SECONDARY STEEL MAKING & WHEEL CASTING

G. CHOWDHURY Prof. (Met)

STEEL MELTING PRACTICE

Electric steel making is a SECONDARY STEEL Making process High alloy & sophisticated steels are made in electric arc furnace. Both S & P can be controlled in this process

REFRACTORIES
Basic refractories are used. Bottom is monolithic made of Magnesite Dry Ramming Mass (DRM). Slag line is made of Mag-Carb. Brick. Remaining portion is Magnesite brick. Roof is high alumina brick.

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CHARGING SEQUENCE & ARCING

Pet coke and 50% of total lime to be charged at the bottom Then light scrap Heavy scrap and foundry returns Light boring & turning Closing the hood Lowering of Electrodes Start Arcing
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DESULPHERISATION
CONDITIONS FOR DESULPHERISATION Reducing condition of bath. Low basicity preferably 2.00 High fluidity of slag. Intimate contact between slag & metal High temperature of the bath(preferably greater than 15500C)
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DEPHOSPHORISATION
CONDITIONS FOR DEPHOSPHORISATION Low temperature Viscous slag Oxidizing condition High Basicity (more than 2.5)

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PROCESS OF OXIDATION
After melting lance oxygen (Carbon boiling) May charge iron ore. Keep the furnace door open for entry of adequate air. This is purification stage of steel. Phosphorus is eliminated in this stage. Gases like H2 & N2 are eliminated in this stage. Over oxidation is to be avoided. All siliceous impurities are eliminated as slag.
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PROCESS OF REDUCTION
O2 potential in the bath is brought down by adding reducing agents Reducing agents are FeSi, FeMn, Al, SiMn etc. Based on the steel to be manufactured reducing agents are to be selected Sulpher is eliminated at this stage
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ALLOYING
Depending on the chemical composition of steel, it is alloyed. Alloying always to be made at the reducing state except Ni & V. Best sequence of alloying is FeSi, FeMn, FeCr & at the last Al. Killing by Al to be avoided or else to be minimised.
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POURING
Final deoxidation should be in the ladle. Temp of pouring depends on the Carbon & other alloying elements in the steel. The size and geometry of casting also determines the temp of pouring. Pouring temp should be optimised in the lower side. Speed of pouring should be optimised on the higher side.
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LADLE PREPARATION
Steel shell layered with Alumina brick (IS 8) High Alumina Ramming Mass at the bottom Layer of High Alumina Brick at the bottom Gaps are filled up by Ramming Mass Side wall also with High Alumina Brick Gaps are filled up by High Alumina Mortar Gap between IS-8 and High Alumina brick filled with slurry of Burnt Magnesite bricks, Chips of other bricks, Ramming Mass etc.
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LADLE PREPARATION

Contd.

The lip and edges are prepared by Ramming Mass Allowed to air dry for 24 hours Subjected to curing cycle through specific heating plan to 9000C over 72 hours Brought down to 7500C Hold Ready Ladle preparation and heating cycle is very important to get clean metal and long life
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POWER CONSUMPTION
IDEAL CONSUMPTION OF POWER 462 KWH/MT (Ref. MSTS) Normally it should not exceed more than 20% of the ideal Power.
Practical power consumption is 650-700 KWH/MT for making medium carbon steel
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POWER CONSUMPTION
TO REDUCE POWER CONSUMPTION Top surface of the f/c should be loaded with turning & boring This will facilitate easy bore-in stage of electrodes Excess heavy scrap should not be charged at the bottom. This may cause damage to the bottom as well as will take more time to lift the material in melt down stage.
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GOOD MELTING PRACTICE

Power consumption at various stage (PF=0.75)
Bore-in Melt down Refining Total 300 unit 396 unit 066 unit 762 unit 50% 30% 20%
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Charge composition
HMS MMS LMS, Turning & Boring
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GOOD MELTING PRACTICE

Over heating of furnace to be avoided Pre-heat ladle (5000C 7000C) before pouring Specific pre-heating cycle of ladle is essential Correct basicity of slag should be maintained Correct tap positions during melting is essential Pre-heated Ferro Alloys should be charged At least 20 point carbon boil is essential Ferro Alloys should be estimated based on the furnace condition Clean steel can be produced in clean and healthy furnace
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WHEEL CASTING
Major slag is removed from the top of ladle Ladle placed in JOHN MOHR Pit Al. star thrust into as final deoxidiser Sample taken for Chemical Analysis & H2 Top cover with Silimenite tube sits on top Graphite Mould sits on the top of tube Pit pressurised by air to lift the liq. Metal Liq. Metal flow to the mould to fill cavity
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WHEEL CASTING

Contd

Plunger brought down to seal the gating Mould placed on conveyor, next one in Stripping after pre-determined time to take away the Risers along with top Wheels placed on conveyor to tunnel Moulds go back for cleaning and recycling Sprue Wash, Stamping & Hub Cutting Placed to Moving Bed Normalising Furnace followed by Rim Quenching, Tempering and Hub Quenching
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WHEEL INSPECTION
After Hub quenching, cooled to RT Shot blasting to clean and impart compressive stress Visual Inspection in normal light Magnaflux Test for surface & sub-surface under UV light Wheels with removable defect sent for defect removal through grinding & rechecking Automated Multi probe UT in Sprue area
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WHEEL INSPECTION

Contd

Hardness Testing Final Hub boring Final shot blasting Warpage checking Final Dimensional checking Other Mech. Testing one in each Heat Closure Test & Hardness mapping 1 in 500
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CAST WHEELS AT RWF

Wheels to RDSO Spec. No. R-19 PartIII/1993. Producing both BOXN & Carriage wheels Production target this year is 2 lacs Continuous three shift operation Looking forward for Loco wheel production Axle forging from bloom a parallel activity Final product: Wheel sets & loose wheels Total production connected by LAN
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CAST WHEELS AT RWF

Metallurgically forging route better than casting Special technique of controlled pressure casting Equivalent to forging route, even better Cross dendritc structure barrier to dislocation movement Mechanical properties as stipulated are well met High K1C value Resistance against catastrophic failure in service
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CAST Vs FORGED WHEELS

High rate of production Machining of wheel is eliminated, any plate design In casting internal defect position is known So, very easy to ensure soundness Very uniform Quality No non-uniform quality arising of non-uniform hot working with wide difference of reduction ratio Cleanliness is achieved by refining of steel in EAF One thin series of inclusion as per ASTM E-45 Unique deoxidation ensures globulized alumina This helps in achieving K1C value of the steel
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