• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.107-113
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• 2009

Molten iron with 2 mass % carbon content was decarbonized at 1823 K~1923 K by bubbling $Ar+O_2$ gas through a submerged nozzle. The reaction rate was significantly influenced by the oxygen partial pressure and the gas flow rate. Little evolution of CO gas was observed in the initial 5 seconds of the oxidation; however, this was followed by a period of high evolution rate of CO gas. The partial pressure of CO gas decreased with further progress of the decarbonization. The overall reaction is decomposed to two elementary reactions: the decarbonization and the dissolution rate of oxygen. The assumptions were made that these reactions are at equilibrium and that the reaction rates are controlled by mass transfer rates within and around the gas bubble. The time variations of carbon and oxygen contents in the melt and the CO partial pressure in the off-gas under various bubbling conditions were well explained by the mathematical model. Based on the present model, it was explained that the decarbonization rate of molten iron was controlled by gas-phase mass transfer at the first stage of reaction, but the rate controlling step was transferred to liquid-phase mass transfer from one third of reaction time.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.53-60
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• 2021

In EAF steelmaking industries, MgO content in slag increases due to the addition of dolomite flux to protect refractory lines of furnaces and improve the desulfurization capability of slag. In addition, coal powder is injected in the molten steel bath to increase the energy efficiency of the process. In this regard, the utilization of waste MgO-C refractory material as a flux was examined because it has high amounts of MgO (>70%) and graphite carbon (>10%). A series of experiments were carried out using industrial EAF slag with added light burnt dolomite and waste MgO refractory material from a Korean steel company. The results for the addition of the two fluxes were similar in terms of slag basicity; therefore, it is expected that waste MgO-C refractory material can successfully replace dolomite flux. In addition, when the waste MgO-C refractory material was added as flux, slag foaming phenomenon was demonstrated because of the reaction between the graphite from the refractory material and iron oxides in the slag.