Features of using INSTEEL®modifiers. Industrial testing.

Producing metal with low non-metallic inclusion contamination remains a pressing challenge for metallurgical engineers. One key area for improving steel refining technology is selecting optimal compositions of refining alloys to enhance secondary metallurgy efficiency. This study presents results from using cored wire containing alkaline earth metals (Ca, Ba) at large-scale steelmaking plants. The research highlights the mechanism of non-metallic inclusion removal when using alkaline earth metal complexes compared to conventional calcium-based materials. Notably, the SiCaBa modifier demonstrated significantly improved calcium yield stability, enabling more reliable prediction of residual calcium content in molten steel. This helps prevent calcium overmodification and reduces risks of additional non-metallic inclusion formation. Industrial trials of INSTEEL® cored wire under various production conditions showed consistent trends: reduced non-metallic inclusion contamination; increased calcium yield efficiency (29.9% at Ural Steel JSC, 14.6% at KSP Steel LLP, and 23.5% at EVRAZ NTMK JSC); improved cleanliness ratings: at Ural Steel JSC (17G1SU grade): Brittle silicate max score decreased from 4.0 to 2.5; non-deformable silicates from 4.0 to 3.0; at EVRAZ NTMK JSC (OS grade). Non-deformable silicate contamination reduced from 2.75 to 2.47; 12.9% reduction in refining treatment costs. The findings demonstrate that complex alkaline earth metal alloys offer measurable advantages in secondary metallurgy processing compared to standard calcium treatments