Introduction to Electro-slag remelting (ESR) also

known as electro-flux remelting, is a process of

remelting and refining steel and other alloys for mission-
critical applications in aircraft, thermal power stations,
and nuclear power plants, military technology. Electro-
slag remelting uses highly reactive slags (calcium
fluoride is usually the main component) to reduce the
amount of type-A sulfide present in biometal alloys. It is a
common practice in European industries. ESR reduces
other types of inclusions as well, and is seen as an
alternative to the vacuum arc remelting method that is
prevalent in US industries.
Shaped Cast Electroslag Remelting or electro-flux
remelting

Table 1: Usage of ESR process in developed countries

Grades Melted %Usage
Tool and Die Steels 37.5
Stainless and Nickel base alloys 25.0
High Strength Constructional 25.0
Super alloys 12.5
Total 100
Electro Slag Remelting or Electro-flux Remelting

Electroslag Remelting (ESR) is a process of remelting a

consumable electrode utilizing the heat generated by an
AC electric current passing through a molten slag between
the electrode and the solidifying ingot.

ESR Features:
 Ingot weights from 100 kg to 165 metric tons;
 Alternating current as remelting energy with
melting currents from 3 kA to 92 kA generates 1700
to 2000oC temperature.
 Ingot diameters from 170 mm to 2,300 mm,
depending on material being remelted;
Introduction:
Electro-slag remelting (ESR) process is intended for
production of high-quality steel ingots of round, square
and rectangular cross-sections and also of hollow billets
and shaped castings.

The ESR process is performed by remelting of cast,

forged or rolled consumable electrodes under the layer of
slag, heated to 1700-2000°C by the electric current
passing through it.

ESR furnaces are equipped with transformers with a large

number of secondary voltage steps and computer base
control systems, providing a programmable regulation of
the ESR process in accordance with preset technological
parameters.

The prime attribute of the process which differentiates it

from other hosts of secondary refining processes is its
capability to control both solidification structure and
chemical homogeneity simultaneously.
Ingots formed in the course of ESR process due to the
directed upward solidification in water-cooled molds,
treatment by chemically active slags and forming within a
slag scull are featured by the essential homogeneity of
structure, high density, low content of non-metallic
inclusions and harmful admixtures, also by a smooth
surface not demanding any machining.

Excellent service characteristics of the ESR metal

competitive in the cast state with those of the deformed
metal provide an essential increase in the service life and
reliability of heavy-duty items beginning from tiny
instrument bearings to multi-ton rotors of powerful
generators.
There are two types of mould system are used in ESR.

1. The static mold process, the entire solidifying ingot is

contained within the copper mold.
2. The moving mold or the ingot withdrawal process,
only a part of the ingot is contained within the short
mold, and the remaining ingot is exposed to the
atmosphere.
Type I: Static Mold Process
Type II: Moving Mold Process
ESR process description
Process Description of ESR:
An electro slag remelting process (ESR) starts when the
lower tip of a consumable electrode is immersed into a
pool of molten slag.

The premelted slag possessing electrical conductivity is

located on the water-cooled mold base connected to a
power supply.

The electric current (commonly AC) passing through the

the slag keeps it at high temperature, which is about 360ºF
(200ºC) higher than the melting point of the remelted
metal.
The electrode tip is heated by the hot slag and starts to
melt forming droplets of liquid metal, which disconnect
from the electrode and sink through the slag layer.

Slags for ESR are usually based on calcium fluoride

(CaF2), lime (CaO) and alumina (Al2O3). Magnesia (MgO),
titania (TiO2) and silica (SiO2) may also be added,
depending on the alloy to be remelted.
The slag composition provides the following properties:
1. Melting point lower than that of the remelted alloy;
2. Required level of viscosity;
3. Required level of electrical conductivity;
4. High solubility of sulfur;
5. Capability to adsorb non-metallic inclusions.

The molten steel in form of both liquid film on the electrode

tip and descending droplets contacts with the slag and get
refined due to desulfurization and removal of non-metallic
inclusions (sulfides and oxides).

The droplet enters the molten steel pool, bottom of which

is progressively solidifying.

The water-cooled copper mold provides relatively high

gradient of temperature resulting in high solidification rate.
Solidification front is moving upwards (unidirectional
solidification) forming sound homogeneous metal
structure.

The ingot has a good surface quality due to a thin slag film
covering it.

