MODELING VISCOSITY AND SURFACE TENSION OF CaO-AL2O3-SiO2 SYSTEM

The Knowledge of physical-chemical properties of molten oxide systems is essential in view of the high-temperature metallurgical processes. Oxide systems form the basis of casting powders and metallurgical slags. The choice of an optimum slag mode influences not only the main metallurgical processes, but also the values of technical-economic indicators of the whole steelmaking process. One of the important characteristics are surface properties which influence properties of slags in metallurgy, the study of which contributes to the knowledge and the control of phenomena at the interface oxide system/metal. Viscosity is another important characteristic that affects useful properties of slags. It influences kinetic conditions in metallurgical processes. The presented paper is focused on the comparison between numerically and experimentally obtained values of surface tension and viscosity. The numerically obtained data were calculated using the Chou model. This model represents semi empirical geometric model, which allows the calculation of wide spectrum of the ternary systems physical-chemical properties. The ternary system of CaO-Al2O3-SiO2, which presents a simplified base of the casting powders used for continuous casting of steel, was chosen for the experiment. Concentration series of SiO2 was created to this ternary system. The experimental viscosity measurements were carried out by the rotating viscometer Anton Paar FRS 1600. The method of sessile drop was used for measurement of surface tension.