Characteristics and evolution of advanced modern electroslag remelting technologies

Electroslag remelting (ESR) is a key technology for the preparation of high-quality steel and alloys. It has obvious advantages in ingot quality and material formation rate. With the rapid development of China′s equipment manufacturing industry, the requirements for the quality and performance of the steels and alloys used are constantly improving. However, the traditional electroslag remelting technology has faced problems such as high electricity consumption and poor stability of product quality. The core of the development of modern electroslag metallurgy technology lies in the stable control of the shallow flat metal pool and the efficient removal of impurity elements. The goal is reaching a higher cleanliness, a higher solidification quality and a higher production efficiency. In order to let national metallurgists understand the latest development of current electroslag remelting technology, so as to facilitate its development and application in China. The advanced technologies and theories that have emerged in recent years at home and abroad are reviewed. The application characteristics and evolution direction of related technologies at home and abroad are analyzed. China is basically synchronized with the international advanced level in the electroslag furnace equipment manufacturing, gas-protected electroslag remelting technology, coaxial power supply technology and crystallizer conductive technology. Compared with foreign countries, perfect and reliable slag system configuration theory and thermodynamic and kinetic theory of the refining process have not been formed in China, which seriously limits the improvement of quality of electroslag products. Low frequency power technology, vacuum electroslag remelting technology and electroslag remelting technology with a rotating electrode have high prospects for industrial application, impact of which on the process and product quality needs to be further clarified. Swing control has become the major control technology of international advanced electroslag enterprises, but the shortcomings of China′s electroslag furnace manufacturing. The constant pool shape control technology with the help of online detection and simulation technology will be the development direction of control technology of electroslag metallurgy in China.