Vol 36

ISIJ International,

Oxide Inclusion Control

Sta inless Steel

in

(1

996), Supplement, pp. S1 28-S131

Ladle and Tundish for Producing Clean

Masatake HOJO.Ryuji NAKAO.Tsuyoshi UMEZAKI.1)Hiroyuki KAWAl.1) Shigenori TANAKA2]

and Shigeo FUKUMOT03)

R& D

Laboratory, Nippon Steel Corporation, Shimata, Hikari, Yamaguchi-ken, 743 Japan.

Hikari Works, Nippon Steel Corporation, Shimata, Hikari, Yamaguchi-ken. 743 Japan.
Laboratory, Nippon Steel Corporation, Kimitsu, Kimitsu, Chiba-ken. 299-1
2) Formerly Hikari Works.
at Kimitsu
Laboratory.
3) Formerly Hikari
at Personnel Division,
Nippon Steel Corporation. Otemachi,
Japan.
Hikari

1)

Now

Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo,

I OOJapan.

R&D

R& D

Now

(Received on April 22. l996, accepted in

final

form on November72. l996)

ln order to produce clean stainless steel, the inclusion softening technology and the large inclusion removal
technology are important. Then, to elucidate the origin of inclusion in s[abs and biflets, experiments were
conducted, adding a tracer to AODslag and tundish slag. To control the composition of inclusions, a
thermodynamiccalcu lation model wasdeveloped. And, to elucidate the characteristics of floating separation
of large inclusions in the tundish, tests using the water model were conducted. The following results were
obtained:

The inclusions in stainless steel were caused by the AODslag suspended in the molten steel which
not removed in the tundish but carried over into the cast shapes.
(2)
The thermodynamic calculation model in which the suspended slag is considered was developed,
The composition of inclusions cou]d be predicted by this model, In the actual process, the precipitation of
MgO-Al=0,spinel in inclusion was prevented by reducing the MgOand Al,O, contents of the AODslag.
(3)
For the removal of large inclusions in the tundish, an increase in residence time is particularly
In the actual casting, the quality of stainless steel products
effective,
were improved by controlling the
weight of steel and the residence time in the tundish.
(1

is

stainless
KEYWORDS:

clean steel;

steel;

non-metallic

AOD;slag; thermodynamic calculation

inclusions;

model; tundish; water model

1.

Introduction

2.

To meet increasingly

requirements for
development of technologies for producing clean cast shapes has become
indispensable.
For example, the inclusion softening
technology for prevention of cracking in stainless steel
thosc for springs, extra fine wire
wire rods (particularly
and cold forging) and the large inclusion removal technology for the prevention of surface defects in cold-rolled
stainless steel sheets (particularly
those requiring mirror
finish) are important.
The present paper describes the results of the experiments on the following three points which were
conducted with a view to producing clean stainless steel:
1)
Elucidation ofthe origin ofinclusion by experiments
using tracers,
2)
Control ofthe composition ofinclusions by utilizing
the
3)

severe quality

steel in recent years, the

stainless

thermodynamiccalculation

Removalof
model test.

large inclusions

in

Stainless Steel Manufacturing Process

Figure
shows the stainless steel manufacturing procthe
Steelmaking Plant of Nippon Steel Hikari
ess at
Works. The capacity of this process is 60 t/heat. The raw
materials are melted in an electric furnace and the molten
metal from the furnace is decarburized, deoxidized and
furnace. After that, the steel
desulfurized in an
composition is finally adjusted and its temperature is
controlled to the level suitable for casting by bubbling
argon gas into the ladle by equipment called CTC
(Composition and Temperature Control). Then the steel
is cast by
a continuous caster. Hikari Works has three

AOD

continuous casters; vertical

1CCM),vertical
horizontal

method, and
the tundish by water

M*Iti~g

1996

ISIJ

type

CCM
CCMfor billets
F~efi~i~g

CCMfor

for billets

(No.

slabs (No.

2CCM),and
3CCM).

(No.

co*positi.~

c.sti~g

Tempe*at~**
co"t,ol
Ele't*ic

F*ma'e
Fig.

typc

type

S1 28

1.

AOD

CTC

TD CC

sted manufacturing process at the stedmaki*g plant of Nippon steel Hikarj wo*ks (capacjty
is 60 t/heat)
staintess

ISIJ Internatlonal,

Elucidation

3.

Vol.

