Fundamental study of oxygen scarfing process

Book · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:428104

Showalter, M S; Nemchinsky, V A ^[1]; Khan, J A ^[2]

---

1. ESAB Welding and Cutting Products, Florence, SC (United States)
2. Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering

Scarfing is a process in which a thin layer (typically 2--6 mm) of the surface of a steel slab is removed by melting the metal. This is a conditioning process for high quality steel applications that allows a steel mill to remove surface defects, like inclusions, pitting and cracks, from steel slabs using a thermochemical process. The process is begun by preheating a small area on the slab to its molten temperature using an oxy-fuel flame. After the area becomes molten, a flow of oxygen is directed onto it. The molten steel begins to oxidize, the energy released during oxidation is sufficient to sustain the melting process with negligible additional energy. The slab is moved relative to the scarfing machine, the slower the speed the greater the thickness of the removed layer and vice versa. The current research is an attempt to describe the basic fundamental concepts of scarfing including heat transfer mechanisms, fluid dynamics and chemistry of the reaction. A governing equation is derived that can be used to predict the depth of metal removal. The parameters that affect the metal removal are also discussed, specifically the depth of metal removed is compared with the slab speed, and oxygen flow rate. A comparison of predicted metal removal with experimental data shows the accuracy of the model. The results obtained in this study will provide the manufacturing company a tool to design the optimal scarfing process.

• OSTI ID: 428104
• Report Number(s): CONF-960815--; ISBN 0-7918-1505-6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
FLUID MECHANICS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
STEELS
SURFACE FINISHING
THEORETICAL DATA