually strives to meet the increasing demand for high-quality steel. Achieving this goal necessitates ongoing innovations in the realm of secondary steelmaking processes, which have become indispensable for refining steel properties after the primary production phase. Ladle metallurgy provides a means to actively control the steel’s composition and properties. However, the intricacies of molten steel flow within a ladle have been challenging to decipher under the extreme conditions it presents. Gas stirring is an essential component of this procedure, where inert gas is introduced into molten metal to ensure consistent mixing, thereby homogenizing the chemical composition and eliminating inclusions. This method improves the quality and mechanical properties of steel while reducing defects in the final product. The turbulence created by gas injection enhances the interaction between molten steel and slag, particularly through the formation of the slag eye, facilitating chemical reactions and impurity removal. To deepen our comprehension of these complex processes, extensive research employing dynamically scaled water models has been undertaken to comprehensively grasp the underlying mechanisms in ladle metallurgy.</p><p dir="ltr">In this thesis, we have developed dynamically scaled water ladle models, to replicate the stirred flow field and address the intricate issue of controlling micro-inclusions. In the first experiment, an advanced Particle-Tracking-Velocimetry system of the Shake-the-Box was implemented on a cylindrical water ladle model, to resolve the three-dimensional flow field inside a 6 × 6 × 2 cm domain. In total, eight conditions of compress air injections were investigated. Then, a two-dimensional water ladle model tank was scaled to focus on flow-induced slag entrainment at the water-oil (steel-slag) interface. Our endeavor is dedicated to improving the quality and consistency of steel, thereby making a significant contribution to the steel industry’s relentless pursuit of excellence.</p>

<p>The slag metal emulsion may play a significant role in the global furnace decarburization kinetics in oxygen steelmaking. In recent years, the important interaction between droplet generation rate, droplet residence time in slag and droplet decarburization rate has become more evident in the literature. The decarburization kinetics of Fe-C-S droplets in CaO-SiO2-MgO-FeO slags were investigated for highercarbon droplets (approximately 4.2 % C). The effect of slag FeO, droplet mass and Sulphur content on decarburization rate were evaluated. The limit between external and internal nucleation of CO gas was investigated. A model was developed for prediction oftime to the onset of carbon boil.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

Inclusion removal is critical for the production of clean steel. A better understanding of removal processes require knowledge of the effect of process parameters on dissolution kinetics. The present research focuses on the kinetics of calcium aluminate inclusion dissolution in relevant steelmaking slags that contain CaO, Al2O3 and SiO2. In-situ observation of inclusion dissolution in slag is conducted using a high temperature, confocal scanning laser microscope (HT-CSLM). The particles used in this experimental work are produced in the laboratory and the production technique is explained in detail. The change in particle size is recorded with time and the effects of temperature, slag composition and inclusion morphology are investigated. The images are extracted from video and they are analysed to record the change in equivalent radius of a single particle during the dissolution process. The original and normalized dissolution data is used to determine the dissolution mechanism and to improve existing dissolution models. It has been found that an increase in temperature increases the dissolution rate. At 1550°C and 1600°C, there is no product layer formation at the slag-inclusion interface and so, the dissolution process is faster. Slag composition shows a significant influence on the dissolution kinetics due to differences in the dissolution driving force and viscosity. Additionally, the dissolution rate depends on the morphology of inclusion as available reaction sites vary significantly. Rate limiting steps are discussed based on the shrinking core model and diffusion in stagnant fluid model. It is shown that the rate limiting step for dissolution is the diffusion v through a product layer at 1500°C whereas it is mass transfer in slag at 1550°C and 1600°C. The diffusion coefficient of alumina is obtained by applying a one-dimension diffusion model. The calculated results varied between 5.5×10-11 and 2.6×10-10 m2/s depending on experimental conditions. Slag viscosity was found to be an important parameter for the modelling of the dissolution process. A modification to the correlation between the correction coefficient and slag viscosity was proposed. This modification improved the prediction of the dissolution path for calcium aluminate and alumina inclusions in steelmaking slags. This novel study provides an understanding of dissolution mechanisms and it offers data on the dissolution rate of CA2 inclusions in the slags related to the process of steelmaking. The results from this work can be used by steelmakers to aid in process design. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc) / The present work is a pioneer study on the dissolution of calcium aluminate particles in liquid oxide mixtures using the unique real-time observation approach. Experiments were conducted to provide a better understanding of the effects of various steelmaking conditions on inclusion removal during the refinement of liquid steel. An existing dissolution model is further refined by introducing an additional parameter that is correlated to the properties of oxide mixtures. It has been found that the dissolution model can be applied not only to calcium aluminate inclusions but also to alumina inclusions. Hence, the approach proves the potential university nature of the dissolution model. A clear understanding of the dissolution kinetics of inclusions helps to optimize the current steelmaking routes and enhance the removability of inclusions. Steel with a minimum amount of inclusions has better properties from all aspects, which improves its applicability in all fields.

