Sequence of the LD Converter Process
i. Draining Slag and Preparing for Scrap (3–5 minutes)
• What Happens: After the previous batch (called a "heat") of steel has been tapped
(poured out), the leftover slag (a byproduct of impurities and fluxes) is drained out of
the LD converter. The vessel (the converter itself) is then tilted to a position where it
can receive scrap metal.
• Purpose:
o Draining the slag ensures that the new batch starts fresh without
contamination from the previous heat’s impurities.
o Scrap metal (recycled steel) is added as a raw material to cool down the hot
metal and provide additional iron for the steelmaking process.
• Time: This step takes 3–5 minutes.
• Explanation: The vessel is tilted to an angle so that scrap can be loaded easily. Scrap
is typically 20–30% of the total charge (the rest being hot metal), and it helps balance
the temperature since the process generates a lot of heat.
ii. Loading Scrap and Hot Metal (3–5 minutes)
• What Happens: The vessel is moved upward to gently drop the scrap metal to the
bottom of the converter. Then, it’s brought back to a horizontal position to receive
the hot metal (molten iron from the blast furnace).
• Purpose:
o The scrap is placed at the bottom to ensure even mixing with the hot metal.
o Hot metal, which is typically at a temperature of around 1300–1400°C, is
poured into the vessel to start the steelmaking process.
• Time: This step also takes 3–5 minutes.
• Explanation: The gentle dropping of scrap prevents damage to the vessel’s lining
(which is made of refractory material to withstand high temperatures). Once the
scrap is in place, the hot metal is poured in, creating a mixture that will be refined
into steel.
iii. Positioning for Blowing and Starting Oxygen Blow (1–1.5 minutes)
• What Happens: The vessel is rotated to a vertical position. A lance (a long pipe) is
lowered into the vessel to the first blowing position, and oxygen (O2O_2O2) is turned
on.
• Purpose:
o The vertical position ensures that the oxygen can be blown effectively into the
molten metal.
o Oxygen reacts with impurities like carbon, silicon, and phosphorus, removing
them from the hot metal.
• Time: This step takes 1–1.5 minutes.
• Explanation: The lance is positioned a specific distance above the molten metal
(usually 1–2 meters initially) to control the reaction. High-purity oxygen is blown at
supersonic speeds (around 300–400 m/s) into the bath, causing intense reactions
that generate heat and start the refining process.
iv. Oxygen Blowing and Slag Formation (15–25 minutes)
• What Happens:
o As soon as ignition occurs (the oxygen starts reacting with the metal), lime
(calcium oxide) and other fluxes (like dolomite) are added to form an early
slag.
o The oxygen blowing continues for 15–25 minutes. During this time, the lance
height is adjusted according to standard practices to control the reaction.
o After the blow is complete, the oxygen is turned off, and the lance is raised.
• Purpose:
o Ignition and Reaction: The oxygen reacts with carbon to form carbon
monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO₂), which escape as gases, reducing the
carbon content in the metal (this is called decarburization). It also oxidizes
silicon, phosphorus, and other impurities.
o Slag Formation: Lime and fluxes combine with the oxidized impurities (like
phosphorus and sulfur) to form slag, a liquid layer that floats on top of the
molten metal and can be removed later.
o Lance Adjustment: The lance height is varied to control the rate of reaction
and prevent excessive splashing or foaming of the slag.
• Time: This is the longest step, taking 15–25 minutes.
• Explanation: The oxygen blow is the heart of the LD process. For example, carbon
content in the hot metal might start at 4–5% and is reduced to less than 0.1% for
low-carbon steel. The slag helps remove phosphorus (as mentioned in your previous
content about dephosphorization) and sulfur, improving the steel’s quality. The lance
height is adjusted to balance the reaction—lower for faster decarburization, higher
to avoid over-oxidation.
v. Sampling and Analysis (5–8 minutes)
• What Happens: The vessel is tilted to take samples of the slag and molten metal for
analysis. Alloying additions (like manganese or silicon) are made if needed, and the
temperature of the metal is measured.
