Simulation of Ladle Refining Reactions in Si–Mn‐Killed Steel

Abstract

Steel quality, to a large extent, is controlled by ladle refining reactions. The understanding of such reactions can help to prevent the formation of unwanted phases and improve the overall high‐temperature process control. A new approach, namely, the multioxide inclusion kinetic model has been recently developed to simulate steel–inclusion reactions in liquid steel. The coupling of this kinetic model with a multicomponent, multiphase steel–slag reaction interface model leads to an overall model framework to predict the evolution of steel, slag, and inclusion composition. The current work shows the application of the model to simultaneous deoxidation and desulphurization during ladle refining of Si–Mn‐killed steel. The model shows good performance with industrial data. It is demonstrated that for ladle refining practices, silica‐rich slags should be strictly used with basicity (CaO/SiO2) between 1 and 1.2 and with Al2O3 content less than 5 wt%. Additional simulations are also carried out to reveal the capability of the model to aid in online process control. Finally, certain limitations of the current model are discussed.