Requirements of Converter Steelmaking on Iron Oxide Skin
The production of steel in an electric arc-furnace is becoming increasingly popular in steel-producing countries, such as China, because of its cost-effectiveness and production flexibility. In the process, a large quantity of oxygen-enriched air is introduced directly into the molten metal in order to refine steel. Before refining, the quality of raw materials, including iron oxide skin, determines to a large degree the quality of the final product. Therefore, it becomes essential that the quality of iron oxide skin meets the requirements and standards set by the converter steelmaking process.
The primary requirements for the iron oxide skin include good electrical conductivity, an acceptable level of impurities, and a layer of oxide oxide which is thick enough to provide good protection to the molten metal. Ideally, the iron oxide skin should contain as few impurities as possible, such as sulfur, phosphorus, chromium, and manganese. If the concentration of these impurities increases, they can severely reduce the quality of the resulting steel. The electrical conductivity of the iron oxide skin is equally important, as it determines the effectiveness of the converter in refining the steel efficiently at high temperatures. If the electrical conductivity is too low, the converter wont be able to process the steel as quickly and effectively as it should.
Finally, the iron oxide skin should have a layer of iron oxide which is thick enough to provide adequate protection to the molten metal. This layer needs to be able to endure high temperatures for an extended period of time without cracking, flaking, or corroding. The thickness of the layer dictates how quickly the converter steelmaking process is able to refine the steel. If the iron oxide skin is not thick enough, the converter will not be able to process the steel as quickly and effectively as it should.
In the converter steelmaking process, good quality iron oxide skin is essential for producing high quality steel products. The iron oxide skin needs to be free of impurities, possess adequate electrical conductivity, and have a thick enough layer of iron oxide to provide adequate protection to the molten metal. Only when the iron oxide skin meets all these criteria can the converter steelmaking process produce high quality steel.
