Foundry
Steel foundry with a casting capacity of 250 ton, equipped with VOD and LR furnaces.
VOD Furnaces
Vacuum Oxygen Decarburization is a steelmaking technique employed to enhance stainless steel by reducing its carbon content while simultaneously limiting the oxidation of other alloying elements.
- Decarburization: VOD specifically targets the removal of carbon from molten steel.
- Vacuum: The process takes place under vacuum conditions, which enhances the removal of carbon and other volatile elements like hydrogen and nitrogen.
- Oxygen: Oxygen is injected into the molten steel to react with the carbon, forming carbon monoxide (CO) gas, which is then removed under vacuum.
- Stainless Steel: VOD is particularly useful for refining stainless steel because it allows for precise control of the carbon content without significantly affecting other alloying elements like chromium.
- Secondary Refining: VOD is a secondary refining process, meaning it’s applied after the initial melting of the steel.
Ladle Refining Furnaces
Harcliff’s ladle refining furnaces (LRF) are utilised in the steelmaking process to further refine molten steel following its production in our primary VOD furnaces. LRFs play a vital role in improving the quality of steel by modifying the chemical composition, eliminating impurities, and regulating temperature
Refining: Within the LRF, various treatments are applied to the molten steel, including:
- Temperature Control: The LRF heats the steel to the precise temperature required for casting, ensuring optimal conditions.
- Chemical Composition Adjustment: Alloying elements are added and mixed to achieve the desired chemical composition of the steel.
- Inclusion Modification: Non-metallic inclusions (impurities) are removed or altered to improve the steel’s properties.
CONTACT NUMBER
+27 (0) 11 392 1714
EMAIL ADDRESS
info@harcliff.co.za
ADDRESS
61/62 Fleming Road, Meadowdale, Germiston, 1614, South Africa
