Authors: XueMin Yang ChengBin Shi Meng Zhang GuoMing Chai Fei Wang
Publish Date: 2011/08/24
Volume: 42, Issue: 6, Pages: 1150-1180
Abstract
A thermodynamic model for calculating the sulfur distribution ratio between ladle furnace LF refining slags and molten steel has been developed by coupling with a developed thermodynamic model for calculating the mass action concentrations of structural units in LF refining slags ie CaO–SiO2–MgO–FeO–MnO–Al2O3 hexabasic slags based on the ion and molecule coexistence theory IMCT The calculated mass action concentrations of structural units in CaO–SiO2–MgO–FeO–Al2O3–MnO slags equilibrated or reacted with molten steel show that the calculated equilibrium mole numbers or mass action concentrations of structural units or ion couples rather than mass percentage of components in the slags can represent their reaction abilities The calculated total sulfur distribution ratio shows a reliable agreement with the measured or the calculated sulfur distribution ratio between the slags and molten steel by other models under the condition of choosing oxygen activity based on FeO–O equilibrium Meanwhile the developed thermodynamic model for calculating sulfur distribution ratio can quantitatively determine the respective contribution of free CaO MgO FeO and MnO in the LF refining slags A significant difference of desulfurization ability among free component as CaO MgO FeO and MnO has been found with approximately 87–93 pct 1143–585 pct 081–060 pct and 030–027 pct at both middle and final stages during LF refining process respectively A large difference of oxygen activity is found in molten steel at the slag–metal interface and in bulk molten steel The oxygen activity in molten steel at the slag–metal interface is controlled by FeO–O equilibrium whereas the oxygen activity in bulk molten steel is controlled by Al–O equilibrium Decreasing the highoxygenactivity boundary layer beneath the slag–metal interface can promote the desulfurization reaction rate effectively or shorten the refining period during the LF refining process
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