Calculation of sulfur removal in ladle furnace unit by means of ionic theory of slags

This article describes issues of sulfur removal in ladle furnace unit. First of all, metal desulfurization in ladle steel treatment units is achieved due to transition of sulfur to the slag phase. Coefficient of partition of sulfur between metal and slag is affected by sulfide capacity of slag, coefficient of activity of sulfur in the metal, oxidation potential of medium and reaction equilibrium constant of partition of sulfur between metal and slag. Temperature of liquid state in the ladle has significant impact on sulfide capacity of slag. Proposed calculation procedure based on provisions of ionic structure of slags allows evaluating a concentration of sulfur in steel on the basis of determination of coefficient of its partition between metal and slag. Optical basicity is suggested as criterion of refining property of slag, it has been shown that the amphoteric oxide Al2O3 is essential to calculation of this indicator. Its impact on sulfide capacity of slag is detected. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

Применение ионной теории для расчета сульфидной емкости шлаков

The article considers the issues of sulfur removal in the ladle-furnace unit. The sulfur distribution coefficient depends on sulfide capacity of the slag, sulfur activity coefficient, oxidizing potential of the medium and equilibrium constant. The sulfide capacity CS of slags is one of the most important characteristics of refining capacity of the slags used in extra-furnace steel processing. One of the factors affecting the sulfide capacity is temperature. The formula was proposed showing the dependence of sulfide capacity on the optical basicity and temperature, in the temperature range of 1650 - 1400 °C and when the optical basicity Λ is not more than 0.75; the error of the presented formula does not exceed 6 %. The formula for calculating the optical basicity is proposed, which takes into account the influence of basic, acidic oxides and amphoteric oxide Al2O3 . It is shown that slags, completely consisting of a homogeneous phase, have an increased optical basicity of aluminum oxide. Heterogeneous slags have a reduced optical basicity of Al2O3 in comparison with homogeneous slags. Perhaps, this fact can be explained by the fact that in homogeneous slags there is a deficiency of the basic oxide CaO and in the conditions under consideration Al2O3 compound begins to exhibit more basic properties than acidic ones, thus, in homogeneous slags, the optical basicity of aluminum oxide is increased and approaches optical basicity of CaO oxide. Calculations carried out on the basis of real heats have shown that with an increase in the content of Al2O3 oxide in the slag, its optical basicity decreases. Known value of the optical basicity makes it possible to determine sulfide capacity of the slag, sulfur distribution coefficient between metal and slag, and, accordingly, final sulfur content in the metal. The research results have shown that it is advisable to apply the ionic theory of slags for the sulfide capacity determination. © 2021 National University of Science and Technology MISIS. All rights reserved

Late Mesozoic tectonics of Central Asia based on paleomagnetic evidence

This paper presents paleomagnetic data for Late Mesozoic (Middle Jurassic to end-Cretaceous) rocks of the Siberian platform (Verkhoyansk Trough) and its southwestern margin (Transbaikalian basins and Minusa Trough). We determine a series of key paleomagnetic poles for 165, 155, 135, 120, and 75 Ma, which define the Mesozoic apparent polar wander path (APWP) for Siberia. This quantitative approach provides the opportunity for a general revision of Mesozoic tectonics of Central Asia. Many researchers have considered the Eurasian continent to have been completely stable during the Mesozoic era. However, we demonstrate systematic deviations of corresponding Mesozoic poles from Siberia and Europe, and interpret the discrepancies as evidence for large-scale sinistral strike-slip motion due to clockwise rotation of the Siberian plate relative to the European plate. We conclude that, following its Late Paleozoic assembly, the Eurasian plate was not internally stable, i.e. not rigid.The Mesozoic geological evolution of Siberia was dominated by strike-slip tectonics. Rift-related grabens formed within the basement of the West Siberia sedimentary basin and orogenic events occurred along the southwestern margin of the Siberian craton, within the Central Asia tectonic province. Our paleomagnetic reconstruction indicates also that the Mongol-Okhotsk Ocean was still not closed completely before the end of the Jurassic. We propose that final collision occurred in the Early Cretaceous, and during the Middle to Late Jurassic interval, northward subduction of oceanic lithosphere resulted in oblique, west-to-east ocean closure (a “scissors-like” model). The closure was controlled by significant sinistral strike-slip motion of the Siberian craton. This process is reflected in Transbaikalia by extensive bimodal volcanic activity and development of rift-related structures, including pull-apart basins

First paleomagnetic data for the New Siberian Islands: Implications for Arctic paleogeography

In this paper we present new paleomagnetic and paleontological data from the Ordovician and Silurian carbonate rocks of Kotelny Island (the Anjou Archipelago), and from the Ordovician turbidities of Bennett Island (the De Long Archipelago). It is assumed that both archipelagos belong to the NSI (New Siberian Islands) terrane — a key tectonic element in the Arctic region. Ages of the studied rocks have been established by paleontological data and lithological correlations. Our new data on conodonts combined with those from previous studies of Ordovician and Silurian fauna indicate a biogeographic similarity between the shelves of the Siberian paleocontinent and the NSI in the Early Paleozoic. Three new paleomagnetic poles for the NSI (48.9°N, 13.8°E, A95 = 18.1° for 475 Ma; 45.5°N, 31.9°E, A95 = 11.0° for 465 Ma, and 33.7°N, 55.7°E, A95 = 11.0° for 435 Ma) fall between the south-eastern part of Central Europe and the Zagros Mountains. The similarity of paleomagnetic directions from Kotelny and Bennet islands confirms that both the Anjou and De Long archipelagos belong to the same terrane. Calculated paleolatitudes indicate that in Ordovician–Silurian times this terrane has been located between 30° and 45°, possibly in the northern hemisphere. Based on this observation, we suggest a linkage between the NSI and the Kolyma–Omolon superterrane. Comparison of apparent polar wander paths (APWPs) of the NSI, Siberia and other cratons/terranes suggests that the NSI drifted independently. We demonstrate that the structural line between Svyatoy Nos Peninsula and Great Lyakhovsky Island is the continuation of the Kolyma Loop suture on the Arctic shelf, and expect that the continuation of the South Anyui suture is to be found east of the NSI