The Influence of Sulfur Content on the Carbothermal Reduction of SiMn Slag

This article examines the influence of sulfur content on the carbothermal reduction of MnO and SiO2 in SiMn slag by carbon black. The sulfur content in the synthetic slag is varied from 0 to 1.0 wt pct. Reduction experiments are carried out in a thermogravimetric (TG) furnace at 1873 K (1600 °C) under CO atmospheric pressure. The reduction rates are measured based on the weight loss data, and the samples are characterized by SEM/EDS and ICP-MS. The wetting property of slag on carbon black is also studied with the sessile drop technique. The reaction rate on the slag-metal interface is one order higher than on the slag-carbon interface. A small amount of sulfur (0.2 and 0.44 wt pct) accelerates the slag-metal reaction rate constant by 2.2 and 4.2 times, respectively. Therefore, small amounts of sulfur in slag significantly improve the reduction of MnO and SiO2. The MnS precipitation phenomenon during slag cooling is studied by FactSage simulation and experimental verification.