Characteristics, Formation Mechanism, and Removal of Large-Sized CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 Inclusions in D2 High-Speed Railway Wheel Steel

The characteristics, formation mechanism, and removal of large-sized CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 inclusions in D2 high-speed railway wheel steel are investigated. Large-sized CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 inclusions are present in the continuous casting billet, with SiO2 and CaO content ranging from 5 to 15 and 30 to 65 wt%, respectively. The size mainly exceeds 10 mu m. These inclusions originate from the calcium-treatment stage of the refining process, during which liquid CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 inclusions are formed in the liquid steel. The contact angle between these inclusions and the liquid steel is below 40 degrees, which results in excellent wettability. Consequently, the inclusions are difficult to remove from the liquid steel and are thus inherited into the billet. By reducing the SiO2 content and controlling CaO content between 8 and 30 wt%, small-sized inclusions are formed. This requires reasonable control of the Al and Ca content in the liquid steel. When the Al and Ca content in liquid steel is maintained at 0.012 wt% and 8 ppm, respectively, the inclusions in the billet are mainly CaO<middle dot>6Al(2)O(3) (CA(6)) and CaO<middle dot>2Al(2)O(3) (CA(2)), both under 5 mu m in size. These inclusions represent the suitable inclusions in steel.