Treatment of ferro-manganese fines in an extended arc flash reactor

CIM Bulletin, Vol. 75, No. 847, 1982

D.K.A. DONYINA, Graduate Student, A. McLEAN, Professor, and R.S. SEGSWORTH, Professor Emeritus, Department of Metallurgy and Materials Science, University of Toronto

Various aspects of processing ferro-manganese fines generated during the crushing of standard ferro-manganese have been studied in laboratory-scale plasma furnaces. These laboratory furnaces are based on the use of conventional graphite electrodes rather than water-cooled non-consumable torch devices. The reactor system has separate, distinct zones for pre-heating, melting and smelting. This unique feature assists in the removal of undesirable elements from the molten alloy. Ferro-manganese alloys containing over 82% manganese, 0.004% sulphur, less than 0.01% silicon, 0.006% nitrogen, 0.001% oxygen and 0.0006% hydrogen have been produced from the off grade ferro-manganese fines.

Mots Clés: Steelmaking, Manganese, Ferro-manganese, Flash reactors, Crushing, Plasma furnaces, Graphite electrodes, Alloys, Silicon, Carbon, Phosphorous, Sulphur.