Ferrochrome is an ferroalloy composed of chromium and iron. It is an important alloying additive for steelmaking. According to different carbon content, ferrochrome can be divided into high-carbon ferrochrome (4-8% carbon content), medium-carbon ferrochrome (0.5-4% carbon content), low-carbon ferrochrome (0.15-0.50% carbon content), Micro-carbon ferrochrome (carbon content is 0.06%), ultra-micro-carbon ferrochrome (carbon content is less than 0.03%), and silicon-chromium alloy, ferrochromium nitride, etc.
The lower the carbon content of ferrochrome, the more difficult it is to smelt, the greater the power consumption, and the higher the cost. Ferrochrome with a carbon content of less than 2% is suitable for smelting stainless steel, acid-resistant steel, and other low-carbon chromium steels. Ferrochromium with a carbon content of more than 4% is often used to refine ball-bearing steel and steel for auto parts. Ferrochromium containing about 5% chromium can be used as a chromium addition agent for alloy transfer iron.
Characteristics of low carbon ferrochrome
Low-carbon ferrochromium is a very environmentally friendly alloy material, which is composed of low-carbon iron, chromium, silicon and other elements, and is widely used in steel, casting and other industries. It can not only improve the quality of steel products, but also reduce exhaust emissions and protect the environment.
Compared with traditional high-carbon ferrochromium, low-carbon ferrochrome has lower carbon content and higher chromium content, so it can reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions in the production process, to achieve the purpose of energy saving, emission reduction, environmental protection, and energy saving .
In addition, low-carbon ferrochromium also has good mechanical properties and corrosion resistance, which can greatly improve the quality of steel products and reduce production costs. Therefore, more and more enterprises begin to use low-carbon ferrochrome to replace traditional steel materials, to achieve double improvement of economic and environmental benefits.
In short, as a new type of environmentally friendly material, low-carbon ferrochromium has high technical content and application value. In the future, it will play an increasingly important role in steel, foundry, and other industries, making greater contributions to building a beautiful home and protecting the earth’s environment.
Production process of low carbon ferrochrome
The production methods of low-carbon ferrochrome can be divided into two types: the combustion method outside the furnace and the reduction method in the furnace. The choice of different processes should be selected according to the actual production needs. The following is a brief introduction to the two production processes of low-carbon ferrochrome
1. Out-of-furnace combustion method
The raw materials are chromite and coal powder, etc., which are sent to the electric arc furnace for smelting after pretreatment. Among them, the material containing chromium oxide in the charge is reduced to metallic chromium and co-melted with iron to form low-carbon ferrochrome, and the heat generated by the decomposition products of coal maintains the reaction. Finally, through cooling, desulfurization, dust removal, and other treatments, qualified low-carbon ferrochrome products are obtained.
2. Furnace reduction method
This method mainly uses devices such as a rotary kiln to mix chromite and reducing agents (coke, charcoal, etc.) and send them into the furnace for reaction. The temperature in the furnace is high, and the charge is connected to the furnace for further reduction and melting, and finally, the low-carbon ferrochrome in the molten state is obtained. The reaction speed of this method is slower, but the control of temperature and atmosphere in the furnace is more precise, so more stable product quality can be obtained.
Export Status of Low Carbon Ferrochrome
In February 2023, China exported 3167 tons of low-carbon ferrochromium, a decrease of 1025 tons from the previous month, a decrease of 24.45, and a year-on-year increase of 277.02% (840 tons in February 2022). Among them, the top three export countries are South Korea 799 tons, Mexico 453 tons, and Japan 424 tons. From January to February 2023, China exported a total of 7,359 tons of low-carbon ferrochrome, an increase of 265.57% year-on-year