Em virtude da demanda cada vez maior por materiais de alta qualidade, o avanço das tecnologias aplicadas na produção de aço vem acompanhado pelo avanço na fabricação de revestimentos refratários de alto desempenho e que atendam às solicitações de processo sem interferir nas propriedades finais do material produzido. Os refratários de magnésia-carbono são atualmente os materiais mais utilizados em equipamentos siderúrgicos tanto de transporte como de refino do aço, sendo de extrema importância o conhecimento da qualidade das matérias primas utilizadas na confecção destes materiais. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo estudar como ocorre a corrosão da magnésia (eletrofundida e sinterizada) por escória de aciaria LD em ensaios de corrosão estáticos (cup-test) porém com algumas modificações ao ensaio convencional, chamado assim de cup-test modificado. A magnésia foi caracterizada por ensaios de caracterização química (fluorescência de raios X), mineralógica (difratometria de raios X) e microestrutural (microscopia eletrônica de varredura com análise da energia dispersiva de raios X). A análise química mostrou que as principais impurezas do material eram de cálcia (CaO) e sílica (SiO2) e a análise microestrutural mostrou que estas impurezas se concentram nos contornos de grão dos agregados eletrofundidos e dispersos por todo o material nos sinterizados, sendo encontrado apenas periclásio como fase mineralógica. Os maiores tamanhos médios de grãos foram encontrados na amostra ME3 e os menores na ME1. A escória utilizada é proveniente do conversor (BOF), com alta concentração de FeO. As análises após os ensaios de cup-test modificado mostraram que o ataque aos agregados se deu principalmente pela infiltração de fases contendo ferro pelos contornos de grão, arrastando-os para o banho e dissolvendo o MgO na escória. Dentre os eletrofundidos, podemos estimar a ordem de desempenho da seguinte maneira: ME3>ME2>ME1. Considerando os sinterizados, a ordem de desempenho é tal que: MS3>MS1>MS2. / High quality materials are increasingly desired by consumers, and advances in technologies of steelmaking processes are closely linked to manufacturing suitable high performance refractories which do not interfere in the final properties of materials produced. Magnesia-carbon refractories are widely used in several steelmaking plants, both for transportation and refining processes which makes the knowledge of the quality of raw materials is essential for manufacturing high quality refractories. In this work, the approach is the study of how the corrosion behavior of magnesia aggregates (sinterized and electrofused) by LD steelmaking slag occurs using a modified crucible testing. The magnesia aggregates were characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The XRF analysis shows that the main impurities of magnesia grains is CaO and SiO2 and the SEM analysis showed their impurities are concentrate on grain boundary in electrofused magnesia, while it is found throughout the sinterized magnesia aggregates. The major phase found both magnesia aggregates is periclase. The largest grain sizes were found in ME3 samples, while the smaller sizes in ME1. The slag used comes from converter (BOF) and has high concentration of FeO. The corrosion tests showed that the attack on magnesia aggregates occurred, mainly by the infiltrating of iron compounds in the grain boundary, dragging the grains to the bath and dissolving them into slag. Among the electrofused, the performance could be estimated in ME3>ME2>ME1. The performance for sinterized would be as follows MS3>MS1>MS2.