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    Improvement in Internal Soundness of Railway Wheel by Controlling De-Oxidation Practice in Steel-Making

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    Binod Kumar Padhi
    The document summarizes an investigation into high ultrasonic rejections of railway wheels. Metallurgical analysis revealed alumina inclusions from the deoxidation process were causing defects. Modifying the deoxidation practice by reducing aluminum addition quantity and changing the addition sequence limited inclusion formation and reduced rejections below 1%.

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    Improvement in Internal Soundness of Railway Wheel by Controlling De-Oxidation Practice in Steel-Making

    Uploaded by

    Binod Kumar Padhi
    38 views38 pages
    The document summarizes an investigation into high ultrasonic rejections of railway wheels. Metallurgical analysis revealed alumina inclusions from the deoxidation process were causing defects. Modifying the deoxidation practice by reducing aluminum addition quantity and changing the addition sequence limited inclusion formation and reduced rejections below 1%.

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    The document summarizes an investigation into high ultrasonic rejections of railway wheels. Metallurgical analysis revealed alumina inclusions from the deoxidation process were causing defects. Modifying the deoxidation practice by reducing aluminum addition quantity and changing the addition sequence limited inclusion formation and reduced rejections below 1%.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    38 views38 pages

    Improvement in Internal Soundness of Railway Wheel by Controlling De-Oxidation Practice in Steel-Making

    Uploaded by

    Binod Kumar Padhi
    The document summarizes an investigation into high ultrasonic rejections of railway wheels. Metallurgical analysis revealed alumina inclusions from the deoxidation process were causing defects. Modifying the deoxidation practice by reducing aluminum addition quantity and changing the addition sequence limited inclusion formation and reduced rejections below 1%.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    of 38

    Improvement in Internal Soundness of

    Railway Wheel by Controlling De-


    oxidation Practice in Steel-making

    Srinivasan Anindita Ghosh


    INTRODUCTION
    Introduction
    Railway Wheels from Durgapur Steel Plant, SAIL

    • Forged wheels for wagons, coaches, locomotives supplied to


    IR for last 5 decades
    • 100% processing though VAD
    • Each wheel subjected to ultrasonic testing and magnetic
    particle inspection
    • Periodic fracture toughness evaluation
    • Proven performance in diverse terrains and climates of the
    country
    Introduction
    Product Specification
    Introduction
    Wheel Manufacturing: A Brief Overview

    Wheel steel Bottom Ingots cut into Blocks Blocks forged into Wheel discs
    Poured into
    Ingots/Caster Route
    *>1,052°C

    1,050

    1,000
    Top wheel
    950.0

    900.0 Min Mean Max


    905.2 916.1 922.8
    Bottom wheel
    850.0
    Min Mean Max
    800.0 900.7 907.4 912.6

    750.0
    700.0

    *<700.0°C

    Machined Wheels subjected to


    Heat Treatment of Wheels Machined Wheels
    ultrasonic testing
    MOTIVATION &
    OBJECTIVE
    Motivation & Objective
    Motivation
    • Escalation in Wheel ultrasonic rejections from 2-3 %
    to 10-11 %
    • Huge financial implications ~ 10 crores/month
    • Affecting dispatch commitments
    • Serious housekeeping & safety concerns

    Objective : To minimize ultrasonic rejections of wheels


    Motivation & Objective
    Ultrasonic testing of Wheel
    RIM

    RIM

    HUB

    Location of defects : Random distribution in Rim & Hub


    Size of defect : Single/Multiple 20 % to 60 %, > 60%
    EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP AND
    METHODOLOGY
    Experimental Set up & methodology

    Samples drawn from different defect locations

    X 100 X 100

    X 500 X 100
    Experimental Set up & methodology

    Genesis of Inclusions –
    • Deoxidation products/Slag
    • Mould Powder
    • Anti Piping compound
    • Refractory material of BP runner system

    Areas of Concern
    • Inconsistent quality of mould powder – supply issues with
    vendor
    • Overflow tendency of slag (MgO>20%) –
    -Stoppage of Dolomite addition in converter for VAD heats
    -Aluminium added to break CaO-SiO2 chain
    Experimental Set up & methodology

    • Defect characterization using SEM & EDS

    • Characterization of mould powder samples


    using XRF and hot stage microscope
    Experimental Set up & methodology

    SEM Analysis

    Al2O3 – 53%, FeO -16.5%, SiO2%- Al2O3 – 33%, Na2O -4%, SiO2-25 %,K2O-9%,
    10,CaO-9%, C – 9% ,MgO – 2% C – 8% ,FeO – 35%

    Preliminary Studies Origin in Mould powder


    Experimental Set up & methodology
    Mould Powder characterization
    Chemical Composition (%)
    SiO2 CaO Al2O3 Fe2O3 Na2O C LOI
    A 35.27 8.27 14.20 3.01 5.04 19.17 27.55
    B 39.75 8.54 11.52 2.43 3.24 19.34 27.78
    Mould Powder A Mould Powder B

