The silicon content of ferrosilicon lumps is usually within a specific range. Common ones include ferrosilicon 75 with a silicon content of about 75%, which has relatively low carbon, phosphorus, and sulfur content; and ferrosilicon 72 with a silicon content of about 72%. Different brands are suitable for different scenarios due to differences in silicon content and other impurity content.
In the steelmaking industry, ferrosilicon lumps play an extremely important role as deoxidizer and alloying agent.
Silicon has a strong chemical affinity with oxygen. In the final critical stage of steelmaking, when ferrosilicon lumps are thrown into the molten steel, the silicon element will quickly combine with the oxygen in the molten steel to form stable compounds such as silica and float up to be discharged. Thereby effectively reducing the oxygen content in the molten steel and ensuring the quality of the steel. For example, when refining high-strength alloy steel, the deoxidation of ferrosilicon lumps can avoid defects such as pores and looseness in the steel due to excessive oxygen content, and improve the density and strength of the steel.
As an alloying agent, the silicon in the ferrosilicon lump is integrated into the steel, which can significantly improve the strength, hardness and elasticity of the steel. For example, when producing rebar for construction, adding an appropriate amount of ferrosilicon lumps can enhance the tensile strength of the steel bars, allowing them to better withstand the pressure and tension of the building structure.
In the field of cast iron industry, ferrosilicon lumps are indispensable inoculants and spheroidizing agents.
Cast iron has the characteristics of low cost, easy melting and smelting and excellent casting performance. When the ferrosilicon lump is added to the cast iron melt, it can effectively prevent the formation of carbides in the molten iron and actively promote the precipitation and spheroidization of graphite. Taking the production of ductile iron as an example, the addition of ferrosilicon lumps causes graphite to be evenly distributed in the cast iron matrix in a spherical shape, which is completely different from the structure of flake graphite in ordinary gray cast iron. This spherical graphite structure greatly reduces the splitting effect on the matrix, thereby greatly improving the mechanical properties of cast iron, such as tensile strength, toughness and ductility. Ductile iron is widely used in many fields such as machinery manufacturing and the automobile industry. It can be used to manufacture important parts such as engine lumps and crankshafts, reducing production costs while ensuring performance.
