The present work is aimed at a mechanism study of blocking of ladle well by filler sand. Laboratory experiments are carried out using two different chromite-based filler sands. The interaction between the liquid steel and the sand is also studied by using steels containing different contents of Mn and Al. The reaction between the silica phase and the chromite phase is found to be the main mechanism for the sintering of sand. The reaction results in a liquid oxide phase, which becomes the binding phase between the solid oxide grains. The amount of silica phase and its grain size are found to have great impact on the formation of the liquid oxide phase. Faster formation of the liquid oxide phase leads to more serious sintering of the sand. It is found that liquid steel can hardly infiltrate into sand. On the other hand, the presence of steel considerably increases the amount of liquid phase and enhances the sintering of the sand.

A two dimensional axisymmetric model was developed to predict the heat flux in a steelmaking ladle during the teeming process. The model predicts dynamically the flow fields in both liquid phase and gas phase along with the movement of the liquid upper surface. The model also predicts the temperature distributions in the liquid metal, gas phase and all layers in the ladle wall. Industrial measurements using infrared radiation camera inside the ladle after teeming and at the wall outside the ladle during the whole process were carried out. The model predictions were found to be in agreement with the measured data. It was found that the heat transfer to the surrounding atmosphere and the conductivity of the highly insulating layer were the most important factors for the heat loss. The decrease of the thickness of the working lining was found to have limited effect on the total heat flux.

To predict the temperature distribution in the ladle wall during the preheating process a two dimensional model was developed. The model calculated the heat transfer and the velocity field in the gas phase inside the ladle as well as the heat transfer in the solid walls during the preheating process. Measurements of the temperature in an industrial lade were carried out using an infrared radiation (IR) camera. The measurements were made inside and outside the ladle. The model predictions were found to be in reasonably good agreement with the measured temperatures. It was found that the preheating time could be minimized when the working lining became thinner. The effect of the distance between the lid and the ladle was also studied by the model. The results indicated that there was no significant temperature change on the upper side wall of the ladle. On the lower side wall and bottom the temperature changed slightly. The temperature difference in the lower part of the ladle could be explained by the larger flame distance from the bottom layer.

In the present work the effects of temperature and holding time on the sintering of ladle filler sand are studied. Laboratory experiments are carried out using pellets made of chromite based filler sand and two steel grades containing different contents of Mn and Al. It is found that the liquid steel plays a major role in the sintering behavior. The results also show that the amount of liquid phase in the sintered sand pellets increases with the increase of temperature and holding time. The Al 2 O 3 content increases substantially in the chromite phase (spinel), especially in the region close to the liquid phase, when the temperature is high enough or when the holding time is long enough. Higher content of dissolved Al would accelerate the formation of the alumina-rich chromite.

A new thermogravimetric setup was developed to study direct reduction of iron oxide under well‐controlled experimental conditions. Pure and industrial hematite samples were isothermally reduced by hydrogen and carbon monoxide gaseous mixtures. Influences of gas composition, gas flow rate, and temperature on reduction were investigated. Reduction rates obtained using the new setup were higher compared to conventional thermogravimetric method. This difference was due to the time required to replace the inert gas with the reactant gas in the conventional method, which led to lower reduction rate at the initial stage. Carbon deposited on the surface of the pellets at relatively high gas flow rates and at low temperatures. The presence of pure iron and high carbon potential in the gas phase were the cause for carbon deposition. Study of partially reduced samples illustrated that the outer layer of pellet with high iron content thickened as reduction proceeded inside the pellet. Closure of micro‐pores and formation of dense iron phase in this layer decelerated diffusion of reactant and product gases, and led to decrease of reduction rate at later stages of reaction. At lower temperatures, this effect was coupled with carbon deposition. Therefore, the reduction was seriously hindered.