36 (1996). Supplement
composition or the removal of inclusions in the tundish

of the Origin of Inclusion Formation

Experimental Method
elucidate
the origin of inclusion formation in slabs
To
billets,
experiment was conducted, adding about
and
300 kg-SrC03 (converted into SrOin the slag) as a tracer
slag at the time of tapping (Case l) and tundish
to
slag (Case 2). Thc main casting conditions are given in
Table I and the test conditions are shownin Fig. 2.
The samples for investigation of inclusions were taken
from cast shapes. The composition of inclusions was
(Electron Probe X-ray Microanalyzed by EPMA
3.

AOD

analyzer)

Study on the Origin of Inclusion Formation

inclusions of 2(~50pmin
diameter (hereinafter referred to as "small inclusions")
and inclusions larger than 50 ,lm in diameter (hereinafter

3.2.

Most comparatively small

referred

Al203

to as "large inclusions")
are CaO-Si02-MgOslag inclusions.
The probable reason for the

AOD

ta pping.

WhenSrC03 was added

AODslag

to

(Case

SrO was detected in both small and large

inclusions. But, whenSrC03 wadadded to tundish
(Case 2), SrO was not detected in inclusions.
'/o

Main casting

slag

Machine Type
Mold Size

143mmX 1245mm

150mmSquare

Casting Speed

0.9m/min

1.8m/min

Tundish Capacity

Max. 7ton

Max. 7ton

Ladle

Istrand

Vertical

(
(

E,

Mold

steel as nuclei.

The molten

(2)

steel

and inclusions

are in equi-

librium.

The calculation was madeusing the "Thermo-Calc"

program with the thermodynamic data base for slag in
which the data of Cr203 is taken into account.2)
The AISI 304 stainless steel used for the analysis
contains

18-19'/* Cr, 8-9'/* Ni, 0.05-0.060/* C, 0.30.8-1.5 */.

and lower than 0.004"/* Al. The
Free [O] content calculated from equilibrium equation
of Silicon deoxidization3)
used for the oxygen
0.6'/*

4.2.

Mn

Si,

Results of Analysis

Figure

3is the CaOSi02-Al203with

MgO

10 O/.
phase
diagram on which the results of calculation of changes
in the composition of inclusions are showntogether with
the changes in the composition of inclusions larger than
furin the processes from tapping of the
20

AOD

pm

nace to casting.

)
)

In these processes, the concentration of Al203

increases. The results of the calculation made
the

on

assumption that the quantity of suspended slag is approximately 75 g per ton of steel almost agree with the

Tundish slag
Ca5eI : without SrO
Case2: with SrO

Tundish

the temperature decreases, the composition

is changed with the suspended slag in the

AOD

Case I : with SrO

Case2: without SrO

Ar-Seal

As

was

2strands

AODslag

Experimental Method
During the production of stainless steel, the samples
of molten steel and cast shapes were taken at the
respective processes, ranging from the ladle after tapping
furnace to casting, and the compositions
from the
slag
of
and inclusions were analyzed.
A model for predicting the composition of inclusions
steel
in stainless
by employing the thermodynamic
calculation method was developed. The results of calculation by this model were comparedwith the actual
compositions of inclusions.
For this model, the following two assumptions were
4.1.

concentration in the molten steel, while the analyzed

values were adopted for other components. In the calculation,
the chemical composition of inclusions was
obtained, changing the quantity of suspended slag and
decreasing the temperature from
873 (the tapping
furnace) to 1723K (the liqtemperature at the
uidus temperature of AISI 304).

AISI 304

AISI 304
Vertical

AOD

molten

Billet

Steel Grade

AOD

of inclusions

conditions.

Slab

that the
In the preceding chapter, it was clarified
inclusions were formed by the slag suspended in the
ladle after tapping from the
furnace. In the present
chapter, a method for predicting and controlling
the
composition of inclusions in the molten steel on the
basis of the composition of
slag is discussed.

(1)

slag

carried over into the cast shapes. To prevent the defects

occurred by inclusions in the final product, therefore, the
softening of inclusions through the control of their
l.

Composition Control

made.

l),

Theseresults indicate that these slag inclusions are not

the inclusions formed by entrapped tundish slag but are
inclusions formed by the AOD
slag which is suspended
in the molten steel and carried over into the cast shapes
without being separated in the tundish.1)
As described above, the origin of inclusions in stainless
steel
slag which was directly
was caused by the AOD

Table

Inclusion

4.

AOD
AOD

formation of this type of inclusion is that the

furnace at Hikari Worksis not provided with a taphole
and the slag is carried over into the ladle at the time of

I~7

are important.

actual results.4)

The slag quantity of 75 g per ton of

Immersion nozzle

to about

(one piece type)

steel is

20ppmof oxygen concentration

equivalent

in the

molten

This oxygen concentration is nearly equal to the

difference
between the analyzed total [O] and the
steel.

