MANUFACTURING OF

STAINLESS STEEL
STEEL.

AOD - SLAG IMPROVEMENT

FURNACE IMPROVEMENT
STAINLESS STEEL MELTING SHOP

 El t i A
Electric Arc Furnace.
F
 ASM (Top & Bottom Blowing)
Blowing).
 Ladle Refining Furnace.
 Caster.
 Induction Furnace.
 STAINLESS STEEL PRODUCT
GRADES
 SLAB : 304, 304L, 316, 316L,
409M 430,
409M, 430 410S
410S,

 BLOOM : TSL-AUS, T1, T2, T3, T4

T5, T6, T7
Because conditions are not the same
throughout the lining...
…in other words, the rate at which
different areas of the lining are worn
away varies
Cone
1 mm/cast

2 mm/cast Tap
T
Side

Slag
5 mm/cast
/
Line

10 mm/cast Tuyere Zone

3 mm/cast Floor
 CHARGE – MIX RAW
MATERIALS
• MS SCRAP
• S.S SCRAP
• S S UTENSILS
S.S
• HC FERRO CHROME
• RETURN SCRAP
• B LIME
B.
 ELECTRIC ARC FURNACE -
Reference
• NOMINAL CAPACITY 40 MT
• ELECTRODE DIAMETER 18 INCH
• TRANSFORMER RATING 24 MVA
• SHELL DIAMETER 4300 MM
• PRIMARY POLLUTION FAN 900 MW
MOTOR
• SECONDARY POLLUTION 900 MW
FAN MOTOR
The combination of technical
support and the appropr
appropriate
ate
lining design leads to…

Balanced Wear
OBTECTIVE =
Minimum Cost/t
Computer slag models are used to calculate the composition of slags
and to recommend changes to the customer’s operations...in order
to create a balanced,
balanced optimised slag

Refractory Fluxing
Oxides Oxides

All slags comprise refractory fluxing components i.e.low

components i.e.high melting melting point, such as SiO2,
point,
p FeO, Al2O3 and CaF2
… and …
such as CaO and MgO

A balanced slag provides optimum conditions for steelmaking and refractory

protection
Definition an optimised slag is saturated with appropriate oxides (usually
CaO and/or MgO) with a viscosity similar to paint

Sometimes the slag can become unbalanced… due to variations in raw

material compositions or steelmaking operations

If the slag becomes

oversaturated - i.e. contains
excess CaO or MgO – viscosity Fluxing
Oxides
will increase and the slag may
even solidify
Refractory
Oxides

Oversaturated slags provide refractory protection but create handling

problems for the steelmaker
If the balance shifts the other way… the slag will be unsaturated i.e.
contains insufficient CaO or MgO

viscosity
y will
w decrease and the
slag may become too fluid…
like water
Refractory
Oxides

Fluxing
Oxides

Reactions between refractories and unsaturated slags are the prime cause of lining
wear
 Lime versus Doloma

Benefits of Lime:
• More readily available
• Less lime required during decarburization step
if Al2O3 and
d Nb2O5 levels
l l are llow
Drawbacks of Lime:
• Fluorspar
Fl additions
dditi would
ld be
b required
i d if M
MgOO
or Al2O3 levels of the slag is low to rapidly and
completely dissolve the lime in the reduction
slag
 Lime dissolution

Unreacted Lime Particle

Intermediate C2S layer

Partially liquid CS layer 3

melting point of C2S (Ca2SiO4) = 2130

2130°C
C

Fluorspar additions are therefore required

to accelerate the dissolution of C2S
 Lime versus Doloma

Benefits of Doloma:
• Easier to dissolve during the reduction step
• Could improve refractory performance if the
Al2O3 andd Nb2O5 levels
l l are hi
highh
• Less or no fluorspar required for dissolution
D
Drawbacks
b k off D Doloma:
l
• More doloma than lime could be required to
achieve a solid decarb slag
• Doloma is not as readily available as lime is
 Doloma dissolution

Unreacted Doloma Particle

Partially liquid CaMg silicate

(Ca.Mg.Silicates melt < 1450°C)

Reduction Slags
STEEL MELTING SHOP

LRF
Balance of refractory and fluxing oxides

Refractory Oxides Fluxing

g Oxide
(CaO & MgO) (SiO2)

