Abstract
Since 2008, rail steels have been manufactured at No. 1 Steelmaking works of Wuhan Iron and Steel Corporation (WISCO). Initially a high percentage of defective rails were produced resulting from excessive inclusions, centre porosity and carbon segregation. This paper summaries a research project to improve this performance between the steel plant personnel and Wuhan University of Science and Technology. Measures were implemented including adjusting the composition and performance of mould flux, adopting a four-hole submerged entry nozzle, reducing the specific spray water flow and lengthening the soft reduction position. These measures significantly improved rail quality. Ultrahigh speed rails produced by WISCO are widely applied on the 380 km h−1 Beijing–Shanghai and Wuhan–Guangzhou railways. More improvements should still be developed to obtain more competitive and reliable rails.
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