    Sintering Temp 800 0C 800 0C


    Deformation Temperature
    1175 0C 1165 0C
    (softening Temp)
    Spherical temperature 1185 0C 1160 0C
    Hemispherical Temperature
    1202 0C 1185 0C
    (melting temperature)
    Flow Temperature 1308 0C 1318 0C
    Viscosity 76 poise 291 poise

    However UT rejections continued


    Experimental Set up & methodology
    Further SEM & EDS studies

    Samples were sectioned at defect location, ground


    and polished until the defect was exposed

    X2 X2 X2
    Experimental Set up & methodology
    SEM Analysis revealed High Alumina inclusions

    Al2O3 – 77%, FeO -27%

    Al2O3 – 66%, Fe2O3 -27%


    Experimental Set up & methodology

    Review of De-oxidation Practice

    Ladle Analysis VAD


    1. Coke (~ 200Kg) C ~ 0.17 Trimm. Addn.
    2. Al (~ 220 Kg) Si ~ 0.15 Coke
    3. SiMn-FeSi Mn~ 0.55 Al
    4. Lime

    Average heat size : 112 T


    galaxite

    2 %Mn %Si %Al Log[%Al]


    Log[(% Mn)/(%Si)]

    0.80 0.20 0.02 -1.7


    alumina

    1 1650˚C
    1550˚C
    Solid alumina
    liquid alumino silicate
    0

    mullite
    -4.0 -3.5 -3.0
    log[% Al]
    Equilibrium relations for deoxidation of liquid steel with Al-Si-Mn for %Si+%Mn=1; after
    T.Fujisawa and H.Sakao
    Experimental Set up & methodology
    Review of De-oxidation Practice
    • Low Al recovery

    • Ultra clean steel with very low sulphides( S restricted to


    <0.005% in steel) 0.009
    0.008
    0.007
    0.006
    0.005

    %S
    0.004
    0.003

    • Very high UT rejections


    0.002
    0.001
    0
    15 17 19 21 23 25
    % Al2O3 in slag
    Experimental Set up & methodology
    Review of De-oxidation Practice
    Recovery of Ferroalloys
    % Additions,Kg Recovery %
    Heat No C Mn Si Al FeSi SiMn Coke Al Si Mn Al C
    14108930 0.6 0.82 0.22 0.03 253 1620 720 105 62 100 34 98
    15106901 0.61 0.73 0.23 0.11 120 1621 730 312 83 89 42 99
    15206646 0.61 0.74 0.25 0.02 212 1450 764 419 81 100 5 94
    15306603 0.62 0.75 0.22 0.02 162 1570 740 289 74 94 6 99
    15206791 0.59 0.72 0.2 0.03 1569 739 324 100 90 10 94
    15206742 0.51 0.69 0.23 0.03 200 1509 652 307 74 90 12 92
    15206728 0.5 0.74 0.29 0.02 150 1577 635 280 100 92 8 93
    14304085 0.6 0.72 0.19 0.01 110 1443 728 258 76 98 5 97
    15200504 0.49 0.71 0.19 0.01 119 1390 637 390 77 100 4 91
    14208800 0.59 0.76 0.22 0.02 302 1499 744 100 60 100 24 94
    14209027 0.58 0.75 0.23 0.02 299 1619 727 100 60 91 24 94
    14304749 0.61 0.77 0.24 0.02 365 1549 720 126 58 98 15 100
    14108930 0.6 0.82 0.22 0.03 253 1610 710 105 62 100 34 100
    15107278 0.58 0.74 0.23 0.02 157 1460 760 239 83 100 11 90
    15307942 0.485 0.74 0.23 0.01 207 1586 575 130 71 92 9 100
    15200468 0.51 0.73 0.16 0.02 227 1550 617 80 48 93 32 98
    73 95 17 96
    •High recovery of Si,Mn & C and Low Al recovery
    Experimental Set up & methodology
    Review of Deoxidation Practice

    De-oxidation Practice Modified


    Ladle Analysis VAD
    1. Coke (~ 500Kg) C ~ 0.40 Trimmings:
    2. SiMn-FeSi Si ~ 0.15 Coke
    3. Al(~ 80 Kg) Mn~ 0.55 Al
    4. Lime

    Addition of Aluminium after coke build up and arcing


    RESULTS
    Results
    • S in steel increased to from 0.005 to 0.020% in steel

    • Higher Al recovery

    • Drastic reduction in UT rejections to < 1%

    • % Al in steel ~ 0.010-0.015

    • Grain size of ASTM 6-8 achieved in the wheels after


    heat treatment

    • Fracture Toughness R/19 : 85 MPA√m,R/34: 65MPA√m


    CONCLUSIONS
    Conclusions
    • Aluminium to be added after coke build up and
    arcing to avoid macro alumina clusters

