Effect of electromagnetic field on the slag resistance of MgO-C refractories

The recent years have witnessed an unprecedented growth in the development and deployment of electromagnetic field(EMF) used in steel metallurgy. This paper investigates the effect of EMF on the slag resistance of MgO-C refractories. Using MgO-C refractories containing 14% carbon and the slag with a basicity(CaO/SiO2) of around 0.8, the experiments of melting slag resistance of MgO-C refractories were carried out in an induction furnace and a resistance furnace. The results show that in induction furnace having EMF, the refractory sample corroded by the slag has an apparent penetration layer. MgFe2O4 phase is formed at a low temperature by MgO dissolved in Fe2O3. The low melting phases are monticellite (CaMgSiO4, CMS) and forsterite (Mg2SiO4, MS). Under the condition of resistance furnace without EMF, scaling MgO dissolves into slag and reacts with Al2O3 to generate MgAl2O4 phase. The low melting phases are gehlenite (Ca2Al2SiO7, C2A2S) and akermanite (Ca2MgSi2O, C2MS2). As EMF exists at a high temperature, it could enhance the diffusion and penetration of Fe2+/3+ ions to form the MgFe2O4 phase. At the same time, some MgAl2O4 spinels exist. However, only MgAl2O4 phase can be generated without EMF.