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Metallurgical and Material Properties of Castings Manufactured from

Stainless Steel G-X4CrNi13-4 and G-X4CrNiCu13-4

Article  in  Manufacturing Technology · March 2013

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 Metallurgical and Material Properties of Castings Manufactured from Stainless Steel
G-X4CrNi13-4 and G-X4CrNiCu13-4
Odehnal Josef, MSc., Technical Department, PILSEN STEEL s.r.o.
E-mail: josef.odehnal@pilsensteel.cz
Brotánek Stanislav, MSc. Ph.D., Technical Department, PILSEN STEEL s.r.o.

This article presents the metallurgical and material properties of castings from stainless steel G-X4CrNi13-4 and
G-X4CrNiCu13-4, which can be obtained under the conditions of the Foundry shop of PILSEN STEEL s.r.o.
The article mentions furnace units of primary and secondary metallurgy in which the stated quality steel is
produced. By way of illustration of achieved properties of melt, the heat analyses and micro-purity of steel are
shown. Mechanical properties of steel are represented in well arranged graphs showing achieved values of the
yield point, tensile strength, and impact energy at various temperatures, such as for example: 20, -10, -20, -30, -
40, -50 a -60°C. By way of illustration, there are figures of the castings most frequently produced from stainless
steel in the Foundry shop of PILSEN STEEL s.r.o. In the end, the article points out what effect has micro-purity
of steel on the value of impact energy.

Key words: metallurgy, stainless steel, micro-purity of steel, mechanical properties, PILSEN STEEL s.r.o.

1 Introduction
With the development of production of power industry equipment, there are higher demands on casting quality. To
meet the strict requirements, continuous improvement of all production operations is necessary. It is also necessary to
know what material values can be obtained in regular production. Therefore, the following chapters deal with
metallurgy of stainless steel production under the conditions of the Steelmaking shop of PILSEN STEEL s.r.o. and
material properties of castings.

2 Metallurgy of Stainless Steel Produced in PILSEN STEEL s.r.o.

Production of high mass high alloy stainless steels for castings is performed from quality solid charge in the way
EAF -> LF -> SS-VOD. Triplex process of the production is divided into three units due to economy and excellent final
material properties of steel. The course of production operations is shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 The course of operations in the production of stainless steels [1]

Steel production starts with charge melting in electric arch furnace (EAF) and follow-up slag free tapping into
refining ladle. Tapped crude steel is being alloyed in ladle furnace with a minimum burn-out to required chemical
composition prior to follow-up treatment in Strong Stirring - Vacuum Oxygen Decarburisation (SS-VOD) device.
Prealloy steel is being refined in SS-VOD device, which reduces the carbon content, the content of dissolved gases, and
the content of other undesirable elements. Schematic representation of the melt production is shown in Fig. 2. [2] and [3]

Fig. 2 Schematic representation of melt production [2]

2.1 Primary Metallurgy
Melting of high alloy charge can take place in 50t (HP) EAF with a side slag free tapping with an attached slide-
valve mechanism or in 75t (UHP) EAF with a bottom slag free tapping with an attached slide-valve mechanism (RBT).
In these units, there is only melting of solid high alloy charge and continuous reduction of chromium oxide from
slag into bath being carried out. In tapping of melting into the ladle, it is possible to prealloy the crude steel.
2.2 Secondary Metallurgy
Further operation is crude steel alloying using chromium and other elements in a ladle furnace where required chemical
composition and needed temperature of melting prior to follow-up treatment in SS-VOD device are achieved. [2]
Refining of alloy crude steel is carried out in SS-VOD device, where operations shown in Fig. 1 take place. In this
device, it is possible to produce melt with maximum weight of 120 tons. Another device, where high alloy low carbon
steel can be produced, is ASEA-SKF; on production of these sorts of steels, see bibliography [4]. Combining a process
of SS-VOD and of ASEA-SKF can produce in total 240 tons of liquid metal ready for mold casting.
Steel produced in devices of secondary metallurgy is poured for refining ladles, see Fig. 3, which are equipped with
one or two outlet nodes controlled by hydraulic slide-valve mechanisms.

