STUDIES ON UPGRADING OF AUTOMOTIVE SCRAP BY VACUUM MELTING AND ELECTROSLAG REMELTING

The technical feasibility of removing deleterious impurities, principally copper, tin, and chromium, from automotive scrap steel by various vacuum melting procedures and also by electroslag remelting was evaluated. Reduced-pressure melting studies included the use of nonconsummable electrode arc melting, vacuum induction, vacuum arc, and electron beam melting. The effects of such variables as temperature, time, pressure, and carbon content on the rates of evaporation of these impurities from molten iron are described. The copper and tin contents are readily decreased to acceptable levels by either electron beam or induction melting. Chromium can also be vaporized out of steel but it is first necessary to reduce the carbon concentration to low levels. Attempts to upgrade scrap steel by vacuum arc or nonconsummable electrode reduced pressure melting were unsuccessful. Slags of different composition were evaluated as extractants of impurity elements from steel by electroslag melting. Chromium, tin, and aluminum were successfully removed from scrap steel by electroslag melting but efforts to develop a suitable extractant for copper were unsuccessful. A procedure was developed whereby a high grade stainless steel can be prepared from auto scrap by a single induction melting step.

• Corporate Authors:

  Iowa State University, Ames

  Ames Laboratory
  Ames, IA  United States  50011
• Authors:
  • Carlson, O N
  • Schmidt, F A
  • McClusky, J K
  • Owen, C V
  • Lichtenberg, R R
• Publication Date: 1974

Media Info

• Pagination: 11 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aluminum; Chromium; Copper; Electron beam welding; Electroslag welding; Impurities; Induction heating; Materials at high or low temperatures; Melting; Physical properties; Purification; Scrap metal; Steel; Temperature; Tin
• Uncontrolled Terms: Recovery
• Old TRIS Terms: Metal scrap; Molten material; Temperature dependence; Vacuum melting
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00094756
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: CONF-740599-1
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 14 1976 12:00AM