Abstract:
In a process for decarburising stainless steel by blowing the molten steel with a mixture of oxygen together with steam and/or ammonia, blockage of gas inlet is avoided by passing the mixture of oxygen together with steam and/or ammonia through the inner section of a tuyere comprising at least two coaxial pipes and passing through the outermost section of the tuyere a gas e.g. oxygen and steam or oxygen and nitrogen, which undergoes an exothermal reaction when it contacts the molten alloy.
Abstract:
In a process for refining stainless steel where oxygen and ammonia are introduced into a molten steel, e.g. for decarburisation and/or introducing nitrogen into the steel, the ammonia is introduced separately from the oxygen through a tuyere comprising at least two co-axial pipes. The ammonia is preferably introduced through a pipe which is not an outermost pipe. This procedure reduces the risk of the melt solidifying around the ammonia pipe and avoids the need to use combustible oxygen/ammonia mixtures.
Abstract:
The carbon content in iron, cobalt, or nickel based alloys containing at least about 16 percent chromium is substantially eliminated without significant loss of chromium by blowing the alloy with oxygen to oxidise the carbon and simultaneously introducing steam or ammonia in amounts such that the partial pressure of carbon monoxide (formed by oxidation of carbon) is lower than that which corresponds to the equilibrium pressure for the carbon/chromium oxidation e.g. below 0.95 and preferably below 0.5 atmospheres.