It is demonstrated that during secondary refining at the ladle furnace the carbon content of steel and the residence time of the metal in the

ladle exert a significant impact on the residual content of non-metallic inclusions (NMI) in steel. Mathematical calculations showed that

the dynamic forces have minor effect on the motion of small sized NMI, making it difficult to penetrate deep into the slag.

The morphology, chemical composition and formation mechanism of non-metallic inclusions in magnetic alloy of Fe-Co-Ni-Cu-Al-Ti-Hf system were investigated. These alloys are used in manufacturing single-crystal permanent magnets. Modern methods for the identification of non-metallic inclusions, as well as computer simulation of the processes of their formation by Thermo Calc software were used in the work. It was found that studied alloy contains (Ti, Hf)S titanium and hafnium sulfides, (Ti, Hf)2SC titanium and hafnium carbosulfides, Ti2O2S titanium oxisulfide, HfO2 hafnium oxide, and Al2O3 aluminum oxide. No titanium and hafnium nitrides were found in the alloy. The bulk of nonmetallic inclusions are (Ti, Hf)2SC carbosulfides and (Ti, Hf)S sulfides. All carbides and many oxides are within carbosulfides and sulfides. When the sulfur content in the alloy is no more than 0.2%, and carbon content does not exceed 0.03%, carbosulfides are formed in the solidification range of the alloy and has an faceted compact form. If the sulfur content in the alloy becomes more than 0.2% and carbon content more than 0.03%, the carbosulfide formation begins before the alloy solidification or at the beginning stages of solidification. In this case, carbosulfides are dendritic and coarse. Such carbosulfides actively float in the solidified melt and often come to the surface of the castings. In this case, specific surface defects are formed in single-crystal magnets, which are called sulfide stains. All titanium and hafnium sulfides are formed at the lower part of solidification range and have elongated shape.

The modification of the chemical composition of non-metallic inclusions by rare-earth elements in the new-developed microalloyed steels was discussed in the paper. The investigated steels are assigned to production of forged elements by thermomechanical treatment. The steels were melted in a vaccum induction furnace and modification of non-metallic inclusions was carried out by the michmetal in the amount of 2.0 g per 1 kg of steel. It was found that using material charge of high purity and a realization of metallurgical process in vacuous conditions result in a low concentration of sulfur (0.004%), phosphorus (from 0.006 to 0.008%) and oxygen (6 ppm). The high metallurgical purity is confirmed by a small fraction of non-metallic inclusions averaging 0.075%. A large majority of non-metallic inclusions are fine, globular oxide-sulfide or sulfide particles with a mean size 17 µm2 . The chemical composition and morphology of non-metallic inclusions was modified by Ce, La and Nd, what results a small deformability of nonmetallic inclusions during hot-working.

The paper presents the results of research on the impact of impurities in the feed ingots (master heat) on the precipitation of impurities in

the ATD thermal analysis probe castings. This impurities occur mostly inside shrinkage cavities and in interdendritic space. Additionally,

insufficient filtration of liquid alloy during pouring promotes the transfer of impurities into the casting. The technology of melting

superalloys in vacuum furnace prevents the removal of slag from the surface of molten metal. Because of that, the effective method of

quality assessment of feed ingots in order to evaluate the existence of impurities is needed. The effectiveness of ATD analysis in

evaluation of purity of feed ingots was researched. In addition the similarities of non-metallic inclusions in feed ingots and in castings

were observed.

This paper presents influence of rare earth metals (REM) on the properties of GP240GH cast carbon steel. The research has been performed on successive industrial melts. Each time ca 2000 kg of liquid metal was modified. The rare earth metals were put into the ladle during tapping of heat melt from the furnace. Because of this the amount of sulphur in the cast steel was decreased and the non-metallic inclusion morphology was significantly changed. It was found that non metallic inclusions the cracking mechanism of Charpy specimens and the impact strength were all changed. The following properties were tested: mechanical properties (σy, σUTS), plastic properties (necking, elongation) and impact strength (SCI). In the three-point bend test the KJC stress intensity factor was evaluated.

This paper presents the findings of fatigue strength tests of 15CrNi6 steel following low-pressure carburizing and oil quenching, subjected to cycles of one-sided three-point bending. The fatigue fractures were compared with the results of fatigue strength studies of 16MnCr5 steel following low-pressure carburizing and nitrogen quenching. The fatigue tests for 16MnCr5 steel were conducted as part of a high-cycle resonance test, with a pendular bending load. The study also involved an analysis of the effects on non-metallic inclusions in the structure on the mechanism of fatigue destruction. The inclusions were found to initiate fatigue cracks. In both cases, a similar method of a fatigue fissure initiation was observed, independent of the study method or specimen material.

