Iranian Journal of Materials science and Engineering
Volume:3 Issue: 3, Jul 2006

Although the flash smelting technologies use different furnace designs, the refractory linings are exposed to very similar aggressive environments and, as a result, the corrosion analysis results on one type of furnace could be generally applied to other furnaces of similar high temperature processes. Particularities regarding the different chemistries of the pyrometallurgical process and operating parameters of these furnaces could also bring particular aspects to be considered when analyzing the refractory ware and final failure in use. This paper presents a review of the existent experimental. data of corrosion analyses on refractory linings used in two particular flash furnaces for zinc-lead and respectively nickel-copper smelting. Although various modern water cooling systems are generally used to protect the refractory wall linings against corrosion by molten slag and matte, the performance of the refractory roof lining, usually used without water cooling, represents a permanent concern and the object of research studies to extend their life in service. The failure mechanisms analysed in this study are based on postmortem analyses and laboratory corrosion experiments with magnesite-chrome bricks of different chemical and mineralogical compositions. The gaseous atmosphere, usually rich in SO2 and/or CO and various metal fumes, produces irreversible microstructural changes which could shorten the life in service of the refractory lining. The experimental data proved that thermal cycling in SO2/SO3 atmospheres could bring more damage than a continuous use at relatively constant temperature, due to the magnesium and calcium sulphate formation. The laboratory experiments and postmortem analyses showed that that metal fumes at various partial pressure of oxygen would condense as oxides and react inside the pores and at the grain boundaries, contributing to the continuous deterioration of the ceramic matrix of the refractory brick lining. The mechanisms of corrosion, discussed based on laboratory experiments, were confirmed by the postmortem analyses on brick samples used in the industrial flash smelting furnaces.

In the present study a Finite Difference Method has been developed to model the transient incompressible turbulent free surface fluid flow. A single fluid has been selected for modeling of mold filling and The SOLA VOF 3D technique was modified to increase the accuracy of simulation of filling phenomena for shape castings. For modeling the turbulence phenomena k-e standard model was used. In order to achieve an accurate model, solving domain was discrete to three regions includes: laminar sub layer, boundary layer and internal region. This model was applied to experimental models such as a driven cavity, Campbell benchmark [1] and top filled cavity. The results show that the suggested model yield favorable predictions of turbulence flow and have a good consistency in comparing with experimental results.

TRIP (TRansformation- lnduced- Plasticity) behavior is a powerful mechanism to improve mechanical properties. The basis of TRIP phenomena is the transformation of retained austenite with optimum characteristics (volume fraction, stability, size and morphology) to martensite during deformation at room temperature. Accordingly, the first requirement to obtain desired TRIP effects is to produce an appropriate microstructure. Thermo mechanical processing is an effective method to control the microstructural evolution thereby mechanical properties in TRIP steels. This work deals with a TRIP steel containing 0.2% C, evaluating the effects of straining before and during? ®a atransformation on its final characteristics, using hot compression tests. The results revealed that straining in the two phase region (dynamic transformation) not only reduces the ferrite grain size more significantly, but also increases the retained austenite volumefraction. Accordingly the final mechanical properties were also improved.

In this study, commercially pure titanium/304L stainless steel explosion bonded clads have been annealed under argon atmosphere over the temperature range of 700-900°C for 1h.Microstructure of the clads have been investigated before and after anealing. X-ray diffraction studies revealed that the annealing products in the form of intermetallic phases were gradually formed at the interface of the annealed clads. It was also found that, the bonding zone width increased with temperature according to an Arrhenius type equation. On the base of this equation, the activation energy of bonding zone growth was found equal to about 66.5 kJ/mol. The bond strength of the diffusion annealed clads were evaluated stress relieved. The maximum average tensile strength of ~350MPa was obtained for the as-welded clad. It was found that the bond strength decreased with annealing at 700°C due to an increase in the width of brittle intermetallic layer.

In this study the hot deformation behaviour of a precipitation hardened (PH) stainless steel at high strain rates has been predicted through hot compression testing. Stress-strain curves were obtained for a range of strain rates from 10-3 to 10+1 S-1 and temperatures from 850 to 1150°C. Results obtained by microstructure and stress-strain curves show that at low temperatures and high strain rates, where the Zener-Holman parameter (Z) is high, work hardening and dynamic recovery occure. By increasing temperature and decreasing strain rate, the Z parameter is decreased, so that dynamic recrystallization is the dominant softening mechanism. The results were fitted using a Log Z versus Log (sinh (a sp) diagram allowing an assessment of the behavior of the stresses measured at strain rates closer to those related to the industrial hot rolling schedules. It is clearly shown that the data collected from low strain rate testing can be fairly reasonably extrapolated to higher orders of magnitude of strain rate.

In this research the influence of Ti contents on the amounts of inclusions formation and mechanical properties of a high alloy high strength steel, C300, has been investigated. For this purpose several bars were casted under the same solidification conditions, but different amounts of Ti element. All the seven casted bars were homogenized at 1200°C for a period of 2 hours. Then, they were immediately hot rolled after homogenization; so that the out rolling temperature was kept in the range of 1000-1200° C. The specimens were then solution annealed at 820°C for hour and finally they were aged for a period of 3 hours at 500°C. The samples were subjected to tensile, impact and hardness tests in order to relate the variation in volume percent of inclusions due to different amount of Ti, to mechanical properties. The results showed that by increasing the amount of Ti a serious decline in toughness properties of the alloy due to increase in inclusion population occurred. So this research provides a very useful information about the relation between volume fraction of inclusions and mechanical properties of a C300 high strength steel.

A film of osteoconductive and biocompatible material on biomedical metallic implants can create bioactivity of the implant and shorten healing time. Hydroxyapatite, that is the most important mineral part of human bone, was coated on Ti6Al4V using cathodic electrode position process. Pulse electrode position technique was used and the effects of different parameters such as potential, duty cycle (on time/ (on time+ off time)), temperature and current density on the morphology of the deposits were examined. Nano size deposits were formed under controlled temperature and optimization of voltage and current density.