Stainless steel manufacturing process and equipment

摘要

A method of making a low carbon, low silicon chromium - containing stainless steel comprises:- a) producing a steel melt containing at least the major part of the chromium content and a substantial excess over the final carbon content required. b) saturating the melt with oxygen by blowing which also removes most of the silicon in the melt, and c) subjecting the melt to sub-atmospheric pressure so that carbon and oxygen react together to give the final low carbon content. In one embodiment of the process of the present invention the melt may be vacuum treated with the injection of an oxygen containing gas (e.g. oxygen in superheated steam, argon or nitrogen) thus combining steps b and c above. After the vacuum step the melt may be alloyed with elements which are more reactive with oxygen than carbon at the temperature of the melt.