Abstract
The oxidation of carbon with the simultaneous oxidation of silicon, manganese, and iron of liquid alloys by carbon dioxide in nitrogen and the absorption of oxygen by the alloys from the gas were studied using 1-g liquid iron droplets levitated in a stream of the gas at 1575 °C to 1715 °C. Oxidation of carbon was favored over oxidation of silicon and manganese when cast iron (3.35 pct C, 2.0 pct Si, 0.36 pct Mn, and 0.05 pct S) reacted with CO2/N2 gas at 1635 °C. An increase in the flow rate of CO2/N2 gas increased the decarburization rate of cast iron. The rate of carbon oxidation by this gas mixture was found to be independent of temperature and alloying element concentrations (in the range of silicon = 0 to 2.0 pct manganese = 0 to 0.36 pct and sulfur = 0 to 0.5 pct) within the temperature range of the present study. Based on the results of a kinetic analysis, diffusion of CO2 in the boundary layer of the gas phase was found to be the rate-limiting step for the reactions during the earlier period of the reaction when the contents of carbon, silicon, and manganese are higher. However, the limiting step changed to diffusion of the elements in the metal phase during the middle period of the reaction and then to the diffusion of CO in the gas phase during the later period of the reaction when the content of the elements in the metal were relatively low. For the simultaneous oxidation reactions of several elements in the metal, however, the diffusion of CO2 in the gas phase is the primary limiting step of the reaction rate for the oxidation of carbon during the later period of reaction.
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Abbreviations
- A :
-
surface area, cm2
- a M :
-
activity of M in metal
- a MOn :
-
activity of oxide in slag
- f M :
-
activity coefficient of M in metal
- ΔGo :
-
free energy of the reaction at standard state, J/mole
- K :
-
equilibrium constant
- k CO :
-
mass transfer coefficient of CO in gas, mole/cm2 s atm
- k CO 2 :
-
mass transfer coefficient of CO2 in gas, mole/cm2 s atm
- k m :
-
mass transfer coefficient in metal, cm/s
- k s :
-
mass transfer coefficient in slag, cm/s
- M :
-
molecular weight, g/mole
- M :
-
element in metal
- [M]:
-
content of M in metal, wt pct
- (MOn):
-
content of oxide in slag, wt pct
- n :
-
mole flux, mol/s
- P :
-
pressure, atm
- R AB :
-
resistance of B transport to A reaction, cm2 s/mol
- T :
-
temperature, K
- t :
-
reaction time, s
- W :
-
weight, g
- δ :
-
thickness of the effective gas boundary layer, cm
- γ MOn :
-
activity coefficient of oxide in slag
- ρ :
-
density, g/cm3
- EQ :
-
indicates equilibrium
- MOn:
-
indicates oxide
- m :
-
indicates metal
- s:
-
indicates slag
- *:
-
indicates the quantity at surface
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Formerly Visiting Assistant Research Scientist, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
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Sun, H., Pehlke, R.D. Kinetics of oxidation of carbon in liquid iron-carbon-silicon-manganese-sulfur alloys by carbon dioxide in nitrogen. Metall Mater Trans B 26, 335–344 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02660976
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02660976