Numerical Investigation of Outflow of Non-Metallic Inclusions during Steel Refining in the Ladle

• Published in: Materials Vol. 15; no. 9; p. 3039
• Main Authors: Migas, Piotr, Ślęzak, Marta, Karbowniczek, Mirosław, Szczęch, Stanisław, Hornik, Andrzej
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 22-04-2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Aluminum oxide; CAD; Computer aided design; Continuous casting; Gas flow; Iron alloys; ladle; Ladle metallurgy; Ladles; Liquid alloys; Liquid metals; non-metallic inclusions; Nonmetallic inclusions; numerical simulation; Optical microscopy; Outflow; Particle size; Simulation; Steel making; Steel production; non-metallic inclusions; numerical simulation; ladle
• ISSN: 1996-1944; 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma15093039

The article presents the results of numerical simulations of liquid steel flow in the main steelmaking ladle. The paper analyses the mechanism of the outflow of non-metallic Al
O
and MnS inclusions with diameters in the range of 4-27 µm. The simulations were performed with ANSYS Fluent software. In order to determine the shape and size of non-metallic inclusions formed in the main ladle during steel refining, the collected samples of liquid metal were analysed using a scanning microscope with SEM/EDS and LM (light microscopy). Simulation tests and calculations were carried out for the case of steel refining under the conditions of the Cognor SA HSJ Department in Stalowa Wola (Poland). The presented method of using simulation tests to optimize the technology of steel refining in the ladle is an example. The analysis of the results shows that the gas flow in the metal volume has the greatest impact on the outflow of non-metallic inclusions in the steelmaking ladle.