    • Very low ‘S’ levels were achieved with higher Al


    addition. With modified practice ‘S’ was still well
    within norms

    • Residual Al in steel 0.01-0.015 % max. is sufficient to


    produce grain refined and efficiently deoxidised steel

    • This deoxidation practice resulted in casting Al-killed


    grades without nozzle clogging issues
    Summary
    • High ultrasonic rejection was an area of concern and
    investigated in depth to find out the genesis of defect
    • Metallurgical investigation revealed Alumina inclusions,
    generated during de-oxidation and re-oxidation, primarily
    responsible for ultrasonic defect.
    • Bottom pouring compound with higher viscosity not
    suitable for inclusion absorption
    • Reduction in Quantity of Al and change in sequence of
    addition, restricted generation of inclusion
    • 0.01 -0.015 % in steel sufficient to achieve grain size of
    ASTM 6-8 in wheels
    THANK YOU
    Micro-structure of Wheel

    Fine pearlite with ferrite X 100


    CaO SiO2 Al2O3 MgO FeO MnO Basicity

    Type I 51 14 16 11 3 0.3 4

    Type II 2
    48 25 11 8 3 5
    Type III 50 31 3 11 2 3 1.6
    Indigenous precipitation occurs on exogenous nuclei during all the different
    stages of the steelmaking process.
    Many NMIs continuously change their composition in the steel bath and even
    in the solid steel, until the moment when the diffusion rate is negligible
    Indigenous inclusions
    • Precipitation as a result of reactions taking place in solidifying steel
    • Induced by additions to steel or simply by changes in solubility during
    cooling of steel
    • Mostly oxides and sulphides

    Exogenous inclusions
    • Mechanical incorporation of slags ,refractories ,mould powder etc with
    which steel comes in contact
    • Large size,sporadic occurrence, preferred location in casting,irregular
    shape
    • Complex morphology
    Absorbing fluxes
    High basicity
    Moderate C contents
    Low alumina
    High alkali
    Low viscosity
    Study of 3 different deoxidation
    practices
    Ladle Analysis VAD
    Type I 1. Coke (~ 200Kg) C ~ 0.17 Trimm. Addn.
    2. Al (~ 220 Kg) Si ~ 0.15 Coke
    3. SiMn-FeSi Mn~ 0.55 Al
    4. Lime Purging ~100 lpm
    Type II 1. Coke (~ 500Kg) C ~ 0.40 Trimm. Addn.
    2. SiMn-FeSi Si ~ 0.15 Coke
    3. Al(~ 80 Kg) Mn~ 0.55 Al
    4. Lime Purging~100 lpm
    Type III 1. Coke (~ 350Kg) C ~ 0.15 Coke
    2. SiMn-FeSi Si ~ 0.15 Al (~ 50 Kg)
    3. Lime Mn~ 0.55 added after C
    build up (0.5%)
    Purging~75 lpm

    Average heat size : 112 T


    Ultrasonic Testing of Wheels
    Product Mix
    Product Application

    • CC Blooms Re-rolling into :


    • CC Billets • TMT Bars, Wire Rod
    • Rolled Blooms • Structurals for Infrastructure,
    Construction & TLT Tower
    segment
    • Springs for Auto Sector, Forgings
    TMT Bars Construction & Infrastructure

    Medium Structurals Construction, Fabrication, Tower


    Finished (Angles, Channels & Segment (Power & Telecom),
    Joists, Narrow/Wide Wagon Building
    Parallel Beam)
    Wheel & Axle Railway Locomotives, Coaches,
    Wagons

    3636
    Process Flow Diagram for Wheels
    Heat making at SMS
    (BOF-VAD-Bottom pouring)
    Hot Stamping in 300 T Press
    (Cast No, Year & DSP marking)
    Wheel Ingots to WAP
    Heat Treatment
    (Heating, Rim Spraying & Tempering)
    Inspection of Ingot Surface

    Sample selection by RITES.


    Block Cutting Residual stress test & falling weight test
    at Band Saw & Circular Saw Machines followed by testing as per specification

    Machining in CNC machines


    Block Heating (1st ,2nd / 3rd Operation)
    in Re-Heating Furnace – ‘A’
    Cold stamping
    Wheel Forging in 63/12 MN Press in Bradma stamping machine
    (Upsetting, Forming & Punching)
    Online Non-Destructive Testing by R&C
    Lab in presence of RITES
    Reheating of Wheel Blanks
    in Furnace – ‘B’ • Magnetic Particle Testing
    • Ultrasonic Testing
    Rolling in Wheel Mill • Hardness Testing
    (Rim/Web/Tread Rolling)
    Dimensional checking & inspection by
    Web formation R&C Lab followed by RITES
    In 20 MN Dishing Press
    Despatch 37
    FLOW DIAGRAM FOR MANUFACTURING OF WHEELS
    STEEL MAKING INSPECTION CUTTING INTO
    OF INGOTS BLOCKS

    STACKING

    COLD STAMPING NON DESTRUCTIVE INSPECTION


    TESTING (SAIL)
    HEATING OF BLOCKS

    MACHINING
    FORGING &
    INSPECTION ROLLING
    DESPATCH
    (RITES)
    DESTRUCTIVE
    TESTINGS DISHING

    RESIDUAL STRESS SAMPLE HEAT STAMPING


    TEST SELECTION TREATMENT

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