Fig. 3 Used refining ladles [2]

3 Achieved Properties of Melting

Achieved properties of the melting are referred in chemical analyses and micro-purity of steel.
3.1 Chemical Analysis of Selected Melts
In Table 1, there is shown what chemical composition can be achieved at mentioned steels.
Tab. 1 Chemical analysis of selected melts

Chemical composition of melt No. 23702 material: G-X4CrNi13-4 by the EN 10283

C Mn Si P S Cr Ni Mo Al Cu N H O aO
[%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [ppm] [ppm] [ppm] [ppm]

0,030 0,53 0,39 0,027 0,004 12,73 3,51 0,44 0,013 0,13 120 0,4 47 6,23

Chemical composition of melt No. 22820 material: G-X4CrNiCu13-4 by the TU108-923-80 and the TR630-322

C Mn Si P S Cr Ni Mo Al Cu N H O aO
[%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [ppm] [ppm] [ppm] [ppm]

0,024 0,42 0,25 0,015 0,010 12,60 2,95 0,049 0,015 0,87 120 0,8 57 8,36

Chemical composition of melt No. 24183 material: G-X4CrNi13-4 by the EN 10283

C Mn Si P S Cr Ni Mo Al Cu N H O aO
[%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [ppm] [ppm] [ppm] [ppm]

0,007 0,72 0,44 0,024 0,006 12,85 3,78 0,48 0,012 0,17 70 0,25 20 4,18
3.2 Micro-purity of Selected Melts
To prove a good metallurgical treatment of melting, micro-purities of steels of selected melts are shown in Fig. 4, 5
and 6. The melts were cast into molds prepared from chromic and silica opening material bound with furan resin.
 Fig. 4 Micro-purity of steel - melt No. 23702

Fig. 5 Micro-purity of steel - melt No. 22820

Fig. 6 Micro-purity of steel - melt No. 24183

3.2.1 Evaluation of the Micro-purity of Selected Melts

Micro-purity of steel in accordance with ČSN ISO 4967 standard, based on which the worst place was evaluated for
each type of inclusion - method A, and a share of the number of fields for each type of inclusion – method B.
At selected high alloy melts, only globular oxides in various amounts were present.

4 Mechanical Properties Achieved at Castings Poured from Stainless Steel

To represent the achieved mechanical properties of described materials, the results from 8 melts of quality G-
X4CrNi13-4 were used, and are shown in graphs in Fig. 7 to 10, then the results from 4 melts of quality
G-X4CrNiCu13-4, and are shown in graphs in Fig. 11 to 14. For completeness, the required mechanical properties are
shown in Table 2 and 3.
Tab. 2 Required mechanical properties for the material G-X4CrNi13-4 per EN 10283 (QT1)

Required mechanical properties for the material G-X4CrNi13-4 per EN 10283 (QT1)

Rp0,2 [MPa] Rm [MPa] A5 [%] KV [J] +20°C

min. 550 760 - 960 min. 15 min. 50

Tab. 3 Required mechanical properties for the material G-X4CrNiCu13-4 per TU 108-923-80 and TR 630-322

Required mechanical properties for the material G-X4CrNiCu13-4 per TU 108-923-80 and TR 630-322

Rp0,2 [MPa] Rm [MPa] A5 [%] KV [J] +20°C

min. 490 686 min. 14 min. 49

Fig. 7 Achieved values of the yield point of material G-X4CrNi13-4

Fig. 8 Achieved values of the tensile strength of material G-X4CrNi13-4

Fig. 9 Achieved values of the elongation of material G-X4CrNi13-4

Fig. 10 Achieved values of impact energy at different temperatures for material G-X4CrNi13-4

Fig. 11 Achieved values of the yield point of material G-X4CrNiCu13-4

Fig. 12 Achieved values of the tensile strength of material G-X4CrNiCu13-4

Fig. 13 Achieved values of the elongation of material G-X4CrNiCu13-4

 Fig. 14 Achieved values of impact energy at different temperatures of material G-X4CrNiCu13-4
4.1 Evaluation of Mechanical Properties Achieved at Castings Poured from Stainless Steel
Evaluation of mechanical properties which was carried out on samples removed from cast-in test specimens of
individual heat treated castings, took the following results:

Material G-X4CrNi13-4
Values of yield point of the material exceed a basic regulation at least of 70 MPa, and in other cases, the values are
even higher. Values of tensile strength in most cases exceed a basic regulation. Values of elongation exceed in all cases
a basic regulation. Values of impact energy at temperature of +20°C exceed in all cases a basic regulation of at least 2.5
times. At negative temperatures, a value of impact energy slightly decreases and down to -50°C it does not go below
110 J. A value of impact energy at -60°C was at two melts 98 J and 99 J but at other melts, this value exceeded 100 J.

