KINETIC-STUDIES ON THE DESULFURIZATION OF ALUMINUM KILLED LOW-CARBON STEEL USING SYNTHETIC FLUXES

Laboratory size (5 kg) aluminum killed low carbon steel melts were des ulfurized with synthetic fluxes in zirconia crucibles. The sulfur, oxy gen, aluminium, silicon and manganese contents in the melt were determ ined as a function of refining time and temperature. With a good argon shield and synthetic flux cover, melt reoxidation was not observed. S ulfur removal followed first order reaction kinetics. The effectivenes s of calcia saturated calcium-aluminate (12CaO.7Al2O3) based fluxes in desulfurizing the steel melts was evaluated. The effects of initial s ulfur level of the melt, weight of the flux (slag) and additions of te llurium, fluorspar and barium oxide to the melt on the kinetics of des ulfurization were also studied.