After tapping primary steelmaking kilns (BOFs EAFs and EOFs), molten stainless steel undergoes further refinement. This is called secondary steelmaking. It is a difficult task that requires the addition of precise metals and alloys as well as treatment of liquid steel to remove inclusions, deoxidize, and desulfurize. Cored wire is a very effective method to carry out this work, since it offers several benefits: it allows the introduction of more alloying elements in a shorter time than with conventional powders, and ensures that they are well dispersed into the steel melt by a direct action of the welding current generated by the sheath.
The cored wires consist of a calcium-based solid core and a low-carbon cold-rolled steel sheath. Sheaths are wrapped around the core by welding. The material used to make it is extruded at different diameters. The wire produced has an extremely high tensile force. It can be manufactured in any length so that it can cover the entire steel ladle.
Sheaths are typically between 0.4 and 0.5 mm in thickness. Cored wires can have either a folded or welded sheath depending on their application. The core is protected from oxidation by the sheath, which also serves as a barrier from impurities emitted from the slag. Follow the directions on cored wire usage.
In order to get the best results and minimise the possibility of an accident, it is important that operators strictly follow their operation manuals. They should also monitor at all time the current state of the metal bath. They should also keep in mind that the speed and feeding rhythm of cored wire must be adjusted to the characteristics of the steel melting process. The feed rate of the calcium solid wire can be affected by too much or not enough speed. This will reduce its metalurgical properties.
Cored wires can be used in steelmaking to avoid long strips of inclusions and increase the anisotropy of the steel. This can help to reduce clogging in the nozzle of steelmaking machines and improve the ease with which slag is discharged. It can also play the role of deoxidation, desulfurization, inclusion removal, fine-tune the composition, and improve the yield of metals and rare earth elements.
Cored wires can be used in all kinds of applications and processes for treating molten steel, including deoxidation, addition and trimming, machinability improvement, re-nitriding, and the change of the shape of inclusions. These benefits of technology improves the resulting product's quality and can reduce raw material consumption. The cost of steel can be reduced and it will become more competitive. Therefore, the steel industry is gradually transferring from traditional powders to cored wires.
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