High-Temperature Rheometric and Melting Experiments of Refining-Type Ladle Slag Systems

Refining ladle slags play an irreplaceable role in the production technology of appropriate quality steel of a given assumed grade. Without good slag, there is no high-quality steel. In this work, we have analyzed the behavior of the slag-forming powder used in industrial conditions, forming a typical refining slag system. The slag-forming powder, Al2O3-SiO2-CaO-MgO-Fe2O3, was examined using a microscope and a high-temperature rheometer. Rheometrical tests were carried out in variable shear conditions, at shear rates of 3–30 s−1 and temperatures in the range of 1451–1500°C. In addition, thermodynamic calculations were performed using FactSage 7.3 databases. Based on the tests performed and the results obtained, it can be concluded that it is impossible to perform rheometric tests of basic slag-forming powder in the analyzed conditions of chemical composition and temperature. In order to obtain rheological characteristics, a slag-forming powder, CaO, was added, modeling the refining slag system. Such a modification of the chemical composition gave the opportunity to perform experiments in the liquid and semi-liquid state.