DEVELOPMENT OF AN ULTRASONIC LIQUID STEEL INCLUSION MONITOR

The application of ultrasonic scattering methodologies to measure inclusions in metals in the liquid state could enable the development of techniques for understanding non-metallic particulate inclusion content or cleanliness at different process areas. The MV20/20 ultrasonic system developed for the aluminum industry has achieved some success. However, the operational temperatures evident in steel production suggest many practical issues in designing an ultrasonic measurement system due to the inability to propagate an ultrasonic pulse directly into liquid steel. This paper describes the latest developments of a novel disposable ultrasonic probe that overcomes pulse introduction difficulties as well as some of the associated issues evident in liquid steel application. A trial at the Corus pilot plant facility in the U.K shows that probe design can be used to detect backwall signals at a distance of 20cm with a signal to noise ratio in the region of 10dB.