(1. Hongxing Iron and Steel Co., Ltd., Jiuquan Iron and Steel Group Corporation,
Jiayuguan 735100, Gansu, China;2. School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering,
University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China)
Abstract:In order to improve product quality of 304 stainless steel, the effect of LF slag basicity on inclusions in the Sikilled 304 austenitic stainless steel during the LF refining and continuous casting process was researched using SEM+EDS analytical methods and thermodynamic calculations combining with industrial practices. The results showed that the mass percent of total oxygen and the inclusion density decrease throughout the process. A highbasicity slag of 1.75 can obtain a lower mass percent of total oxygen and inclusion density, but a higher mass percent of Al2O3 of inclusion and melting temperature. A low basicity slag of 1.53 results in a higher total mass percent of oxygen compared with a highbasicity slag, but lowers the mass percent of Al2O3 and CaO in inclusions and raises the mass percent of SiO2 and MnO in inclusions, lowering the melting temperature of inclusions and improving the deformability of inclusions. For 304 stainless steel products, different production processes can be adopted to meet product requirements.