November 5, 2025
The LF (Ladle Furnace) ladle refining furnace plays a pivotal role in refining molten steel produced in primary furnaces, such as electric arc furnaces and converters. It serves as a process buffer, adjusting the temperature of the molten steel to meet the stringent requirements of continuous casting and rolling operations. As one of the primary pieces of equipment for out-of-furnace refining, the ladle furnace's key objective is to swiftly generate white slag. The purpose of LF slagging encompasses desulfurization, deoxidation, enhancing alloy yield, and removing inclusions. However, during the slag-making process for aluminum-controlled steel, there are inherent contradictions between desulfurization and silicon recovery, as well as nitrogen addition and inclusion removal, which must be carefully considered. Quickly and stably producing reducing white slag with good fluidity and a certain degree of emulsification in the LF is essential for effective desulfurization, inclusion adsorption, and ensuring the overall quality of the molten steel.
The primary function of the ladle refining furnace is to heat and maintain the temperature of the molten steel. Through arc heating, the molten steel acquires new thermal energy, enabling the addition of alloys and composition adjustments, as well as the incorporation of slag materials to facilitate deep desulfurization and deoxidation. Furthermore, it ensures that the molten steel reaches the required starting temperature for continuous casting, thereby enhancing the quality of the cast slab. Another significant function of the ladle refining furnace is argon stirring. Argon gas is blown into the molten steel through permeable bricks installed at the bottom of the ladle, imparting a certain stirring effect to the molten steel. From an enterprise-wide perspective, the application of a ladle refining furnace accelerates production rhythm and improves overall metallurgical production efficiency.
Main Functions of the Ladle Refining Furnace:
Temperature Increase and Heat Preservation: The molten steel gains new heat energy through electric arc heating, facilitating alloy addition and composition adjustment during ladle refining. Additionally, slag materials can be added to promote deep desulfurization and deoxidation of the molten steel. Moreover, it ensures the molten steel reaches the required starting temperature for continuous casting, contributing to improved slab quality.
Argon Stirring Function: Argon gas is introduced into the molten steel through breathable bricks at the ladle's bottom, providing a certain stirring effect to the molten steel.
Vacuum Degassing Function: After the ladle is hoisted into a vacuum tank, a steam jet pump is utilized for vacuum degassing. Simultaneously, argon is blown into the ladle's bottom to stir the molten steel, effectively removing hydrogen and nitrogen content, and further reducing oxygen and sulfur levels. This results in higher purity molten steel and superior performance materials.
From an enterprise-wide perspective, the application of a ladle refining furnace offers at least the following benefits: it accelerates production rhythm and enhances overall metallurgical production efficiency. Application Areas: Ladle refining furnaces are extensively utilized in industries such as steel and metallurgy, playing a crucial role in improving product quality and production efficiency.
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