Journal of Material Sciences & Engineering

Wetting of Olivine Sand against Steel Alloys

Abstract

Rastgoo Oskoui P and Payam RO

Olivine sand is used in steel plants operating with Electric Arc Furnaces as Eccentric Bottom Tap Hole. The free opening rate is mainly determined by the performance of the tap hole filler sand. A free opening occurs when steel flows freely from the tap hole to ladle once the tap hole is opened. Various parameters such as sintering behavior, particle size distribution, wettability, etc. affect the performance of the sand. One of the important factors affecting the performance of sand is wetting the sand by molten steel. Olivine sand is a type of sand that used in electric arc furnaces. Wetting of Olivine sand against FeO alloys were presented. The wetting characteristics of liquid FeO alloys in a matrix of the Olivine sand at air pressure and temperature of 1650°C were studied by determining the liquid metal- Olivine contact angles. The median wetting angle values from textually equilibrated samples were found 100°. These results suggest that the steel melt forms in isolated pockets at grain corners or on grain boundaries. This will Increase the permeability of sand And the performance of the tap hole filler sand.