Industrial Experiments of Using Limestone Instead of Lime for Slagging during LD-Steelmaking Process

Some industrial trials of utilizing limestone as a new kind of slag-making agent instead of lime for slagging during LD-steelmaking process are discussed and analyzed in the present work. The results indicate that with oxygen blowing time being unchanged, slag forming rate increased significantly and final steel compositions and temperature reached the required standard during the steelmaking process with limestone used, compared with the process by using lime. The preliminary success achieved from industrial tests gave strong evidence that the idea of using limestone instead of lime for slagging is feasible and this new steelmaking method with limestone used, which saves energy and reduces CO2 emissions, can be successfully applied into industrial production. Thus, the application of this new method can not only sharply reduce energy consumption and emission of dust and CO2, but also bring significant environmental and economic benefits.