Ladle furnace’s main functions and benefits for companies

Main functions of ladle furnace steelmaking

1. Temperature rise of molten steel and heat preservation function 

Liquid steel is heated by electric arc to obtain new heat energy, which can not only add alloy and adjust composition during ladle refining, but also add slag, which is convenient for deep desulfurization and deoxidation of liquid steel. What’s more, the start pouring temperature of liquid steel required by continuous casting is guaranteed, which is conducive to the improvement of dry slab quality.

2. Argon stirring function

The molten steel obtains a certain mixing function, because Argon is blown into the molten steel through the permeable brick that is installed at the bottom of the ladle. And the stirring of molten steel has the following advantages:

a. The temperature of molten steel is uniform;

b. The molten steel and the bottom of the slag layer have the function of washing and scrubbing, so as to quickly desulfurize;

c. Remove inclusions in molten steel;

d. Control inclusion morphology;

e. Easy for carburization or decarburization;

f. Reduce oxygen content.

3. Vacuum degassing function

After the ladle is hoisted into the vacuum tank, the steam jet pump is used for vacuum degassing. Meanwhile, the hydrogen content and nitrogen content in the molten steel can be removed by blowing argon into the molten steel at the bottom of the ladle, further reducing the oxygen content and sulphur content, and ultimately obtaining higher purity liquid steel and superior performance material.

Benefits of ladle heating furnace's application for the whole enterprise

1. Speed up the production rhythm and improve the overall metallurgical production efficiency. According to statistics, the productivity can be increased by 25% after adding ladle refining furnace after melting furnace.

2. Because the temperature of molten steel supplied to the continuous caster is very moderate, the leakage rate of the continuous caster can be reduced and the yield in production can be improved.

3. Improve the purity of molten steel to melt various metallurgical products with high material performance requirements.