Slags
g on the liquidus line are on the
pivot point of the balance
Insufficient Shroud Gas Flow i.e. not enough cooling = Small Knurdles

Ideal ~75mm long x ~50mm diameter

Ideal...~75mm

Too Much Cooling...Big Knurdles...could block)

Blocked Knurdle...gases blowing back on to tuyere & surrounding bricks

Knurdle Growth
PROCESS IMPROVEMENT IN
AOD
 INTRODUCTION
• Effect of different alloying elements on properties of
stainless
t i l steel
t l
• Difference between Ferrite Factor & Ferrite content
• Effect of ferrite content on steel quality
• Basic Theory of AOD
• Chemical reactions occurring during refining
• Mathematical
M th ti l calculations
l l ti
• Factors affecting AOD lining
• Features of computerized log sheets
 Effect of Different Alloying Elements
• (A) Chromium:
1. Increases hardness and strength and reduces the elasticity
slightly.
slightly
2. Improves resistance to heat and non-scaling properties
3 High quantity
3. q antit of chrome and carbon in stainless steel leads
to the formation of chromium carbide precipitate, which
gives the steel
steel, wear resistance property
property.
4. The yield strength also increases by at the lower rate and
notch impact value decreases.
5. The welding properties decreases with increase of chrome
content in steel
• (B)Nickel
1.It raises the strength of steel, but less than
g
what silicon or manganese does.
2.It acts as austenite stabilizer in austenitic
stainless steel.
3.It does not affect the elasticity of the steel.
4 Ni iimproves th
4.Ni the notch
t h iimpactt value,
l and
d
especially at low temperature.
5.It improves scaling resistant properties and
also heat resistant property.
• ( C) Manganese
1.Improves strength of steel with slightly impairing
y
its elasticity.
2.It improves forging and welding properties.
3 Mn along with carbon increases the wear
3.Mn
resistance substantially.
4 I high
4.In hi h nickel
i k l stainless
t i l steel
t l 5% off manganese iis
necessary in order to dissolve enough nitrogen
and d tto give
i steel
t l austenitic
t iti structure.
t t
(D)Molybdenum
1. Improves both the tensile strength as well as yield
strength.
t th
2. Heat resistance property and welding properties also
get enhanced in 316 Stainless steelsteel.
3. It has higher affinity for carbon than chromium so it
p
improves the corrosion resistance p property
p y by y
combining with carbon and avoiding sensitization.
(E) Carbon
1. It improves the hardening property of martensitic
stainless steel.
2 It improves
2. i both
b th yield
i ld stress
t and
d ttensile
il strength
t th off
steel.
3 Increase in carbon content reduces the elasticity
3. elasticity,
forging, welding and cutting properties.
4. carbon content has no effect on the corrosion
(F) Nitrogen
1. In austenitic steels, it stabilizes the structure increases he
h d
hardness especially
i ll th
the yield
i ld point
i t as wellll as mechanical
h i l
properties at high temperature.
2 It also allows the achievement of high surface hardness
2.
through nitride formation during nitriding.
g is harmful because of lowering
3. Nitrogen g of toughness
g durin
the precipitation of nititides.
(G) Copper
1. It raises the strength and the yield point of steel.
2. It guarantees austenitic type structure in low nickel
austenitic
t iti stainless
t i l steel.
t l
3. High amount of Cu i.e. greater than 4% detoriates the
forgeability of these steels
steels.
4. Cu has approximately 40% of the austenizing effect of
nickel.
(H) Sulphur
1. It decreases the hot ductility as it produces hot
shortness
h t att high
hi h ttemperature.
t

(I) Phosphorous:
Ph h
1. It causes segregation during the solidification of welds
and hot tearing phenomena
phenomena, which may consequently
occur while the welds, are cooling.

