A Kinetic Model for the Ruhrstahl Heraeus (RH) Degassing Process

A kinetic model (effective equilibrium reaction zone model) was developed to simulate the decarburization reaction in the Ruhrstahl Heraeus (RH) degassing process. The model assumes that the chemical reactions reach equilibrium in the designated effective reaction volumes near the reaction interfaces. After the RH degassing process was divided into various reaction zones, the effective reaction volumes of each reaction zone were expressed as a function of the process conditions based on the physical descriptions of the reaction mechanisms. The influence of the chemical reaction between the RH slag and the RH steel to the decarburization phenomena was considered for the first time. The calculated C and O profiles by the present model are in good agreement with the industrial operation data for various steel compositions and process conditions. RH slag can serve as an oxygen reservoir to supply O during the RH decarburization process, which induces the observed deviation of the C and O contents from their ideal stoichiometric trajectory. The present model provides an efficient tool to understand the RH degassing process.