Effect of adding yttrium on precipitation behaviors of inclusions in E690 ultra high strength offshore platform steel

The mechanism of inclusions precipitation of the E690 offshore platform steel, with and without addition of yttrium, was studied using the thermodynamic calculation method. The results show that in the E690 steel in the absence of yttrium, the MnS inclusions were precipitated in the liquid phase at the solidification front. By adding the yttrium, MnS inclusions were replaced by spindle and spherical yttrium-containing oxide and sulfide complex inclusions, and the precipitation sequence of yttrium-containing inclusions in the liquid steel was Y2O3, Y2O2S, and YS. However, Y2S3 inclusions cannot be precipitated in the liquid steel under the experimental conditions. It was also found that Al2O3 inclusions can be formed in the liquid steel with and without addition of yttrium. The thermodynamic calculation results are in accordance with the experimental results.