Voicu Brabie

Magnesia–carbon refractory dissolution in Al killed low carbon steel

Abstract The effects of rotation speed, steel temperature and steel composition on the rate of dissolution of MgO–C refractory into Al deoxidised molten steel were investigated using the rotating cylinder method. Cylinders or rods of MgO–C refractory material were immersed in an Al deoxidised molten steel. Experiments were performed for steel temperatures between 1873 and 1973 K and rotation speeds between 100 and 800 rev min−1 as well as for different immersion times. For each case, the dissolution rate of MgO–C material was determined from measurement of the decrease in the rod radius. The experimental results showed that the dissolution rate of the MgO–C refractory material increased with an increase in steel temperature and rotation speed. The findings strongly suggest the diffusion of magnesium through the slag layer formed around the refractory rods to be a rate determining step. This thin oxide layer at the steel/refractory interface was found to be owing to reaction between magnesium vapour and CO generated by the reaction between MgO and C in the refractory. Oxide inclusions were also found in the steel melt and they were shown to mainly consist of MgO and Al2O3 or a mixture of the two.

Corrosion mechanism of commercial doloma refractories in contact with CaO–Al2O3 –SiO2 – MgO slag

Abstract The dissolution of three doloma based refractories in liquid CaO–Al2O3–SiO2–MgO slag was studied. Cylindrical refractory specimens of doloma, carbon bonded doloma, and magnesia doloma were rotated in a stationary crucible of molten slag under forced convection conditions. Slag composition, temperature, rod rotation speed and rod immersion time were varied. The refractory dissolution rate was determined from the change in diameter of the cylindrical specimens. The corrosion rate was found to increase with temperature and rod rotation speed and decrease when the slag was nearly saturated with MgO. The findings of the study substantiate the assumption that the diffusion of magnesium oxide through the slag boundary layer controls the corrosion process. The results indicated the overall corrosion process to be the dissolution of refractory material into the slag, followed by slag penetration of the pores and grain boundaries and finally, dispersion of the grains into the slag.

Studies of new coating materials to prevent clogging of submerged entry nozzle (SEN) during continuous casting of Al killed low carbon steels

The possibility to reduce clogging in the submerged entry nozzle when casting Al killed low carbon steel has been evaluated. The coating materials have been tested in laboratory trials and pilot plant trials. Totally, two mixes of the coating material have been tested, containing 4.8 and 9.1% CaTiO3 mixed with yttria stabilised zirconia powder. The chemical composition was analysed using a field emission gun–scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry. The major result showed that alumina reacted with CaTiO3 in the temperature interval from 1550 to 1600°C. In addition, the clogging ratio showed a decreased clogging tendency for coated nozzles compared to standard nozzles. In addition, the results showed that an approximately three times higher steel mass could be teemed through the coated nozzles before clogging occurred compared to trials with uncoated standard nozzles. Overall, it is concluded that plasma sprayed CaTiO3 coatings can reduce the clogging tendency during the continuous casting process.

Implementation of an YSZ coating material to prevent clogging of the submerged entry nozzle (SEN) during continuous casting of Ce-treated steels

The possibility to reduce clogging in the submerged entry nozzle (SEN) during continuous casting of Ce alloyed stainless steels has been studied. This was done by implementing a new plasma coating material, consisting of yttria-stabilised zirconia (YSZ). The coating was first tested in pilot–plant trials; where the amount of steel teemed through the plasma-coated nozzles was monitored. Thereafter, samples of the coatings from the nozzles were studied using a FEG-SEM equipped with EDS. In addition, the coating material was tested in industrial trials where the performance was judged with respect to the clogging tendency detected as the movement of the stopper rod. The results from both the pilot–plant trials and industrial trials showed that the use of an YSZ coating led to a decreased clogging tendency during the casting in comparison to when using an uncoated SEN. Specifically, the pilot–plant trials showed that the clogging factor was lowered when implementing the YSZ coatings. Furthermore, the industrial trials showed that the clogging tendency, measured by the stopper rod movements, were lower when implementing the YSZ coating.

Studies of the decarburisation phenomena during preheating of submerged entry nozzles (SEN) in continuous casting processes

Decarburisation of the submerged entry nozzles (SEN) during the preheating process was investigated based on plant trials and thermodynamic modelling at three different steel plants. During the trials the preheating processes were mapped, the temperature profiles were registered and post-mortem studies of the SENs with scanning electron microscopy were performed. Typically, the glass/silicon powder will form a dense and protective layer inside the SEN when heated over 1100°C. However, this study found that the temperature distribution inside the SEN did not always reach this critical temperature. Thus, decarburisation of the SEN was found at all steel plants. The overall results illustrate that the control of the preheating process needs to be improved at all steel plants. It is suggested that future research should be focused on the development of new coating materials to prevent decarburisation of the refractory base material, which would decrease the chances of clogging during casting.

Studies on the decarburization of the commercial Submerged Entry Nozzles

Decarburization behaviours of Al2O3-C, ZrO2-C and MgO-C refractory materials constituting a commercial Submerged Entry Nozzle (SEN), have been investigated in different gas atmospheres consisting o ...