In Situ and Real-Time Mold Flux Analysis Using a High-Temperature Fiber-Optic Raman Sensor for Steel Manufacturing Applications
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Engineering topics
Publications and source records attributed to Sander, Todd.
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This study presents a novel in situ high-temperature fiber optic Raman probe that enables the study of the physical properties and structure of molten samples at temperatures up to 1400 °C. To demonstrate the functionality of the high-temperature fiber optic Raman probe, different composition mold fluxes were evaluated in this report. The Raman spectra at flux molten temperature were successfully collected and analyzed. A deconvolution algorithm was employed to identify peaks in the spectra associated with the molecular structure of the components in each sample. Here, the experimental results demonstrate that the composition-dependent Raman signal shift can be detected at high temperatures, indicating that molten materials analysis using a high-temperature Raman system shows significant promise. This flexible and reliable high-temperature Raman measurement method has great potential for various applications, such as materials development, composition and structure monitoring during high-temperature processing, chemical identification, and process monitoring in industrial production.
Here, in Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) steelmaking, the push for improved efficiency requires accurate analysis of the chemical composition of its slag system to control slag foaming, provide refractory protection, and maintain high furnace iron yield. Therefore, the ability to obtain real-time slag chemistry data would provide a useful tool to improve the control and efficiency of the process. The work reported here aims to assess the structure and chemistry of EAF slags at high temperatures using a portable fiber-optic Raman probe. As a result, the ability to relate Raman spectra peaks to chemistry and structure is demonstrated in experimental result with EAF slags at 1550°C.
Distributed temperature monitoring can provide useful insights into the thermal conditions in the continuous caster tundish that can affect operating stability and cast quality, such as preheat conditions, superheat uniformity, fill height, and refractory wear. In the current study, fiber optic sensors were embedded into the refractory lining of a lab-scale tundish to record the temperature profiles during dry-out, preheating, and direct molten steel exposure to demonstrate sensor performance. Additional trials were performed with fiber optic sensors embedded in an industrial tundish used in production. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that fiber optic sensors using Rayleigh technology can provide accurate distributed temperature measurements in refractory lined vessels and provide useful information about the process.