A thermodynamic model of the titanium distribution behaviour between slag and molten steel during LF refining process: description and application

ABSTRACT

Titanium distribution ratio is a key parameter which directly reflect the ability to remove titanium in the LF refining process. A thermodynamic model for calculating the titanium distribution ratio (LTi) between ladle furnace (LF) refining slags, i.e., CaO–SiO₂–MgO–FeO–(CaF2)–MnO–Al₂O₃–TiO₂ slags, and molten steel has been developed by coupling with the ion and molecule coexistence theory (IMCT) and slag–metal equilibrium theory. The reliability of the model was verified by comparing it with industrial data. Using this model, the effects of Al, Si content in steel and CaO, MgO and TiO₂ in slag on the L_Ti were investigated. Meanwhile, the optimal equilibrium slag composition of GCr15SiMn bearing steel was predicted. On this basis, five groups of industrial tests were carried out, and the results indicated that the optimized practice had achieved remarkable results in limiting titanium content compared with the routine process.

KEYWORDS:

• Titanium distribution ratio
• thermodynamics model
• CaO-SiO₂-MgO-FeO-(CaF₂)-MnO-Al₂O₃-TiO₂ slag system
• IMCT
• ladle furnace
• Al content
• slag composition
• GCr15SiMn steel

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China: [Grant Number 51874034].