Foaming in Electric Arc Furnace Part I: Laboratory Studies of Enthalpy Changes of Carbonate Additions to Slag Melts

In the present work, a modified thermal analysis technique was used for studying the heat effect of slag foaming with carbonates addition. Experiments were conducted by sinking limestone and dolomite pieces of defined shapes (together with iron sinkers) in molten slag and monitoring the temperature changes accompanying the decomposition of carbonates. The heat effects of dolomite and limestone decompositions were determined at 1623 K (1350 A degrees C) and 1673 K (1400 A degrees C). It was found that the decomposition energy for dolomite and limestone for the studied slag composition is in the range of 56 to 79 pct of theoretical values, which is linked to the energy-saving effect of slag foaming. No influence of sample shape on decomposition energy was found for both limestone and dolomite.