Multi-phase Flow of Liquid/Liquid System in Steelmaking Process

Abstract

Steelmaking process consists of refining and solidification. In refining process, the impurity elements are removed by chemical reaction between slag and molten steel, mainly. To improve the reaction rate, the emulsion of fine steel droplets in slag is a useful measure. Solidification is mostly conducted by continuous casting process. In this process, lubrication between the solidification shell and mold is important and the molten oxide (mold flux) is added on the surface of molten steel. However, the entrainment of the mold flux causes the defects of the products. Many researches have been conducted in this field to clarify the multi-phase flow between molten oxide and steel. In this paper, the emulsion phenomena of molten metal in slag and entrainment of oxide in continuous casting processed are reviewed.