Fig.

2.

Expenmentalcondrtrons

S1 29

O 1996 ISIJ

ISIJ

lnternational,

Vol.

36

(1

Si02

996). Supplement
Volt-meter or
Turbidity-meter

MgO= IO~

water

LKceor

Glass Bubble

Dam

80
Inclusion

e
A After Ar bubbling
v Tundish
l 150 ~~ mmbillet
After

.oty

60

(~

40

AODrefiriing

iadle

Calculation(1873-1723K)

IF~

AODSlag
~.~'~1~~~~leLA_
Suspension of

in

in ladle

Fig.

4.

Schematic vlew of water model apparatus

Slag

T:Steel

Table

OJO_g:L/

20

Test No.

Head

1 (O)
2 (o)
3 (A)
4 (L)
5 ([])

310

Suspension of Slag
75g/T-Steel

O
O

mass%Al203

CaO
Fig.

3.

80

60

40

20

Al203

Changesin the compositions of inctusions

staintess

in

mohen

steel,

calculated free [O]

(1)

may, therefore, be said that the quantity of suspended slag assumedfor our analysis is reasonable. It
It

According to the results described above, the composition of inclusions in stainless steel can be predicted by the thermodynamic calculation model, in which
slag
the composition and quantity of suspended
in the molten steel are taken into account. Using this
model, the technology for controlling the composition
of inclusions in stainless steel was developed.
In the actual process, the precipitation of MgO-Al203
spinel in inclusion was prevented by reducing the
slag.
and Al203 contents of the

AOD

Characteristics
the Tundish

5.

As

31.8
31

with

.8

without

310

27.2

without

310

22.6

without

410

31

without

310

.8

Test
Fig. 4,

KCI was added as

inclusion floatation time according to Stokes' Laws)

Generally, the distribution
of flow in the tundish is
divided into three parts-the dead part where the flow
is stagnant, the plug flow part where the flow is laminar,
and the totally mixed part where the flow is turbulent.
Thevolume ratios of these parts were calculated by using
Eqs. (1) to (4) shownbelow.6)

MgO

Average residence time:

e~.'" = ~Cieil~Ci

Deadvolume:

Vd =1-e*.**

.*..'.*.*......

.......(1)

.(2)

Plug volume:
Totally

the formation of large

inclusions is not caused by the entrapment of tundish
slag but is caused by the suspended
slag which
could not be separated in the ladle and the tundish.
The present chapter describes the results of our study
which was conducted by using the water model to
elucidate the characteristics of removal of large inclusions
in the tundish.
3,

AOD

Test Method
4 schematically shows the water model
apparatus used for the test. This apparatus is a half scale
of the actual tundish which capacity is 7t. The test
conditions are shownin Table 2. The test wasconducted
under the condition where the Froude numberin the test
apparatus agreed with that in the actual process, thereby
to investigate the effect of changesin residence time with
changes in flow rate or the head in the tundish and the
effect of a dam the fioating separation of inclusions.
on
5.1.

Figure

@1996 ISIJ

Dam

was
from the residence time distribution obtained
from changes in KCI concentration and from the

of the Removalof Large Inclusions in

described in Chap.

(Kg/min)

calculated

steel.

AOD

Flow Rate

at the tundish inlet and changes in KCI cona

centration at the tundish outlet were deternrined from
changes in voltage. The inclusion removal ratio

considered that the deoxidation product is crystalwith the suspended slag as nuclei as the temperature decreases, causing changes in the composition of

molten

(mm)

tracer

lized

in

KCI Tracer

Test conditions.

As schematically shownin

is

inclusions

2.

sl 30

Here, Ci

is

Vp=(O~i* + Op..k)/2 .......(3)

mixed volume: V~=I Vd- Vp ........... (4)
the concentration of KCI at time ei.

Glass Bubble Test

test, glass bubbles madeof silica were used as
reproduce the wettability of inclusions with
to
tracer
a
characteristics
the molten steel and the floatation
of
inclusions. The density of this tracer is 260 kg/m3 and
the bubble diameter ranges from 53 to 88pmwhich
correspond to inclusions of 80-100,4m in diameter. The
glass bubbles were added in a fixed quantitiy
at the
tundish inlet and the quantity of glass bubbles discharged
from the tundish was determined by measuring changes
in turbidity
at the tundish outlet by meansof an optical
transmission type turbidity meter. Theinclusion removal
ratio was calculated from the ratio of the quantity of
glass bubbles discharged to the quantity of glass bubbles
added.
(2)

In this

ISIJ International,

Vol.

