Study of slag/metal interface in ladle treatment

Abstract

In order to gain an insight into the mixing behaviour of slag and metal under different stirring conditions, samples of slag/metal interface were collected from an industrial 65 ton ladle furnace using a new sampling technique. Different stirring conditions and sampling positions in the ladle were chosen. Complementary cold model experiments were also performed. The experimental results strongly suggested that the shear force between the two liquids played an important role in slag–metal mixing. Evidence for the existence of slag droplets each surrounded by a very thin metal film was found in the samples taken under both gas stirred and induction stirred conditions. This observation strongly suggested that slag–metal system behaved similarly as oil–water system, wherein, the shear force owing to the bulk flow led to a packed 'sphere bed' of oil droplets each coated by a thin water film above the water bath. On the basis of the experimental results, preliminary mathematical models were developed to describe the rate of mass exchange at the slag/metal interface.