Characterization of calcium aluminate flux containing MgO for steel refining

炼钢作业使用各种助熔剂来处理铁液和钢液，以达到产品规格。传统上，氟化钙已用于此类助熔剂。然而，由于其对环境的有害影响，替代材料正被更普遍地使用。处理钢的有效助熔剂是铝酸钙。这种熔剂通常由地球矿物产生，并从亚洲进口到北美。SCEPTER公司正在与METKEM创新公司合作开发一种类似的或更好的助熔剂，使用的不是地球矿物，而是铝工业的废物和副产品。为了评估该助熔剂的熔炼性能，并研究一些添加剂对其性能的改善作用，提出了本合作研究。如果这项研究成功实施，其长期成果将是：(a)通过消除氟化钙减少钢铁处理对环境的影响，(b)通过利用铝生产的废料减少铝生产的环境足迹，以及(c)在加拿大建立生产设施，从而可能创造就业机会和财富。

Steelmaking operations use a variety of fluxes to treat liquid iron and steel for achieving the product specifications. Traditionally, calcium fluoride has been used in such fluxes. However, due to its detrimental environmental effect, substitute materials are being more commonly used. An effective flux in treating steel is calcium aluminate. This flux is usually produced from earth minerals and is imported to North America from Asia. SCEPTER Inc. is working with METKEM Innovation Inc. to develop a similar or superior flux, using not earth minerals, but rather waste and by-products from the aluminum industry. To evaluate the melting properties of this flux, and investigate the effect of some additions for improving its performance, the present collaborative research has been proposed. The long term outcomes of the research, if successfully implemented will be (a) reducing the environmental impact of steel treatment by eliminating calcium fluoride, (b) reducing the environmental footprint of aluminum production, by using its waste materials, and (c) establishing production facilities in Canada, that could result in job and wealth creation.