36

it
is
separation of inclusions,
necessary to increase the volume ratio of the plug fiow
part where the metal flow is laminar.
For this purpose, the incorporation of a damor an
increase in residence time in the tundish is considered to
be effective.
Based on the above description, it maybe said that
the incorporation of a damor
an increases in residence
time in the tundish is neccessary to improve the characteristics
of inclusion removal in a small tudish.
In the actual casting, the quality of stainless steel
products were improved by controlling the weight of steel
and the residence time in the tundish.

o 75
70
65

OE

o SO
*
c
ou'

55

j 50

~5

~ 3O

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

5.0

Residence time (min)

Fig.

996), Supplement

improve the floating

80

:~,Q

-~>

(1

Relationship between residence time and inclusion

removal ratio by glass bubble test.

5.

80

~_
~!.~~

75

:p

C]

6.

O A

70

The following results were obtained by conducting

experiments and thermodynamicsimulation on the origin
of inclusion formation in stainless steel, the control of
composition of inclusions, and the removal of inclusions.
(1)
The inclusions in stainless steel were caused by
the
slag suspendedin the molten steel which is not
removed in the tundish but carried over into the cast

o,:+'

(D

u'
q'

'::

uu

LH
cq, 60
O
u'::~

'l

.g

o
c

ll~

55
50
50

55

60

65

70

75

80

AOD

Inclusion removal ratio

Glass Bubble Test (%)
Fig.

5.2.

6.

Comparisonof inclusion removal

bubble test and KCI test.

ratio

shapes.

between glass

Results of Test

Figure showsthe relation betweenresidence time and

inclusion removal ratio by the glass bubble test. The
residence time being referred to herein is the value
obtained by dividing the weight of water in the tundish
by the feed water rate.
Whenthe residence time wasincreased by and ol.
(Test Nos. and 4) by adjusting the feed water rate, the
inclusion removal ratio
was increased by and lO~/*,
respectively, from that in Test No. 2. The removal ratio
was increased by 170/. when the residence time was
increased by 52 "/* by increasing the headin the tundish by
(Test No. 5).
lOOmm

17

Summary

41

Whena damwas incorporated

(Test No. l) so as to
divide the tundish into the inlet side part and the outlet
side part, the inclusion removal ratio
was increased by
4'/.. This is because the tracer fioats
up in the inlet side
part and hence the quantity of the tracer entrapped in
the water being discharged is reduced.7)
Figure showsa comparison of the inclusion removal
ratio determined by the glass bubble test with that
obtained by the KCI tracer test.8) The removal ratios
determined by both tests alrnost agree.
Whena small tundish of tons in capacity is used,
the volume ratio of the completely mixed part is
as high
as 70 "/, but that of the plug flow part is about 20 */*. To

S1 31

(2)
The thermodynamic calculation model in which
the suspended slag is considered was developed. The
composition of inclusions could be predicted by this
model. In the actual process, the precipitation
of
MgO-Al203spinel in inclusion was prevented by reducing the
slag.
and Al203 contents of the
(3)
Forthe removal oflarge inclusions in the tundish,
an increase in residence time is particularly effective. In
the actual casting, the quality of stainless steel products
were improved by controlling the weight of steel and the
residence time in the tundish.

MgO

AOD

REFERENCES
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2)

Nakano. H. Kawai. S. Matsumura, M. Okimori and S.

Fukumoto: CAMP-ISIJ, 7 (1994), 1203.
W. Yamada.T. Matsumiya and B. Sundman: CAMP-ISIJ, 3
T.

(1990), 281.

3)

4)

S. Fukumoto, R. Nakao, S. Tanaka, I. Matsui, Y. Yanagi,

W.
Yamadaand T. Matsumiya: CAMP-ISIJ, 6 (1993), 206.
S. Fukumoto. S. Tanaka, S. Matsumura and
W. Yamada:

CAMP-ISIJ, 7 (1994). 259.

Kemeny,A. Mclean, T. R. Meadowcroft and J. D. Young:

5)

F.

6)

Contin. Cast Steel, (1981), No. 2, 32.

Y. Sahai and R. Auja: Steelmaking Proc. of the 5th lron and
Steel Cong., (1986), 677.

7)

T. Umezaki, H. Kawai, S. Fukumoto, M. Hojo and S. Tanaka:

CAMP-ISIJ, (1995), 277.
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8)

C 1996 ISIJ