Claims
- 1. A method of determining melting temperature of inclusions within a batch of molten steel, the method comprising the steps of:
determining steel composition of said batch of molten steel; measuring temperature of said batch of molten steel; measuring free oxygen content of said batch of molten steel; and computing melting temperature of inclusions within said batch of steel as a function of said inclusion composition, said temperature and said free oxygen content.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of determining inclusion composition includes the steps of:
obtaining a sample of said batch of molten steel; and analyzing said sample to determine steel composition thereof.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the analyzing step includes analyzing said sample in a spectrometer to determine steel composition thereof.
- 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said steel composition includes percentages of manganese and silicon within said batch of molten steel.
- 5. A system for determining melting temperature of inclusions within a batch of molten steel, the system comprising:
means for determining steel composition of said batch of molten steel; a temperature sensor producing a temperature value indicative of temperature of said batch of molten steel; an oxygen sensor producing an oxygen value indicative of free oxygen content of said batch of molten steel; and a computer configured to determine melting temperature of inclusions within said batch of steel as a function of said steel composition, said temperature value and said oxygen value.
- 6. The system of claim 5 wherein said device capable of determining steel composition includes a spectrometer operable to determine steel composition of a sample of said batch of molten steel.
- 7. The system of claim 5 wherein said temperature sensor and said oxygen sensor are included within a single probe configured for immersion into said batch of molten steel.
- 8. The system of claim 5 wherein said steel composition includes percentages of Mn and Si within said batch of molten steel.
- 9. A method of determining a quantity of flux to be added to a batch of molten steel to reduce an initial sulfur content thereof to a desired sulfur content, the method comprising the steps of:
determining initial flux and alloy quantities comprising said batch of molten steel; determining quantity and composition of slag carryover within said batch of molten steel; determining quantity of alloy added to said batch of molten steel; measuring weight of said batch of molten steel; measuring temperature of said batch of molten steel; measuring free oxygen content of said batch of molten steel; and computing a quantity of flux to be added to said batch of molten steel to reduce said initial sulfur content to said desired sulfur content, said quantity of flux a function of said initial flux and alloy quantities, said quantity and composition of slag carryover, said quantity of alloy added to said batch of molten steel, and said weight, temperature and free oxygen content of said batch of molten steel.
- 10. The method of claim 9 further including the steps of:
determining said initial sulfur content of said batch of molten steel; and determining said desired sulfur content of said batch of molten steel; and wherein the computing step includes computing said quantity of flux further as a function of said initial sulfur content and said desired sulfur content.
- 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of determining initial flux and alloy quantities and said initial sulfur content includes the steps of:
obtaining a sample of said batch of molten steel; and analyzing said sample to determine said alloy quantities and said initial sulfur content.
- 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the analyzing step includes analyzing said sample in a spectrometer to determine said alloy quantities and said initial sulfur content.
- 13. A system for determining a quantity of flux to be added to a batch of molten steel to reduce an initial sulfur content thereof to a desired sulfur content, the system comprising:
means for determining initial flux and alloy quantities comprising said batch of molten steel; means for determining a weight value indicative of weight of said batch of molten steel; a temperature sensor producing a temperature value indicative of temperature of said batch of molten steel; an oxygen sensor producing an oxygen value indicative of free oxygen content of said batch of molten steel; and a computer configured to determine a quantity of flux to be added to said batch of molten steel to reduce said initial sulfur content to said desired sulfur content, said quantity of flux a function of said initial flux and alloy quantities, a quantity and composition of slag carryover, a quantity of alloy added to said batch of molten steel, said weight value, temperature value and said oxygen value.
- 14. The system of claim 13 further including means for determining said initial sulfur content of said batch of molten steel;
and wherein said computer is configured to determine said quantity of flux further as a function of said initial sulfur content and said desired sulfur content.
- 15. The system of claim 14 wherein said means for determining initial flux and alloy quantities and said initial sulfur content includes a spectrometer operable to determine said alloy quantities and said initial sulfur content.
- 16. The system of claim 13 wherein said temperature sensor and said oxygen sensor are included within a single probe configured for immersion into said batch of molten steel.
- 17. A method of determining a quantity of oxygen to be added to a batch of molten steel to increase an initial free oxygen content thereof to a desired free oxygen content, the method comprising the steps of:
determining inclusion composition and total steel oxygen content within said batch of molten steel; measuring weight of said batch of molten steel; measuring said initial free oxygen content of said batch of molten steel; determining said desired free oxygen content of said batch of molten steel; and computing a quantity of oxygen to be added to said batch of molten steel to increase said initial free oxygen content thereof to said desired free oxygen content, said quantity of oxygen a function of said inclusion composition, said total steel oxygen content, and said weight, said initial free oxygen content and said desired free oxygen content of said batch of molten steel.
- 18. The method of claim 17 further including an oxygen injection unit having a pressurized oxygen source coupled to an immersible oxygen injection lance defining an oxygen injection opening of a predefined cross-sectional area, the method further including the step of computing a total time of injection of oxygen by said oxygen injection unit into said batch of molten steel as a function of said quantity of oxygen to be added to said batch of molten steel, pressure of said oxygen source and said cross-sectional area of said oxygen injection opening.
- 19. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of determining inclusion composition and total steel oxygen within said batch of molten steel includes the steps of:
obtaining a sample of said batch of molten steel; and analyzing said sample to determine said inclusion composition and total steel oxygen content.
- 20. The method of claim 19 wherein the analyzing step includes analyzing said sample to determine said inclusion composition and total steel oxygen content.
- 21. A system for determining a quantity of oxygen to be added to a batch of molten steel to increase an initial free oxygen content thereof to a desired free oxygen content, the system comprising:
device capable of determining inclusion composition within said batch of molten steel; device capable of determining total steel oxygen content of said batch of molten steel; device capable of determining a weight value indicative of weight of said batch of molten steel; an oxygen sensor producing an oxygen value indicative of said initial free oxygen content of said batch of molten steel; and a computer configured to determine a quantity of oxygen to be added to said batch of molten steel to increase said initial free oxygen content thereof to said desired free oxygen content, said quantity of oxygen a function of said inclusion composition, said total steel oxygen content, said weight value, said oxygen value and said desired free oxygen content.
- 22. The system of claim 21 further including:
an oxygen injection unit including a source of pressurized oxygen coupled to an immersible oxygen injection lance defining an oxygen injection opening of a predefined cross-sectional area; and a device capable of producing a pressure value indicative of oxygen injection pressure of said oxygen injection unit; and wherein said computer is further configured to determine a total time of injection of oxygen by said oxygen injection unit into said batch of molten steel as a function of said quantity of oxygen to be added to said batch of molten steel, said pressure value and said predefine cross-sectional area of said oxygen injection opening of said oxygen injection lance.
- 23. The system of claim 21 wherein said means for determining inclusion composition within said batch of molten steel and said means for determining total steel oxygen content of said batch of molten steel comprise an electron microprobe operable to determine said inclusion composition.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/077,006, filed Feb. 15, 2002.
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10077006 |
Feb 2002 |
US |
Child |
10886720 |
Jul 2004 |
US |