Effects of oxygen pressure, Al2O3 and MgO on the liquidus surface of FeOx-SiO2-CaO system

Various basic data are available for FeOX-SiO2-CaO system in coexistence wi th metallic iron, which are useful to reductive smelting, but available dat a are scarce on the effect of minor oxides, especially at higher oxygen pot ential. In the present paper, the liquidus surface data are reviewed precis ely, and recent progress of the experimental and thermodynamic studies is i ntroduced. On the olivine (fayalite) liquidus surface which spreads widely in reductive condition, the addition of CaO or Al2O3 decreases the liquidus temperature, but at higher oxygen pressure more than 10(-9) atm, olivine i s replaced by spinel (Fe3O4). Above 10(-9) P-O2, the silicate liquid region in the FeOX-SiO2-CaO system is limited by 4 primary surfaces of Fe3O4, SiO 2, CaSiO3 and Ca2SiO4, and solid Fe3O4 surface extends substantially by inc reases in ox-ygen pressure, Al2O3, and CaO as well as decrease in temperatu re. However, addition of Al2O3 tends to enlarge the liquid region at SiO2, CaSiO3 and Ca2SiO4 surfaces. The addition of MgO increases the melting temp erature substantially regardless the kinds of primary crystal surface. Besi des conventional fayalite and calcium ferrite slags, the ferrous calcium si licate (FCS) slag is newly proposed. Instead of triangle FeOX-SiO2-CaO diag ram, the phase diagram of CaO plotted against Fe/SiO2 is useful especially for the expression of multi-component system at higher oxygen potential. Al so to predict the liquidus surface of these complex systems, the computer a ided thermodynamic assessments must be useful method.