Académique Documents
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Culture Documents
Spring 2010
Advisor:
Dr. K. Peaslee
Andrew OLoughlin
Abstract:
This report documents the use of argon stirring with a porous plug in 1000lb ladles to improve the
flotation of inclusions before casting. The effect of the rate of stirring was investigated to determine the
effect on heat los in the ladle (energy considerations), steel cleanliness and gas content of nitrogen and
oxygen. The trial did not show improvements in cast properties over the standard ladle practice, but in
fact the application reduced steel cleanliness. The effectiveness of the method was limited by the ability
to stir the melt without breaking the protective slag surface layer.
Introduction:
Inclusions predominately entrapped oxides and sulfides in steel that serve as the primary sites for
void nucleation and growth of crack propagation. To improve the mechanical properties of steel, ladle
treatments are applied to improve inclusion flotation through deoxidization reactions (Ca treatment) or
stirring the melt with inert gas. Argon stirring with a porous plug is a common practice in industrial
continuous casting operations and larger foundry ladle operations. Stirring with argon promotes the
flotation of inclusions and dissolved gases (H, O and N), and aid in the homogenization of the melt
chemistry and temperature[1]. The use of porous plugs in large ladles (greater than 40 tons) offer several
advantages over lance stirring. These include: better stirring at the bottom of the ladle, the protective slag
layer at the surface of the melt is not broken (for a nonviolent stir rates), and more efficient operational
controls [2]. In a previous study conducted by Vintee Singh, the practice of argon lance stirring and Ca
wire treatment were investigated in 1000lb ladles. The trial showed a slight improvement in inclusion
flotation using the lance stirring, but the Ca wire treatment provided a significant improvement in steel
cleanliness [3].
Experimental Procedure:
The Ar stir rate was studied for seven ladles of medium carbon steel (Table I). For each ladle,
steel chemical samples were collected before stirring, after stirring, part way through the pour and the
mold. The three ladle samples were collected using submerged chemistry samplers. Keel bar molds were
cast for each to provide material for Charpy impact tests. The temperature of the melt was monitored at
each process step to monitor the rate of heat loss in the melt. The Ar flow rate was controlled to provide
three different levels of stirring: a short violent stir (2.9 CFM for 2 min), a gentile stir (1.0 CFM for 4 and
4.5 min) and a medium stir (1.9 CFM for 1, 2, and twice at 3 min).
Table I: Average Chemistry of the Steel Castings.
C
0.20 to
0.25
Mn
0.45 to
0.51
P
0.010 to
0.012
S
0.018 to
0.019
Si
0.43 to
0.47
Cu
0.075 to
0.067
Ni
0.104 to
0.048
Mo
0.031 to
0.027
Cr
0.243 to
0.125
V
0.008 to
0.005
Al
0.107 to
0.08
Ti
0.052 to
0.041
Fe
Bal.
The oxygen and nitrogen gas content was measured using a Leco TC-500. To ensure accurate values,
three 0.7 to 1.0g steel sections were tested per sample. To measures the oxygen and nitrogen, the machine
melts the steel coupons in an electrode impulse furnace and runs solid state infrared and thermal
conductivity measurements on the molten pool. The steel cleanliness was evaluated using an ASPEX
analytical SEM particle analyzer to quantify the inclusion content. Over 1000 inclusions per sample were
dimensionally analyzed and compositionally analyzed using EDX 1000. To compare the inclusion
analysis to the previous Ca-Wire injection study, the same inclusion classification rules were used
(according to EDX composition). The keel bars were normalized at 1650oF for 1.5 hrs and air cooled.
Three V-Notch Charpy impact bars were machined for each condition and were tested at -40oF.
34832-2
34901-1
4.5
1.9
1.9
1.9
1.9
2.9
3046
2962
2967
2959
2985
2955
2955
2976
748
792
916
1311
980
1311
1155
1030.4
845
1087
1144
1485
1861
1325
1226
1281.9
Oxygen (ppm)
152
131
121
135
127
103
200
138.4
237.6
199.9
208.8
216
215
221.8
227
218
2933
2858
2906
2925
2868
2855
2904
2893
737
696
696
833
981
1088
884
845
1192
1637
1256
2085
1503
2295
2320
1755.4
Oxygen (ppm)
121
97.6
88.3
155
112
88.4
77.1
105.6
223.8
177.3
203.2
184.9
200
223
186.6
199.8
305
264
356
473
293
484
326
357.3
4110
10693
5112
2948
10109
3256
5423
5950.1
Temperature ( F)
2
Temperature ( F)
2
After Stir
Nitrogen (ppm)
2
Oxygen (ppm)
80.1
75.5
81.1
85
88
80.1
69.3
79.9
Nitrogen (ppm)
190.1
157.1
177.4
168
183.3
190.1
187.3
179
Final Casting Charpy Impact Energy (Ft-lbs) 6.3 0.7 8.2 0.4 9.2 1.6 6.9 0.4 5.6 1.1 6.5 0.3 6.1 1.1 7.0 1.4
Appendix A provides a comparison of the inclusion content, O and N levels and the impact
toughness measurements from the keel bar mold samples for all of the porous plug trails and the inclusion
and toughness measurements from the previous trial (Ar stirring with a lance and Ca-wire injection). The
primary difference between the inclusion content in the two studies can be attributed to elevated levels of
MnS and TiO detected in the porous plug trials (Figure 1 b and Figure 2). Two measurements of the
inclusion content were reported. The inclusion count (number of inclusions per mm2) and the inclusion
coverage (area fraction of inclusions over the area of metal scanned). The inclusion coverage is a better
indicator of steel cleanliness, because is accounts for the size of inclusions. The inclusion content and
inclusion coverage data for the porous plug showed significant scatter and did not follow the expected
trend of decreasing fraction area covered with increasing stir time (Figure 1 a & b). The gas content in
the final castings was stable and did not show any trend with increasing stir time or stir rate (Figure 1c).
