Kinetics of Dissolution of SiO Gas in Liquid Fe-C Alloys

Abstract

The dissolution rate of SiO gas in liquid iron (Fe-2 wt% C and Fe-4 wt% C alloys) was investigated at 1 843, 1 868, and 1 893 K. SiO gas was generated from a silica-graphite particle mixture, and then, it was introduced onto the surface of liquid iron through an alumina lance with CO carrier gas. The effect of gas phase mass transfer on the dissolution rate of SiO gas was minimized by adjusting the CO gas flow rate. The rate of silicon transfer remained almost constant regardless of the initial carbon content in liquid iron, whereas it increased with increasing temperature. From the experimental results, it was concluded that the adsorption of SiO gas onto the surface of liquid iron was the rate-determining step.