(T) Silicon
1. It is kept less than 1% to prevent the formation of ferrite
and have satisfactory behavior of steel during pickling.
2. Low amount of silicon causes the formation of olivine-
type oxide
oxide, which impairs the hot workability and causes
surface finish problems.
(K) Titanium
1. Strong carbide former.
2. Acts as stabilizing elements in stainless steel to
improve intergranular corrosion resistance.
3
3. It also
l helps
h l iin grain
i refinement.
fi t

(L) Niobium:
1. It acts, as stabilizer more effective than Titanium but it
is costlier as compared to Titanium

( ) Vanadium:
(M)
1. It improves hot hardness and reduces the grain
growth.
2. It is used in tool steel to improve the cutting property.
3. It is strong carbide former and increases the tensile
t th d i ld i t
(N) Boron
1. When used with 18/8 stainless steel can
help in achieving high elastic limits with the
process of p
p precipitation
p hardening.g

(O) Aluminum:
1. Strongest deoxidiser.
2. Increases the strength of steel by the
formation of AlN precipitates, it also helps
in achieving smaller grain size.
 Ferrite & Austenite Stablizers

Ferrite Stabilizer Austenite Stabilizer

Cr Ni
Si Mn
Mo C
Nb
b N
Ti Cu
 Ferrite Factor
Ferrite Factor in the cast state is ratio of Cr
equivalent and nickel equivalent.
where ,
Chromium Equivalent= %Cr+1.5(%Si)+%Mo
Nickel Equivalent= %Ni+0.5(%Mn)+
21%C+11.5%N+0.44%Cu
 % Ferrite
% Ferrite is the amount of delta ferrite present in the
austenitic stainless steel.

It is given by the following empirical relationship:

%
Ferrite=119.56*(1.397(%Ni+0.5*%Mn+30*(%C+%N)
+%Cu+39.67) /(%Cr+1.5*%Si+%Mo+19.52))
 AOD
• Argon Oxygen Decarburization

IMPORTANT FEATURES OF AOD

• Reduction in partial pressure of CO

• Combined blowing practice (top+bottom
blowing)
 Chemical Reactions occurring in
AOD
• [C] + 1/2(O2)g = (CO)g
• [Si]
[Si]+ (O2)g = (SiO2)s
• 3[Cr] + 2(O
( 2)g = ((Cr3O4)s
• [Mn] + ½(O2)g = (MnO)s
• [Fe] + ½(O2)g = (FeO)s
 CRE

Carbon Removal Efficiency

O 2 usedforC
CRE 
O 2 blown  O 2 reactedwit hSi
Temperature rise through Oxygen
distribution
Oxygen used for oxidation Temperature rise (oC/%
element)
C 110

Si 320

Cr 250

Fe 50

Mn 80

Al 400
 Coolent Effect
Addition Cooling (oC/% addition)

Sponge Iron 20

HC FeCr 26

HC FeMn 21 5
21.5

Lime/Dolime 30

FeNi 16
 Reduction Mixture Calculation
• O2Need to be removed= (O2blown- O2used for C oxidation-
O2used for Si oxidation)
• Amount of Si needed = O2Need to be
removed*1.25

• Si reqd. for alloying = (% alloying)*(Wt

alloying) (Wt of
metal)/100.0
• So total pure Si required is the sum of
above two factors.
• If FeSi
F Si 70% iis used d th
then, F
FeSi
Si reqd
d=T Total
t l
Si needed/0.70
 Slag Basicity
• Slag basicity, B = Wt of CaO/Wt of SiO2
• Slag basicity must be maintained at 1
1.7
7 during the
reduction period.
• Along
Al with
ith thi
this th
the %M
%MgO
O should
h ld bbe 8
8~9%
9%
• Sources of Si to be considered during Lime
calculation
 p
Opening g Si
 Si from FeCr
 Si from FeMn
 Si from FeNi
 Basicity Calculation
• 1.250 kg Si + 1 nm3 O2 = 2.678 kg SiO2
• The slag basicity is expressed as,
B=CaO/SiO2
• If the basicity of slag is adTusted on 1.7
then
2.68 kg of SiO2*1.7= 4.6 kg CaO

2.68 kg SiO2 which is produced with 1 nm3

of O2, are neutralised with 4.6 kg of CaO
 ASM VESSEL LIFE
• Transfer slag from EAF should be minimum
• Control
C t lT Transfer
f silicon
ili from
f EAF tto 0
0.3%
3%
max.
• Control
C t l HC F FeCrC addition
dditi in i ASM b below
l
600kg.
• The
Th ttemperature
t d
duringi ththe reduction
d ti
period should be < 16800 C.
• Maintain
M i t i slag
l b basicity
i it > 1 1.77 and
d kkeep MMgOO
around 8%.
• Control
C t l reduction
d ti mixture i t addition
dditi tto ttap
time below 20 minutes.
Thank you
Compiled by :
Rajiv Arora