Abstract
This work applied automated particle analysis to study non-metallic inclusions in steel. Compared with traditional methods, the approach has the advantage of capturing the morphology, measuring the size, recording the original positions, and identifying the composition of inclusions on a selected area in a short time. The morphology and composition of typical inclusions were analyzed using partial acid extraction and discussed through thermodynamic calculation. Steel samples were collected from the entire cross section of billets cast during times of steady state and ladle change. The spatial distribution of inclusions agreed well with the measurement of the total oxygen. The spatial distribution of inclusions was plotted to represent the entrapment positions of inclusions on the casting strand and their concentration on the cross section of the billet. Also, regarding the different size and type of inclusions, the spatial distribution of classified inclusions was explored such as the distribution of sulfide, oxide, and high sodium and potassium content inclusions. The sufficient information could be used to identify the source of inclusions and guide the steel refining process.
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Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful for support from the National Science Foundation China (Grant Nos. 51274034 and 51334002), Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Recycling and Extraction of Metals (GREM), the Laboratory of Green Process Metallurgy and Modeling (GPM2), and the High Quality steel Consortium (HQSC) at the School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering at University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB), China.
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Manuscript submitted June 28, 2011.
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Ren, Y., Wang, Y., Li, S. et al. Detection of Non-metallic Inclusions in Steel Continuous Casting Billets. Metall Mater Trans B 45, 1291–1303 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-014-0042-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-014-0042-y