Development of a Multi-oxide Kinetic Model to Study Inclusion Transient Evolution in Molten Steel: Application to Si–Mn Killed Steel

A first principles-based multi-oxide inclusion (MOI) kinetic model is proposed to predict the transient evolution of oxide inclusion composition in secondary steelmaking processes. The model provides information about different oxide particles as opposed to an average inclusion composition, by taking into account the thermodynamics (ΔGoxtot$$\Delta G^{\rm tot}_{\rm ox}$$) and kinetics of the formation of different stoichiometric oxide inclusions. When coupled with a previously developed steel–slag model, the model is used to predict the type and amount of predominant inclusions encountered during the refining of Si–Mn killed steels. These predictions show good agreement with laboratory and industrial experimental measurements. The model is able to demonstrate the linkages between the inclusion precipitation sequence and steel and slag compositional variables.