Grain-Oriented Steel Sheet Low-Temperature Slab Heating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for producing grain-oriented electrical steel sheets require high temperature slab heating, leading to increased energy costs and deterioration of magnetic properties due to excessive carbon content, which necessitates decarburization annealing, limiting productivity and yield.

Innovation Solution

Minimizing carbon content in the steel sheet to 0.0005% to 0.005% and adjusting the silicon content to 2.0% to 4.5%, along with controlling the cooling rate and heating rate during annealing processes, to enhance the growth of Goss-oriented grains and improve magnetic properties without the need for high temperature slab heating or decarburization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If high temperature slab heating is performed to achieve uniform inhibitor distribution, then the inhibitor distribution becomes uniform and fine, but the slab structure becomes excessively coarse which impedes secondary recrystallization and deteriorates magnetic properties

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinhibitor distribution uniformityVSAvoidmagnetic properties
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the temperature parameter from conventional high temperature (1300°C or higher) to low temperature (1200°C or lower) slab heating, which prevents excessive coarsening of the slab structure while still achieving sufficient inhibitor distribution. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by finding an optimal temperature window that satisfies both inhibitor distribution and magnetic property requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If high temperature slab heating is performed, then inhibitor distribution is improved, but energy consumption increases and decarburization annealing is required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinhibitor distributionVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent reduces the slab heating temperature to 1200°C or lower, which significantly reduces energy consumption compared to conventional high temperature heating (1300°C or higher), while still achieving the necessary inhibitor distribution through optimized heating parameters and material composition

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Stability of the object's composition

If high temperature slab heating is performed, then inhibitor distribution is improved, but additional decarburization annealing step is required which reduces productivity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinhibitor distributionVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the slab heating temperature to 1200°C or lower and controls the heating time and material composition to achieve sufficient inhibitor distribution without causing excessive carbon content, thereby eliminating the need for additional decarburization annealing steps and improving manufacturing efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach results in grain-oriented electrical steel sheets with improved magnetic flux density and reduced iron loss, achieving magnetic flux density of 1.92 T or more and iron loss of 0.70 W/kg or less, while reducing manufacturing costs and increasing productivity.

Implementation Method 1

it is necessary to contain C of around 0.03 % to 0.08 % in the material for the purpose of using the α-γ transformation during hot rolling to break the coarse slab structure

Methodology Applied
Scientific Effectα-γ transformation: Phase Change

Implementation Method 2

it is important to form a predetermined microstructure in the texture of the primary recrystallized sheet

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRecrystallization: Annealing

Implementation Method 3

grain oriented electrical steel sheets having crystal grains in accord with the {110} orientation through secondary recrystallization annealing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSecondary recrystallization: Annealing

Data Source

PatentEP3050979B1Method for producing grain-oriented electromagnetic steel sheet
Publication Date: 2020.01.15 JFE STEEL CORP
  • EP3050979B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3050979B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3050979B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Provides is a method of producing a grain oriented electrical steel sheet by heating a steel slab having a composition containing by mass% C: 0.0005 % to 0.005 %, Si: 2.0 % to 4.5 %, Mn: 0.005 % to 0.3 %, S and/or Se (in total): 0.05 % or less, sol.Al: 0.010 % to 0.04 %, N: 0.005 % or less, the balance being Fe and incidental impurities, then subjecting the slab to hot rolling to obtain a hot rolled sheet, then optionally subjecting the hot rolled sheet to hot band annealing and subsequent cold rolling once, or twice or more with intermediate annealing performed therebetween to obtain a cold rolled sheet with final sheet thickness, then subjecting the cold rolled sheet to primary recrystallization annealing and subsequent secondary recrystallization annealing, in which the aging index AI of the steel sheet before final cold rolling is set to 70 MPa or less to effectively grow Goss-oriented grains to thereby obtain a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet with good magnetic properties, without the restriction of containing a relatively large amount of C.