Thermodynamic Simulation of the Influence of the Temperature and the Basicity of a Boron-Containing Slag on Steel Desulfurization

The results of thermodynamic simulation of the desulfurization of a medium-carbon steel by slags of the CaO–SiO₂–MgO–Al₂O₃–B₂O₃ system are presented. The HSC Chemistry 6.12 software package is used for the simulation. The thermodynamic simulation is performed for 20 various chemical compositions of slags with various B₂O₃ contents (1–4%)¹ and basicities ((CaO)/(SiO₂) = 2–5). The computations are performed using the Equilibrium Compositions module in the temperature range from 1500 to 1700°C with an increment of 50°C at a gas phase pressure of 0.1 MPa. The main results of the calculations are presented as the dependences of the change in the sulfur content in steel [S] on the temperature, the content of B₂O₃, and the slag basicity. An increase in the temperature of metal desulfurization from 1500 to 1700°C exerts a favorable effect on the sulfur content for the studied range of slag basicities. In particular, the sulfur content in steel decreases from 0.012 to 0.009% when steel is processed with the slag having 3% B₂O₃ and a basicity (CaO)/(SiO₂) = 2. A positive effect of an increase in the slag basicity from 2 to 5 on metal desulfurization is observed: the degree of desulfurization increases from 61.1 to 97.2% at 1600°C and 3% B₂O₃ content in the slag. As the B₂O₃ content in a slag increases from 1 to 4%, its refining properties decrease significantly in the range of basicity not higher than 2. In the range of high slag basicities (3–4), the negative effect of acidic oxide B₂O₃ on the refining properties of the slag decreases, providing low sulfur contents (which do not exceed [S] = 0.003–0.004% at 4% B₂O₃). At a slag basicity of 5, the sulfur content in steel decreases to 0.001%, all other things being equal. The simulation results can be used for the calculation of steel desulfurization processed by slags containing B₂O₃.