Development of technology for ingots production using electroslag remelting at direct current with consumable electrode rotation

Abstract

The paper describes the problem of increasing the productivity of electroslag remelting (ESR) furnaces. The remelting technology on direct current is proposed as the most effective method. The description of the technology touches upon positive and negative effects affecting the specific productivity of smelting, energy consumption, and quality of the obtained ingots in terms of their physical and mechanical properties and chemical purity. The authors proposed the electroslag remelting method with rotation of the consumable electrode as a new technology, and realized a brief comparison with the external magnetic field application technology. The schemes that clearly demonstrate the principle of controlling the crystallization front shape and the thermal center localization in the slag bath are considered. A stationary numerical model for the slag bath of the operating semi-industrial furnace ESR A-550 on direct current with polarity reversing ability was developed. The mathematical apparatus consisting of electrothermal, hydrodynamic and convective parts was constructed. The authors designed the mesh domain for a slag bath located between the consumable electrode and the water-cooled crystallizer with diameters of 60 and 90 mm, respectively. The height of the sub-electrode zone is 10 mm. The current limit is 800 A and the voltage is 46 V. Numerical fields of current density and temperature distribution in the slag bath volume are obtained. The range of temperature values is located in the range from 1400 to 2200 °C at the peripheral and subelectrode zones of the slag bath, respectively. The scheme of the ESR furnace modernization is given in terms of mechanical part automation and transferring to direct current.