Effect of Traveling Magnetic Field on Flow, Mixing, Decarburization and Inclusion Removal during RH Refining Process

In order to improve productivity during RH refining, the traveling magnetic field was imposed around the snorkels. The numerical method was employed to investigate the flow, mixing, decarburization and inclusion removal in RH degasser. Numerical results showed that the predicted results agree well with the experimental data. With the increasing current, the circulation flow rate increases and the mixing time decreases. If the current frequency lies in the range of 10-30 Hz, with the increasing current frequency, the circulation flow rate increases while the mixing time decreases. If the current frequency lies in the range of 30-60 Hz, with the increasing current frequency, the circulation flow rate decreases while the mixing time increases. In order to increase circulation flow rate and shorten mixing time, the most effective measure is to apply the traveling magnetic field around the up snorkel, and the second choice is to apply the traveling magnetic field around the down snorkel if the gas flow rate is smaller than the saturation value. Applying the traveling magnetic field can accelerate the decarburization rate during the process, but can not decrease the final carbon mass concentration. For inclusion removal, the most effective measure is to apply the traveling magnetic field around the up snorkel and down snorkel, and to apply the traveling magnetic field around the up snorkel has the minor effect. Furthermore, the application of traveling magnetic field can decrease the maximum inclusion characteristic radius and the related peak value time.