The oxygen values were low (~70 to 90 ppm) and did not vary with differences in oxides inclusions. In
comparison, the nitrogen values were large (160-190 ppm), but if is not uncommon for foundries to
contain large nitrogen content. When compared to the previous trial data shown in Figure 2, the fraction
of area covered by inclusions in the porous plug samples was substantially greater that the untreated
standard practice trial (0.01 to 0.003 compared to 0.001 area of inclusions over the surface area
scanned). The Charpy impact testing observed very low energy absorbed values ranging from 5 to 9 ft-lbs
(Figure 3a). This was comparable to the lower limit of mechanical properties observed in the Ca-wire trial
(Figure 3b).
Ar stirring with the porous plug was not an appropriate ladle treatment method to improve the
mechanical properties of the 1000lb ladle castings. The negative impact of Ar stirring on inclusion
content indicates the protective slag layer was disrupted even at low stir rates. The 1000 pound ladles
are at a disadvantage to larger ladles (greater than 40 ton), because the heat loss at the slag line is
substantially larger due to surface area to molten metal ratio. Therefore for smaller ladles, the benefits of
improved inclusion flotation are negated by unstable slag lane.
Conclusions:
Argon stirring with a porous plug in 1000lb steel ladles did not improve inclusion flotation, but
degraded steel cleanliness by introducing large levels of TiO2 and MnS. This was validated by
quantitative inclusion measurements and Charpy impact testing.
References:
[1]
[2]
[3]
Lalhua Wang, Hae-Geon Lee, Peter Hayes, A New Approach to Molten Steel Refining
Using Fine Gas Bubbles, ISIJ International Vol 36 (1996), No 1 pp 17-24.
Alan Cramb, The Making Shaping and Treating of Steel, Casting Volume, 11th Edition,
AISE Steel Foundation, Pittsburgh, 2003.
Vintee Singh, Inclusion Modification in Steel Castings using Automated Inclusion Analysis,
M.S. Thesis, University of Missouri Science and Technology, Rolla, 2009.
Appendix A Comparison of Cast Keel blocks from all of the Ladle Trials
Other
600
TiO2
500
CaO
400
Al2O3
MnO
300
MnSiO3
CaS
200
MnS
100
0
34902-2
34832-2
34902-1
34901-1
34901-2
34901-3
34902-3
Ar 4.5 min. Ar 4 min. Ar 3 min. Ar 3 min. Ar 2 min. Ar 1 min. Ar 2 min.
(1.0 CFM) (1.0 CFM) (1.9 CFM) (1.9 CFM) (1.9 CFM) (1.9 CFM) (2.9 CFM)
a. Number of inclusions per mm2 in the cast keel bar for the porous plug Ar-stir trials.
Other
0.01
TiO2
CaO
0.008
Al2O3
0.006
MnO
MnSiO3
0.004
CaS
MnS
0.002
0
34902-2
Ar 4.5 min.
(1.0 CFM)
34832-2
Ar 4 min.
(1.0 CFM)
34902-1
Ar 3 min.
(1.9 CFM)
34901-1
Ar 3 min.
(1.9 CFM)
34901-2
Ar 2 min.
(1.9 CFM)
34901-3
Ar 1 min.
(1.9 CFM)
34902-3
Ar 2 min.
(2.9 CFM)
b. Fraction of area covered by inclusions in the cast keel bar for the porous plug Ar-stir trials.
Oxygen
250
Nitrogen
200
150
100
50
0
34902-2
Ar 4.5 min.
(1.0 CFM)
34832-2
Ar 4 min.
(1.0 CFM)
34902-1
Ar 3 min.
(1.9 CFM)
34901-1
Ar 3 min.
(1.9 CFM)
34901-2
Ar 2 min.
(1.9 CFM)
34901-3
Ar 1 min.
(1.9 CFM)
b. The oxygen and nitrogen content in the cast keel bar for the porous plug Ar-stir trials.
Figure 1: The inclusion content in the cast keel bars for all of the Ar-stir trails.
34902-3
Ar 2 min.
(2.9 CFM)
Others
0.0018
TiO2
0.0016
CA
0.0014
Al2O3
0.0012
MnO
MnSiO3
0.001
CaS
0.0008
MnS
0.0006
0.0004
0.0002
0
0.00 % Ca
0.00 ft/min
No Stir
Figure 2: Fraction of area covered by inclusions in the cast mold for all trials of the Ca-wire injection
study.
Note: The first two trials (an untreated ladle and in ladle Ar lance stir) provide a good perspective to
the porous plug Ar-stir trials.
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
34902-2
Ar 4.5 min.
(1.0 CFM)
34832-2
Ar 4 min.
(1.0 CFM)
34902-1
Ar 3 min.
(1.9 CFM)
34901-1
Ar 3 min.
(1.9 CFM)
34901-2
Ar 2 min.
(1.9 CFM)
34901-3
Ar 1 min.
(1.9 CFM)
34902-3
Ar 2 min.
(2.9 CFM)
a. Charpy impact energy absorbed for all ladle treatments conducted in the porous plug Ar-stir trials.
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0.00 % Ca
0.00 ft/min
No Stir
b. Charpy impact energy absorbed for all ladle treatments conducted in the Ca-Wire injection trials.
Note: The dashed lines are the maximum and minimum Charpy impact values observed in the porous plug
trial and the solid line is the average Charpy impact value.
Figure 3: Charpy impact energy measurements for normalized keel bars samples.