Origin of Nonmetallic Inclusions and Ways of Alleviating Their Contamination of Steel

The use of a new technology that involves inoculating tube steel during casting can save money by eliminating the need for vacuum degassing (production cost $25/ton) and treating the steel on a ladle-furnace unit (production cost $15.70/ton). The cost of such treatment is ∼$4–5/ton. Inoculation of the steel during casting does not require complex equipment and can easily be done in any steelmaking shop. Rolling of the inoculated steel results in a larger yield of useable tubes, and the finished rolled product has better mechanical characteristics and greater corrosion resistance than steel made by the usual technology.