An experimental model was constructed to clarify the mechanism for separating inclusions from molten steel strongly stirred with a rotating electro-magnetic field.
Molten steel was rotated and solidified in a crucible. The ingot obtained had its maximum oxygen content at the axis of rotation. The existence of this maximum area can be partly explained by the centripetal force acting on inclusions during rotation of the mnolten steel.
Many coagulating inclusion pairs were observed in the ingot, with the radii of the inclusions forming coagulating pairs being concentrated in the range from 10 to 50 μm. This phenomenon was explained using Saffman's model, which shows the probability of gradient collision between inclusions in turbulent eddies. This inclusion coagulation effect suggests the high deoxidation capability of rotating molten steel in an electro-magnetically stirred ladle.