NITROGEN ABSORPTION OF LIQUID IRON ACCOMPANYING CARBON-OXYGEN REACTION.

The effect of carbon-oxygen reactions on the rate of nitrogen absorption in liquid iron was studied under N//2-O//2 and N//2-CO//2 gas mixtures. It was observed that the nitrogen concentration in liquid iron does not reach equilibrium with nitrogen partial pressure in the bulk gas phase, although the rate of nitrogen absorption in the initial period is rather rapid. This may be the result of the decrease of nitrogen partial pressure at the gas-metal interface due to the evolution of carbon monoxide from liquid iron. In this case, the nitrogen absorption may be controlled mainly by the transfer of nitrogen in liquid iron and also in the gas phase. The effects of oxygen concentration of the gas phase and of sulfur in liquid iron were also investigated.