Effect of Reduced Flux Iron Ore Pellets on Removal of Impurities from Pig Iron During Induction Melting: A New Phenomenon

Abstract

The present work represents a comparative study of impurity removal (sulfur, phosphorus, and carbon) from pig iron melt by the addition of lime powder and reduced fluxed iron ore pellets separately in a 5-kg-capacity induction melting furnace. Two types of reduced flux pellets (80% and 50%) of similar basicity (~3.06) were charged separately into the pool to obtain the different oxidizing atmospheres of the bath. Results showed that the rate of impurity removal increases up to 6 min of exposure time and decreases afterward. Only lime powder charging, sulfur (~77%), and a small fraction of carbon were removed from pig iron. Phosphorous (~41%), sulfur (~53%), and carbon (~96%) were removed simultaneously when 80% reduced fluxed pellets were used. The present study indicates that the optimum removal of impurities is possible by charging 80% reduced flux iron ore pellets from the pig iron melt. © 2017, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society.