In this work, the authors proposed a modification of the working space one-strand tundish adapted for slab casting process. Numerical simulations of liquid steel flow in the considered flow reactor were performed. The tundish is equipped with a dam with a multi-hole filter. Two variants of the filter hole arrangement were tested and their effect on the liquid steel flow hydrodynamic structure in the tundish was examined. The computer calculations results were verified by performing experiments on the water model. The result of numerical and physical simulations an RTD (Residence Time Distribution) type F curve was generated, which define the transition zone between the cast steel grades during the sequential casting process. The results of the researches showed that the modification of a dam with a multi-hole filter affects on the formation of the liquid steel flow hydrodynamic structure and the transition zone. Furthermore, examinations of the liquid steel refining ability in the considered tundish were carried out. The influence of the filter holes arrangement on the non-metallic inclusions flotation process to the slag phase and liquid steel filtration processes was checked. Numerical simulations were performed in the Ansys-Fluent computer program.

Non-metallic inclusions found in steel can affect its performance characteristics. Their impact depends not only on their quality, but also,

among others, on their size and distribution in the steel volume. The literature mainly describes the results of tests on hard steels,

particularly bearing steels. The amount of non-metallic inclusions found in steel with a medium carbon content melted under industrial

conditions is rarely presented in the literature. The tested steel was melted in an electric arc furnace and then desulfurized and argonrefined.

Seven typical industrial melts were analyzed, in which ca. 75% secondary raw materials were used. The amount of non-metallic

inclusions was determined by optical and extraction methods. The test results are presented using stereometric indices. Inclusions are

characterized by measuring ranges. The chemical composition of steel and contents of inclusions in every melts are presented. The results

are shown in graphical form. The presented analysis of the tests results on the amount and size of non-metallic inclusions can be used to

assess them operational strength and durability of steel melted and refined in the desulfurization and argon refining processes.

The effect of CaSiAl modification (43-49% Ca, 43-48% Si, 2% Al) on the non-metallic inclusions and mechanical properties of cast lowcarbon steel is discussed. Tests were carried out on the cast steel with 0.2% C and micro-additives of V and Nb, used mainly for heavy steel castings (e.g. slag ladles). The modifier in an amount of 1.5 and 3 kg / Mg was introduced to the liquid steel before tapping the metal into a ladle. Test ingots of Y type and a weight of 10 kg were cast and then subjected to a normalizing heat treatment. Using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the non-metallic inclusions present in as-cast samples was carried out. Additionally, tests of mechanical strength and impact strength were performed on cast steel with and without the different content of modifier. It was found that increasing the modifier addition affected impact strength but had no significant effect on tensile strength and yield strength. The material with high impact strength had the smallest area fraction of non-metallic inclusions in the microstructure (0.20%). The introduction of modifiers changed the morphology of non-metallic inclusions from dendritic to regular and nodular shapes.

The mechanical properties of steel components are controlled by the chemical composition and mechanical treatment to which the steel is submitted. Non-metallic inclusions have a very high influence on the steel quality but secondary metallurgy enables to reduce their content in the steel. Possibilities of secondary metallurgy are relatively extensive but financial situation in Slovak foundries does not enable to make investments in secondary metallurgy in the near future. Accessible means for influencing of steel quality is injection of aninert gas. Main goal of experiments described in the article was verify the influence of blowing of argon into the steel in an electric induction furnace on its cleanness. Duration and flow-rate of argon blowing have a very clearly influence on the final content of non-metallic inclusions. Minimum time of argon blowing necessary for reducing of content of non-metallic inclusions in one tonne electric induction furnace was more than 6 minutes and recommended argon flow rate was 10 litters per minute.

The paper presents the results of evaluation of the metallurgical quality of master heat ingots and of the identification of non-metallic inclusions (oxides of Al., Zr, Hf, Cr, etc.), which have been found in the shrinkage cavities formed in these ingots. The inclusions penetrate into the liquid alloy, and on pouring of mould are transferred to the casting, especially when the filtering system is not sufficiently effective. The specific nature of the melting process of nickel and cobalt alloys, carried out in vacuum induction furnaces, excludes the possibility of alloy refining and slag removal from the melt surface. Therefore, to improve the quality of castings (parts of aircraft engines), it is so important to evaluate the quality of ingots before charging them into the crucible of an induction furnace. It has been proved that one of the methods for rapid quality evaluation is an ATD analysis of the sample solidification process, where samples are taken from different areas of the master heat ingot. The evaluation is based on a set of parameters plotted on the graph of the dT/dt derivative curve during the last stage of the solidification process in a range from TEut to Tsol.

This paper presents an analysis of non-metallic inclusions occurring in high-silicon steels containing about 3% Si of terms of their type, volume fraction and morphology. The inclusions were divided into 3 main groups: oxides, sulfides, nitrides which together can also form complex. The work was based on numerous metallographic observations in two sections (longitudinal and transverse to the rolling direction). The study was performed on three casts differing in chemical composition. The analyzed casts were characterized by a different content of non-metallic inclusions, which can be associated with slight differences in chemical composition. The analyzed results showed that the most common inclusions were oxides and nitrides. Sulfides occurred sporadically.