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-08T14:53:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 3747541 bytes, checksum: 321b5f29863e2f68953902273ae4cb9f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-08-15 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The main goal of this dissertation is to design and implementation of an Operational Simulation Model (OSM) of the handling of raw material in an Integrated Steelmaking Plant, considering operations of receiving, unloading, stocking, handling and supplying the different raw materials related to the production process with an operational perspective. The aim of this focus is to help in the decision making of the team controlling the ore inventory. The construction of this computer model was based on the methodological framework developed by Coelho, which passed through problem formulation, planning and elaboration of a detailed specification of the model. The OSM showed that most of the valid concepts for simulations with a strategic focus do not present relevance from an operational point of view. The advantage of the OSM is the fact that it is not random or stochastic, but deterministic. The methodology allowed the model elaboration with a minimum effort and great consistency. The results of scenarios with scheduled equipment stops have shown the simulator s flexibility, with previous identification of bottlenecks and allowed the decision making of corrective actions for avoid them on real situations. The filling of the stockyard map using results of consistent scenarios was a great advance in order to automate this activity. The correct behaviour of the simulator allowed the raw material yard team to consider the well succeeded study. / O objetivo principal desta dissertação é construir um modelo de simulação operacional do manuseio de matérias-primas de uma usina siderúrgica integrada, contemplando as operações de recebimento, descarga, estocagem, manuseio e abastecimento das diversas matérias-primas pertinentes ao processo produtivo, com foco operacional, visando auxiliar a tomada de decisões operacionais da equipe que controla o pátio. A construção desse modelo computacional se baseou na estrutura metodológica desenvolvida por Coelho, que passou pela formulação do problema, planejamento do estudo e pela elaboração de uma especificação detalhada do modelo. O modelo de simulação operacional revelou que grande parte dos conceitos válidos para simulações com foco estratégico não representa tanta relevância sob o ponto de vista operacional. Mas a vantagem do modelo de simulação operacional é a ausência de aleatoriedade, não é estocástico, mas sim determinístico. A metodologia inédita, utilizada para desenvolvimento do modelo do pátio de matérias-primas, permitiu a elaboração do modelo com o mínimo de retrabalho e com grande consistência. Os resultados dos cenários, com paradas programadas dos equipamentos, mostraram a flexibilidade do simulador, permitindo a identificação prévia de gargalos e possibilitando a tomada de ações corretivas para evitá-los nas situações reais. O preenchimento do mapa do pátio, a partir de resultados de cenários consistentes, foi um grande avanço, no sentido de automatizar esta atividade. O comportamento correto do simulador permitiu que a equipe do pátio de matérias-primas considerasse o estudo muito bem sucedido.