Advantages of Electroslag Remelting

 Deep desulfurization;
 Refining non-metallic inclusions;
 Homogeneous Distribution of non-metallic inclusions
 Fine Grain structure;
 No Shrinkage defects;
 Low macrosegregation;
 Good surface quality;
 Controllable process.
Applications of Electroslag Remelting
 Superalloys (nickel base alloys possessing
high strength, Creep resistance and oxidation resistance
at high temperatures.
 Large Forging ingots.
Fabrication of large steel ingots requires technologies
providing high purity steel with low level of
macrosegregation and shrinkage porosity.
The technology of electroslag remelting (ESR) meets
these demands. Ingots up to 200 metric tons are
produced by electro-slag remelting utilizing
simultaneous remelting of tens of electrodes.
The ingots are used for manufacturing heavy parts for
electric power generating units (turbine shafts,
generator rotor shafts).
 Rolling mill rolls.
 Tool and die steels.
 Stainless steels.
 Titanium alloys for aerospace applications.
 Titanium scrap remelting. Titnanium machining turnings
and foundry scrap may be recycled by ESR providing
cost effective secondary titanium.

Electroslag Remelting under controllable atmosphere

Electroslag Remelting under inert gas atmosphere:

Inert gas protects the slag and the metal from oxidation
and from pick-up of atmospheric hydrogen. The method is
simpler and cheaper than ESR under vacuum but it does
not allow hydrogen removal.

Electroslag Remelting under increased pressure:

The method is used for remelting nitride hardened steels
(alloyed by Nitrogen). During ESR process such steels are
continuously alloyed by nitrogen containing compounds.
Increased pressure prevents removal of dissolved nitrogen
from the liquid steel to the atmosphere.
Electroslag Remelting under vacuum.
The main limitation of the conventional ESR process is
difficulty of removal of hydrogen exerting adverse effect on
mechanical properties of steels.

Low content of Hydrogen in conventional ESR is obtained

by control of hydrogen in the consumable electrode.
Additionally Electroslag Remelting under atmospere may
cause oxidation by Oxygen penetrating into the slag
contacting the pool of liquid metal.

Electroslag Remelting under vacuum provides

both vacuum degassing and oxidation protection of the
remelted metal.
Pressure/Protective-Gas Electroslag Remelting
(PESR)
Features
• Remelting of consumable electrodes under protective
gas (Ar, N2) or pressure up to 16 bar (from 1st melting)
• Two melting stations offset by 90°
• Microprocessor-controlled melting rate
Advantages
• No hydrogen pick up
• Nitrogen alloying up to approx. 0.8%
• Absence of ingot segregations
• Only minor crystal segregations
• Minimum sulphur contents
• Minimum levels of nonmetallic inclusions
• Optimum polishability
• Excellent material properties (virtually isotropic
properties, especially with regards to toughness)
• Low melting loss of elements with high oxygen affinity
Examples of steel grades
• Plastic mould steels e.g. M303 ISOPLAST®, M333
ISOPLAST®, M340 ISOPLAST®
• Stainless Cr steels e.g. N360 ISOEXTRA®
Examples of application
• Plastics moulds requiring very high polishing finish and
wear resistance
Böhler Edelstahl plant in Kapfenberg has 4 PESR plants,
capacity approx. 9,000 t/year.
Electroslag Remelting (ESR)

Features
• Remelting of consumable electrodes (from 1st melting)
• Microprocessor-controlled melting rate
• Flexible ingot weights
Advantages
• Absence of ingot segregations
• Only minor crystal segregations
• Minimum sulphur contents
• Minimum levels of nonmetallic inclusions
• Optimum polishability
• Excellent material properties (virtually isotropic
properties, especially with regards to toughness)
Examples of steel grades
• Creep resistant steels
• Hot work tool steels e.g. W302 ISOBLOC®, W303
ISOBLOC®, W360 ISOBLOC®
• Plastic mould steels e.g. M303 ISOPLAST®, M310
ISOPLAST®
• Cold work tool steels e.g. K340 ISODUR®, K360
ISODUR®
• High speed steels e.g. S600 ISORAPID®
• Stainless CrNi and Cr steels e.g. N690 ISOEXTRA®,
N700 ISOEXTRA®
• Constructional steels
• Nonferrous metal alloys
Examples of application
• Die-casting dies for Al alloys, Cu alloys etc.
• Plastics moulds requiring very high polishing finish
• Cold forming and punching tools requiring very good
toughness and wear resistance
• Turbines, thermal engines ...
• Processing of heavy metal alloys
• Surgical instruments ...
• Components for operating temperature from –75° C up to
+500° C
• Cutting tools, compact stamping tools
• Screw taps, reamers ...
• Compressors, valves, turbine discs ...