Material G-X4CrNiCu13-4
Values of yield point of the material exceed a basic regulation at least of 128 , and in other cases, the values are
much higher. Values of tensile strength in all cases exceed a basic regulation at least of 82 MPa. Values of elongation
exceed in all cases a basic regulation. Values of impact energy at temperature of +20°C exceed in all cases a basic
regulation of at least 2 times. At negative temperatures, a value of impact energy significantly decreases down to -50°C
it does not go below 50 J. A value of impact energy at -60°C was at one melt 42 J, J but at other melts, this value
exceeded a basic regulation.

5 Examples of Castings Poured from Steel G-X4CrNi13-4 and G-X4CrNiCu13-4 in PILSEN STEEL
s.r.o.
By way of illustration, castings from steel G-X4CrNi13-4 are shown; they are hubs and rims of the Francis turbine,
see Fig.15 to 18.
Casting from the material G-X4CrNiCu13-4 are used for bodies of steam turbines with lower working temperatures
of steam, see Fig. 19 and 20; these castings are intended for use in nuclear power plants.

Fig. 15 The Runner Crown, (water work Dlouhe Strane, CZ) the net weight of the workpiece: 23,750 kg
 Fig. 16 The Runner Band, (water work Dlouhe Strane, CZ) the net weight of the workpiece: 16,900 kg

Fig. 17 The Runner Crown, (water work Sayan-šušenskaja, RUS), the net weight of the workpiece: 60,083 kg

Fig. 18 The Runner Band, the net weight of the workpiece: 5,483 kg

Fig. 19 The lower half of the body (NP), the net weight of the workpiece: 8300 kg, material G-X4CrNiCu13-4
 Fig. 20 The lower half of the body (NP), the net weight of the workpiece: 40,700 kg, material G-X4CrNiCu13-4

6 Conclusion
The article point out the method of production of stainless steel for castings in PILSEN STEEL s.r.o. and proves the
achieved chemical composition and micro-purity of selected melts, see Chapter 3 and Chap. 3.2.1. Furthermore, the
achieved mechanical properties at melts of quality G-X4CrNi13-4 and G-X4CrNiCu13-4 are evaluated in Chap. 4.1.
From the results of the analyses, it follows that it is possible to produce quality high mass stainless steels with high
micro-purity and thereby achieve excellent results of mechanical values. In addition, an unequivocal dependence of
impact energy on micro-purity of steel was proved. To achieve stated values of impact energy, high micro-purity of
steel is needed. To achieve excellent results, it is necessary to have perfectly managed also heat treatment of castings.
From the above mentioned, it follows that PILSEN STEEL s.r.o. can produce stainless steel castings G-X4CrNi13-4
and G-X4CrNiCu13-4 with very strict quality requirements for the melting and its mechanical values. Regarding
achieved properties of mentioned stainless steels, we can easily succeed in the competition for contracts.
Furthermore, it is possible to increase micro-purity if steel and thereby strengthen the position in the market.

References
[1] STEFANESCU, D. M. Metals handbook: VOLUME 15 - Casting [online]. 9th ed. Metals Park, Ohio: American
Society for Metals, c1978-c1989, 948 - 957 [cit. 2012-12-12]. ISBN 0-87170-007-7.
[2] ODEHNAL, J. Vliv metalurgie a technologie odlévání na kvalitu těžkých ocelových odlitků. Ostrava, 2012,
Diplomová práce. VŠB-TU Ostrava, FMMI, Katedra Slévárenství.
[3] FRUEHAN, R. Casting volume: Historical aspects and key technologies [online]. [Elektronische Ressource],
11. ed. Pittsburgh, Pa: AISE Steel Foundation, 2003 [cit. 2012-12-12]. ISBN 0-930767-04-7.
[4] STAVEHAUG, L. Operational Experiences with the ASEA-SKF Ladle Furnace in Stainless Steelmaking.
Modern Refining Techniques: Electric Furnace Proceedings [online]. 1970 [cit. 2012-12-12].

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