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Oxygen Activity Calculations of Molten Steel: Comparison With Measured Results

  1. Kamrooz Riyahimalayeri1,2,*,
  2. Patrik Ölund1,
  3. Malin Selleby2

Article first published online: 14 AUG 2012

DOI: 10.1002/srin.201200114

Issue

steel research international

steel research international

Volume 84, Issue 2, pages 136–145, February 2013

Additional Information

How to Cite

Riyahimalayeri, K., Ölund, P. and Selleby, M. (2013), Oxygen Activity Calculations of Molten Steel: Comparison With Measured Results. steel research int., 84: 136–145. doi: 10.1002/srin.201200114

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Materials Research and Development, Ovako Hofors AB, SE 813 82 Hofors, Sweden

  2. 2

    Department of Materials Science and Engineering, KTH (Royal Institute of Technology), SE 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden

*Department of Materials Research and Development, Ovako Hofors AB, SE 813 82 Hofors, Sweden.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 1 FEB 2013
  2. Article first published online: 14 AUG 2012
  3. Manuscript Received: 8 MAY 2012

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Keywords:

  • oxygen activity;
  • Wagner equation;
  • thermodynamic model;
  • Al2O3 activity;
  • steel;
  • slag;
  • Thermo-Calc;
  • SEM;
  • ECD

Abstract

This study sets out to find some model/s that could calculate the closest oxygen activity of molten steel to the measured oxygen activity in an ASEA-SKF ladle furnace. Ten steel heats grade SAE 52100 were chosen, the oxygen activities of the molten steel after vacuum degassing process were measured, then by means of two different equations and one computer programs the theoretical oxygen activities were calculated and compared to the measured results. In order to calculate the activities of Al2O3 in the top slag four different models and two different constants were applied. Both Wagner and Turkdogan's equations were found to be useful. It was seen that increasing the wt% Al from 0 up to 0.05 in molten steel, increasing CaO/Al2O3 ratio in top slag, and reducing equilibrium temperature of slag-steel could contribute to reduction of oxygen activity of molten steel. The scanning electron microscope observations revealed that the main types of observed non-metallic inclusions in these samples were spinels and calcium aluminates and by increasing the CaO content of the inclusions their equivalent circle diameters grew.

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