Abstract Argon-oxygen decarburisation (AOD) is the most common unit process for refining stainless steel. The AOD process consists of multiple stages, in which the rate of processing is determined by complex reaction mechanisms. The main objective of this work was to study the chemical rate phenomena in selected process stages. For this purpose, an extensive literature review was conducted to clarify the main assumptions of the existing reaction models. Based on the literature review, a new categorisation of the models was proposed. In addition, a literature review was conducted to identify the main phenomena that affect the reaction kinetics in the AOD process. In this work, based on the law of mass action, a novel kinetic approach and its application for modelling of parallel mass transfer controlled reactions were studied. The developed approach enables the simultaneous solution of the chemical equilibrium and mass transfer rate which controls it. A simplified reaction model was employed for studying the effect of mass transfer rates and residual affinity on the constrained equilibrium at the reaction interface. An earlier-proposed AOD model was extended with two phenomenon-based sub-models. The top-blowing model is based on the assumption that reactions take place simultaneously at the surface of the cavity formed by the momentum of the gas jet and on the surface of the metal droplets caused by the shear force of the gas jet. The reduction model describes the reactions during the reduction stage of the AOD process by assuming that all reactions take place between the metal bath and emulsified slag droplets. The results obtained with the models were in good agreement with the measurement data collected from a steel plant. Owing to their phenomenon-based structure, the developed models are well-suited for the analysis of both existing and new production practices. / Tiivistelmä Argon-happimellotus (AOD) on yleisin ruostumattoman teräksen valmistamiseen käytettävä yksikköprosessi. AOD-prosessi koostuu useista vaiheista, joissa prosessointinopeutta määrittävät monimutkaiset reaktiomekanismit. Tutkimuksen päätavoitteena oli tutkia kemiallisia nopeusilmiöitä valituissa prosessivaiheissa. Tähän liittyen tehtiin kattava kirjallisuuskatsaus, jonka tavoitteena oli tunnistaa olemassa olevien reaktiomallien pääoletukset. Kirjallisuuskatsauksen pohjalta esitettiin uusi mallien kategorisointi. Lisäksi tehtiin kirjallisuuskatsaus, jonka tavoitteena oli tunnistaa tärkeimmät reaktiokinetiikkaan vaikuttavat ilmiöt AOD-prosessissa. Tässä työssä tutkittiin uudenlaista massavaikutuksen lakiin perustuvaa lähestymistapaa sekä sen soveltamista rinnakkaisten aineensiirron rajoittamien reaktioiden mallinnukseen. Kehitetty lähestymistapa mahdollistaa kemiallisen tasapainotilan sekä sitä rajoittavan aineensiirron samanaikaisen ratkaisun. Aineensiirtonopeuksien ja jäännösaffiniteetin vaikutusta reaktiopinnalla vallitsevaan rajoitettuun tasapainotilaan tutkittiin käyttämällä yksinkertaistettua reaktiomallia. Aiemmin kehitettyä AOD-mallia laajennettiin kahdella ilmiöpohjaisella alimallilla. Lanssipuhallusmalli perustuu oletukseen, että reaktiot tapahtuvat samanaikaisesti kaasusuihkun liikemäärän muodostaman tunkeuman ja kaasusuihkun leikkausvoiman aiheuttamien metallipisaroiden pinnalla. Pelkistysmalli kuvaa AOD-prosessin pelkistysvaiheen aikana tapahtuvia reaktioita olettaen, että kaikki reaktiot tapahtuvat terässulan ja emulgoituneiden kuonapisaroiden välillä. Malleilla saadut tulokset vastasivat hyvin terästehtaalta kerättyä mittausaineistoa. Ilmiöpohjaisen rakenteensa ansiosta kehitetyt mallit soveltuvat hyvin sekä olemassa olevien että uusien tuotantopraktiikoiden analysoimiseen.

