Effect of magnetic field on elements segregation in electroslag ingot

In order to improve the production efficiency of electroslag remelting process and the solidification quality of electroslag ingot, a novel electroslag furnace with electromagnetic stirring was designed and the effects of external magnetic field and different electrical parameters on electroslag remelting process were studied. The distribution of carbon, chromium, phosphorus and compactness in electroslag ingot was analyzed through original position analysis apparatus. Results show that the external magnetic field accelerates the remelting of consumable electrode. Under the condition of remelting voltage of 34 V and current of 1500 A, the remelting rate of metal consumable electrode increases from 20 to 27 mm min⁻¹ when the magnetic induction intensity of 62 × 10⁻⁴ and 108 × 10⁻⁴ T is applied. However, the remelting current decreases from 1500 to 1100 A under the condition of constant remelting rate and remelting voltage, thereby reducing the energy consumption. The effect of external magnetic field on the segregation of different elements in electroslag ingot is different. Under the experimental conditions, the carbon segregation is unremarkable, but the phosphorus segregation is improved when the electromagnetic force generated by the interaction between the external magnetic field and the remelting current is small. However, the excessive electromagnetic force aggravates the segregation of carbon and phosphorus. With the increase in electromagnetic force, the chromium segregation gradually increases.