• Purpose:
o Analysis: The samples are tested to check the chemical composition (e.g.,
carbon, phosphorus, sulfur levels) and ensure the steel meets the desired
specifications.
o Temperature Check: The temperature is measured to ensure it’s suitable for
tapping (pouring into the ladle). Steelmaking typically requires a temperature
of around 1600–1650°C at this stage.
o Alloying: Small amounts of alloying elements are added to adjust the steel’s
properties (e.g., adding manganese for strength).
• Time: This step takes 5–8 minutes.
• Explanation: This step ensures quality control. If the carbon content is too high or
the temperature is off, the steel won’t meet the required grade. The slag sample is
also analyzed to check how well impurities have been removed.
vi. Tapping into the Ladle (4–7 minutes)
• What Happens: If the analysis and temperature are satisfactory, the vessel is tilted to
pour (tap) the molten steel into a ladle (a large container). Deoxidizers (like
aluminum or silicon) and more alloying additions are made in the ladle.
• Purpose:
o Tapping: The steel is transferred to the ladle for further processing (like
casting into shapes).
o Deoxidation: Deoxidizers remove excess oxygen from the steel to prevent
defects like gas bubbles.
o Alloying: Final adjustments to the steel’s composition are made in the ladle to
meet specific requirements (e.g., adding chromium for stainless steel).
• Time: This step takes 4–7 minutes.
• Explanation: Tapping is done carefully to avoid mixing the slag with the steel.
Deoxidizers are critical because the oxygen blowing process leaves some dissolved
oxygen in the steel, which can cause porosity or brittleness if not removed. The ladle
is where the steel is fine-tuned before it’s cast into slabs, billets, or other shapes.
vii. Draining Slag and Reblowing (if needed)
• What Happens: After tapping the steel, the remaining slag is drained out of the
vessel. If the analysis in step v showed that the steel’s composition wasn’t correct
(e.g., too much carbon), the vessel is “reblown” with oxygen for an additional 1–2
minutes before repeating the sampling and tapping steps.
• Purpose:
o Slag Removal: Draining the slag prepares the vessel for the next heat (batch).
o Reblowing: If the steel doesn’t meet specifications, a short oxygen blow
corrects the composition by further reducing carbon or other impurities.
• Time: The total process takes 30–50 minutes, but reblowing adds an extra 1–2
minutes if needed.
• Explanation: Reblowing is a corrective step. For example, if the carbon content is still
too high (say 0.3% when the target is 0.05%), a short oxygen blow can bring it down.
After reblowing, the process returns to step v (sampling) to confirm the steel is ready
for tapping.
Total Time and Summary
• Total Time: The entire process takes 30–50 minutes, depending on whether
reblowing is needed.
• Summary of Steps:
1. Drain slag from the previous heat and tilt the vessel to load scrap (3–5 min).
2. Add scrap and hot metal to the vessel (3–5 min).
3. Rotate the vessel, lower the lance, and start blowing oxygen (1–1.5 min).
4. Blow oxygen, add lime and fluxes to form slag, and adjust the lance height
(15–25 min).
5. Tilt the vessel to take samples, analyze the metal and slag, and measure
temperature (5–8 min).
6. If everything is okay, tap the steel into a ladle and add deoxidizers/alloys (4–7
min).
7. Drain the slag; if the analysis wasn’t okay, reblow for 1–2 minutes and repeat
steps v–vi.
Why This Process Matters
The LD converter process is one of the most efficient ways to make steel. It removes
impurities (like carbon, phosphorus, and sulfur) from hot metal and turns it into high-quality
steel. The steps are carefully controlled to ensure the steel has the right composition and
temperature for its intended use (e.g., construction, automotive, or machinery). The slag
formed during the process can also be recycled, as mentioned in your previous content
about dephosphorization, which helps reduce costs.
If you’d like me to explain any specific step in more detail or provide a diagram of the
process, let me know!