The demand for higher quality steel and higher production rates in the production of steel slabs is ever increasing. These slabs are produced using a continuous casting process. The molten steel flow patterns inside the components of the caster play an important role in the quality of these products. A simple yet effective design method that yields optimum designs is required to design the systems influencing the flow patterns in the caster. The tundish is one of these systems. Traditionally, experimental methods were used in the design of these tundishes, making use of plant trials or water modelling. These methods are both costly and time consuming. More recently, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has established itself as a viable alternative to reduce the number of experimentation required, resulting in a reduction in the time scales and cost of the design process. Furthermore, CFD provides more insight into the flow process that is not available through experimentation only. The CFD process is usually based on a trial-and-error basis and relies heavily on the insight and experience of the designer to improve designs. Even an experienced designer will only be able to improve the design and does not necessarily guarantee optimum results. In this thesis, a more efficient design methodology is proposed. This methodology involves the combination of a mathematical optimiser with CFD to automate the design process. The methodology is tested on a four different industrial test cases. The first case involves the optimisation of a simple dam-weir configuration of a single strand caster. The position of the dam and weir relative to inlet region is optimised to reduce the dead volume and increase the inclusion removal. The second case involves the optimisation of a pouring box and baffle of a two-strand caster. In this case, the pouring box and baffle geometry is optimised to maximise the minimum residence time at operating level and a typical transition level. The third case deals with the geometry optimisation of an impact pad to reduce the surface turbulence that should result in a reduction in the particle entrainment from the slag layer. The last case continues from the third case where a dam position and height is optimised in conjunction with the optimised impact pad to maximise the inclusion removal on the slag layer. The cases studies show that a mathematical optimiser combined with CFD is a superior alternative compared to traditional design methods, in that it yields optimum designs for a tundish in a continuous casting system. / Thesis (PhD (Mechanical Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / unrestricted

Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) is used as an alternative feedstock in electric arc furnaces, making up 50% or more of the total iron charge. DRI produced with coal based reductants (for example in rotary kilns) make up roughly 25% of DRI produced in the world. It was found that SL/RN DRI samples from a kiln cooler had high nitrogen contents (50-250ppm, depending on particle size), higher than DRI from gas-based reduction. The higher nitrogen content of SL/RN DRI would increase the levels of nitrogen of liquid steel produced in the EAFs. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the SL/RN DRI contains virtually no carbon (which would aid in preventing nitrogen pickup). The proposed mechanism of nitrogen pick-up by the SL/RN DRI is one where nitrogen present within the atmosphere of the rotary cooler (where hot DRI, discharged at 1000°C from the rotary kiln, is cooled to approximately 100 °C in ca. two hours) penetrates the solids bed and nitrides DRI particles. Possible rate-determining steps for nitriding in the cooler have been evaluated. Nitriding of DRI particles is predicted to be rapid: the most plausible location for rapid nitrogen pickup is the first 5 meters of the rotary cooler, where the high temperature, nitrogen-rich gas atmosphere and rapid solids bed mixing are conducive to nitriding; solid-state and pore diffusion of nitrogen into DRI particles are predicted to be rapid too. The most plausible rate determining step for nitriding of DRI particles is that of nitrogen dissociation on the DRI surface, which can be further retarded by the presence of sulphur. A strong correlation was found between the amount of “melt-in” carbon in the liquid steel and the final tap nitrogen content, with 0.3% C resulting in nitrogen levels as low as 50 ppm (80 ppm or less is desired on the plant in question) at tap, even with DRI material that is high in nitrogen and contains virtually no carbon. Proposals to increase the melt-in carbon are included. / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering / unrestricted

<p>  </p> <p>A three-dimensional isothermal multiphase flow transient CFD model simulation of the comprehensive chemical processes, including desulfurization and reoxidation in a gas-stirred ladle during the secondary refinement process, has been investigated. The multiphase interactions and turbulence flow among steel, slag, and gas inside a ladle are simulated based VOF multiphase model and discrete model (DPM) in Fluent commercial software. A widely used theory describing the desulfurization and reoxidation processes, (Al2O3) -[O] equilibrium theory, is introduced into the model. The compositions of both steel and slag are monitored, and the mass fractions of each species in steel and slag are compared with the industrial data. There are two main stages for this study.</p> <p>In the first stage, the CFD model of an 80-ton ladle is developed to simulate both the flow field and reaction rates based on literature work. Then the predicated species contents are validated with industrial measurement, which proves the accuracy of the CFD model.</p> <p>The validated CFD model is applied to a Nucor Decatur two plugs bottom injection ladle in the second stage. There are two different plug separation angle scenarios: 90° and 180°, investigated in this part. Three argon gas flow rate combinations ((5/5 SCFM, 5/20 SCFM, and 20/20 SCFM) were employed. The slag eye size was validated with plant measurement. The results show that the desulfurization rate and reoxidation rate are promoted with a higher argon injection rate. When the argon injection rate is fixed, a larger separation angle improves the reaction rates.</p>