Study on oxygen blowing optimisation of reducing (FeO) content in slag in EAF steelmaking process with high ratio of hot metal to scrap

Abstract

The aim of the study was to address the challenge – in a particular plant – of the high (FeO) content in slag in Electric Arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking, adopting a high ratio of hot metal to scrap, which uses the operation mode of adding hot metal and smelting simultaneously, the oxygen blowing process was optimised through a combination of industrial practice and theoretical calculation. Specifically, the start time of oxygen blowing was delayed, and the [C] content of the molten steel at the smelting endpoint was increased; furthermore, an oxygen blowing method was performed with a [C] content of 0.6–0.8% for the molten bath during the smelting process. After the oxygen blowing method was optimised, the oxygen consumption per ton of steel decreased by 7.96 Nm³, and the (FeO) content of slag decreased by 11.85% on average.