Armco Inc.

Richard C Sussman

Robert S Williams

Donald W Follstaedt

Larry G Evans

David M Kundrat

Edward L King

John C Powell

Ronald J O'Malley

Allan M Smillie

A three-stage process for obtaining metallic Cr units insitu during the production of stainless steel. Raw chromite ore or a concentrate produced from chromite ore is mixed with a carbonaceous reductant and slagging agents are added to an iron bath (24) for smelting and refining in a refining reactor (10). During the first stage, partially metallized chromite is smelted by carbon in the reactor that is top-and bottom-blown with oxygen and oxygen-containing gases respectively to produce a chromium alloy bath having a carbon content well below saturation. In the second stage, the alloy bath is decarburized by being bottom stirred with the oxygen-containing gas to the final bath carbon specification. In the third stage, the alloy bath is reduced by a metalloid reductant such as silicon or aluminum and again bottom stirred but with a non-oxidizing gas to achieve a high chromium yield. The reactor includes a top lance (18) extending through a throat (14) with a lower portion (20) of the lance extending to a point just above the bath and means (22) such as a tuyere or porous plug mounted at or near a bottom (16) and extending through a refractory lining (12) for stirring the iron bath containing dissolved carbon. Lance (18) includes a central passage (34) for injecting a compact, focused jet oxygen gas (30) that can penetrate through a slag layer (26) for decarburization of the iron bath and an outer passage (32) for discharging an oxygen gas (28) above the bath for post-combustion of CO to CO.sub.2. Passage (32) includes a plurality of evenly spaced annular diverging nozzles (33). The lance also includes a pair of concentric conduits (36) and (38) for conducting a coolant.

Method for direct use of chromite ore in the production of stainless

A strip caster (10) for producing a continuous strip (24) includes a tundish (12) for containing a melt (14), a pair of horizontally disposed water cooled casting rolls (22) and devices (29) for electrostatically coating the outer peripheral chill surfaces (44) of the casting rolls with a powder flux material (56). The casting rolls are juxtaposed relative to one another for forming a pouting basin (18) for receiving the melt through a teeming tube (16) thereby establishing a meniscus (20) between the rolls for forming the strip. The melt is protected from the outside air by a non-oxidizing gas passed through a supply line (28) to a sealing chamber (26). A preferred flux is boron oxide having a melting point of about 550.degree. C. The flux coating enhances wetting of the steel melt to the casting roll and dissolves any metal oxide formed on the roll.

Strip casting with fluxing agent applied to casting roll

Casting nozzles will provide improved flow conditions with the parameters controlled according to the present invention. The gap relationships between the nozzle slot and exit orifice must be controlled in combination with converging exit passageway to provide a smooth flow without shearing and turbulence in the stream. The nozzle lips are also rounded to improve flow and increase refractory life of the lips of the nozzle. The tundish walls are tapered to provide improve flow for supplying the melt to the nozzle. The nozzle is located about 45.degree. below top dead center for optimum conditions.

Method and apparatus for strip casting

The continuous casting of strip, ribbon and wire is improved by using a free jet nozzle which provides a fluid that follows a rotating substrate surface to the separation point. The nozzle includes an inclined surface having a ratio of its length to the gap between the substrate and the nozzle edge of 5:1 to 15:1. The inclined surface improves the ability of the jet to tangentially follow the substrate in a direction opposite to its rotation to the separation point. This also allows a close positioning of the nozzle to the substrate which serves to provide a back-up mechanical separation means by using the edge of nozzle lip. The nozzle may be rotated from its operating position for cleaning of the substrate and the nozzle.

Method and apparatus for separating continuous cast strip from a

A process for making a boron alloy from a ferrous or non-ferrous melt by adding a boron compound to the melt and reducing the compound within the melt by a reductant, such as aluminum, silicon or carbon, such that the boron can alloy with the melt. A boron alloy containing from very little boron up to 15% boron by weight can be formed. At least 40% of the boron compound is reduced to boron. The alloy can also be employed to make an amorphous material by discharging the molten alloy onto a moving surface to form a strip. The moving surface is a chill body which can quench the strip at a rate of at least from 10.sup.4 .degree. C./sec, or higher to solidify the strip and form an amorphous boron alloy material.

Growing community of inventors

West Chester, OH, United States of America

Richard C Sussman