Method for refining steel

Abstract

Unrefined steel is refined by the use of a refining slag in a furnace having two pressure-tightly interconnected, pressure-tightly covered upper and lower hearths having channeltype inductors for heating and stirring steel melts in the hearths, the refining being effected in the upper hearth only and which is of relatively small capacity and has its inductor tilted to effect vigorous melt flow. The refining is continued, batch after batch, with each batch transferred to the lower hearth which is of substantially larger capacity and where the refined steel can be held at a temperature lower than required for its refining, to obtain a volume of refined steel adequate for steel plant casting purposes. Gas pressure in the lower hearth maintains the melt level in the upper hearth as required during the refining, this gas pressure being lowered to transfer each batch of refined steel to the larger lower hearth, and then being increased again for the next refining operation. Finally, for tapping the refined steel in the large lower hearth, the gas pressure is raised in the latter and the accumulated melt is forced through an appropriately positioned tap hole. The small capacity and tilted inductor of the upper hearth makes it possible to use the channel-type inductor for steel refinement with a reactive slag; the lower temperature required for holding the accumulated melt makes practical the use of the channel-type inductor in the case of the lower hearth of large enough capacity for steel plant casting.