Control of oxide non-metallic inclusions in production of IF steel

Modern trends in the automotive industry are aimed at reducing vehicle weight and increasing its safety. The high ductility of IF-BH steel in combination with increased strength allows the use of thinner rolled products in the car body structure. Achievement of high plastic properties in IF-BH steel is ensured by the low content of nitrogen and carbon (C <40 ppm, N <40 ppm) and controlled carbon content in the solid solution. The majority of sheet surface defects are associated with non-metallic inclusions. The presence of non-metallic inclusions in the finished product violates its homogeneity, deteriorates the surface properties of steel, fatigue strength and plastic characteristics of the metal. As a result of the work performed by the methods of fractional gas and micro-X-ray spectral analysis on a scanning electron microscope, metal samples of three IF-BH steel melts were analyzed, taken along the entire process chain of production. The main types of oxide non-metallic inclusions in the steel were quantitatively determined, as well as the total oxygen and nitrogen content in the metal. It is shown that the main types of oxide non-metallic inclusions in the investigated metal samples are aluminates, silicates and spinel. An increase in nitrogen content in the metal after breakdown of the vacuum on the VD was established, which indicates secondary oxidation of the metal. In metal of the samples in the section between the tundish and the crystallizer, nitrogen content in the metal increases which indicates the secondary metal oxidation. At the same time, the content of inclusions of aluminates in the metal increased and the number of inclusions of aluminum-magnesium spinel decreased. A mathematical model and software have been developed that describe the formation and removal of oxide nonmetallic inclusions. Adequacy of the program was confirmed by good convergence between the calculated and laboratory data on the total content [O] in various types of oxides for the first sample at the ladle-furnace unit and in the slab.

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