Ferroalloys

ILARDUYA provides any conventional or noble alloy for electric furnace or casting ladle direct injection in iron and steel production. Ferroalloys are supplied in bulk, 50 kg bags or in specially calibrated mini-bags with 0,5 kg of alloying element . Elements incorporated in ferroalloys allow modifications in iron properties.

Ferrosilicon: Silicon favours casting carbon graphitisation. It provokes iron deoxidation and seeds, refines and orients graphite precipitation so casting mechanical properties are enhanced and vertices whitening is minimised.

Ferromanganese: This ferroalloy allows casting desulphuration and pearlitisation and increases tensile strength and Brinell hardness.

Ferrochromium: Antigraphitisation ferroalloy that refines particles and improves tensile, bending, corrosion or wear strength. Additivation of 1-2% significantly enhances heat resistance.

Copper: When incorporated in a ferroalloy, it refines the grain providing a pearlitic structure. In addition, it enhances tensile strength and hardness, providing homogeneus casting hardness.

Ferromolibdenum: It substantially increases tensile strength. In addition, it provides toughness, considerable hardness and high wear strength.

Nickel: Graphitising element allowing highly resistent compact dense castings. It provides homogeneous mechanical properties throughout the full casting depth and improves castings tooling.

Calcium carbide: Product used for iron desulphurisation.

Graphite and recarburants: Additives increasing casting carbon.

ILARDUYA supplies tailored briquettes for cupola melting enabling smelters a precise component adjustment according to the type of iron to be produced. Hence, colour-differentiated briquettes are loaded through the furnace throat in the required amount allowing easy handling without any dust generation. This system has the following advantages:

• Accurate dosage, since each briquette contains 1 kg of alloying element.
• Avoidance of weighing errors.
• No particle and dust emissions.
• Easy colour identification.
• Lower storage requirement needs.
• High cupola yields.

Silicon briquettes: Silicon plays a key role as a graphitising agent. In addition, it deoxidises iron and increases equivalent carbon thus improving castability and making tooling easier.

Manganese briquettes: Manganese levels sulphur content avoiding iron sulphide formation, harmful for iron castings. In addition, manganese favours a fine grain pearlitic structure.

Chromium briquettes: Chromium is antigrafitising and grain-refining and improves tensile, bending, corrosion and wear strength, amongst others. Addition of 1-2% significantly improves heat resistance.

Silicon carbide briquettes: They incorporate both carbon and silicon. This product allows a better batch steel use. It is a good deoxidising agent that improves castability and castings easier tooling.

Phosphorus briquettes: They improve liquid iron castability and wear strength. Excessive dosage can lead to castings brittleness.

Fluor Spar briquettes: When added to the cupola furnace they desulphurate, fluidise the slag and improve iron casting temperature. Addition of 1-2% of total metal load is recommended.