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Comparison of the quality of rail steel from the nineteenth century converter processes and the modern oxygen-converter process

Sylwester Żak

Sylwester Żak

DD2 - Experts Team, ArcelorMittal Poland S.A.Dabrowa Gornicza, Poland
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Żak, Sylwester
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Tomasz Ropka

Tomasz Ropka

BJ-8 - Defectology, Quality Department, ArcelorMittal Poland S.A.Dabrowa Gornicza, Poland
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Ropka, Tomasz
  
Nov 08, 2024
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Article Category: Research Article
Published Online: Nov 08, 2024
Page range: 39 - 54
Received: Jun 20, 2024
Accepted: Sep 18, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/msp-2024-0033
Keywords
© 2024 the Sylwester Żak and Tomasz Ropka, published by Sciendo
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Figure 1

Dortmunder Union rail.
Dortmunder Union rail.

Figure 2

Phoenix West rail.
Phoenix West rail.

Figure 3

Aachener Hütte rail.
Aachener Hütte rail.

Figure 4

KRUPP rail.
KRUPP rail.

Figure 5

ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. rail in steel grade R260.
ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. rail in steel grade R260.

Figure 6

ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. rail in steel grade R350HT.
ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. rail in steel grade R350HT.

Figure 7

Images of the ferrite-pearlite microstructure of the Dortmunder Union rail. a) magn. 100x, b) magn. 500x.
Images of the ferrite-pearlite microstructure of the Dortmunder Union rail. a) magn. 100x, b) magn. 500x.

Figure 8

Images of the ferrite-pearlite microstructure of the Phoenix West rail. Coarse-plate perlite is visible. a) magn. 100x, b) 500X.
Images of the ferrite-pearlite microstructure of the Phoenix West rail. Coarse-plate perlite is visible. a) magn. 100x, b) 500X.

Figure 9

Images of the ferrite-pearlite microstructure of the Aachener Hütte rail. a) magn. 100x, b) magn. 500x.
Images of the ferrite-pearlite microstructure of the Aachener Hütte rail. a) magn. 100x, b) magn. 500x.

Figure 10

Images of the microstructure of the ferrite-pearlite Krupp rail. a) magn. 100x, b) magn. 500x.
Images of the microstructure of the ferrite-pearlite Krupp rail. a) magn. 100x, b) magn. 500x.

Figure 11

Images of the microstructure of a fully pearlitic rail from ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. in the R260 grade. a) magn. 100x, b) magn. 500x.
Images of the microstructure of a fully pearlitic rail from ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. in the R260 grade. a) magn. 100x, b) magn. 500x.

Figure 12

Images of the microstructure of a fine-plate perlite rail of the ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. in the R350HT grade. a) magn. 100x, b) magn. 500x.
Images of the microstructure of a fine-plate perlite rail of the ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. in the R350HT grade. a) magn. 100x, b) magn. 500x.

Figure 13

Images of the microstructure of (a) steel grade R260 and (b) steel grade R350HT (b).
Images of the microstructure of (a) steel grade R260 and (b) steel grade R350HT (b).

Figure 14

Baumann print, sample no. 1.
Baumann print, sample no. 1.

Figure 15

Baumann print, sample no. 2.
Baumann print, sample no. 2.

Figure 16

Baumann print, sample no. 3.
Baumann print, sample no. 3.

Figure 17

Baumann print, sample no. 4.
Baumann print, sample no. 4.

Figure 18

Baumann print, sample no. 5.
Baumann print, sample no. 5.

Figure 19

Baumann print, sample no. 6.
Baumann print, sample no. 6.

Figure 20

Etching test, sample no. 1.
Etching test, sample no. 1.

Figure 21

Etching test, sample no. 2.
Etching test, sample no. 2.

Figure 22

Etching test, sample no. 3.
Etching test, sample no. 3.

Figure 23

Etching test, sample no. 4.
Etching test, sample no. 4.

Figure 24

Etching test, sample no. 5.
Etching test, sample no. 5.

Figure 25

Etching test, sample no. 6.
Etching test, sample no. 6.

Figure 26

Image of a non-metallic inclusion – low carbon steel (Aachener Hütte), sample No. 3.
Image of a non-metallic inclusion – low carbon steel (Aachener Hütte), sample No. 3.

Figure 27

Mapping in the area of discontinuity – low carbon steel (Aachener Hütte), sample No. 3.
Mapping in the area of discontinuity – low carbon steel (Aachener Hütte), sample No. 3.

Figure 28

Location of the sample for assessing oxide cleanness in the rail head [9].
Location of the sample for assessing oxide cleanness in the rail head [9].

Figure 29

R260 steel with MnS inclusions.
R260 steel with MnS inclusions.

Figure 30

R350HT steel with MnS inclusions.
R350HT steel with MnS inclusions.

Range of chemical composition of the R260 and R350HT grades for the main elements_

Steel grade Mass %
C Si Mn P max S max Cr Al max V max N max
R260* 0.62–0.80 0.15–0.58 0.70–1.20 0.025 0.025 ≤0.15 0.004 0.030 0.009
R350HT* 0.72–0.80 0.15–0.58 0.70–1.20 0.020 0.025 ≤0.15 0.004 0.030 0.009

Chemical composition of individual samples for residual elements_

Sample no. Mass %
Cu Ni Sn As Nb Ti Mo B Cu + 10Sn
1 0.149 0.014 <0.001 0.038 0.001 0.001 <0.001 0.0005 0.159
2 0.135 0.027 0.002 0.038 0.001 <0.001 <0.001 0.0003 0.155
3 0.009 0.013 <0.001 0.019 0.001 <0.001 <0.001 0.0004 0.019
4 0.08 0.01 <0.001 0.023 0.001 <0.010 <0.010 0.0003 0.09
5 0.02 0.014 0.0006 0.001 0.001 0.0009 0.003 0.0004 0.026
6 0.03 0.016 0.002 0.001 0.001 0.0009 0.006 0.0005 0.05

Assessment of oxide cleanness_

Sample no. Area of the assessed surface (mm2) Type of inclusions Number of inclusions determined by the classification number First subtotal K3
3 4 5 6 7 8
Factor f g
0.5 1 2 5 10 20
1 200 OA 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.5 60
OS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
OG 15 2 1 0 0 0 11.5
2 200 OA 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 42.5
OS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
OG 5 0 2 0 0 0 6.5
3 200 OA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 120
OS 2 3 0 0 0 1 24
OG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 200 OA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 25
OS 2 2 1 0 0 0 5
OG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 200 OA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
OS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
OG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 200 OA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
OS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
OG 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Chemical composition of individual samples for the main elements_

Sample no. Mass %
C Si Mn P S Cr Al V N
1 0.173 0.53 0.589 0.105 0.06 0.008 0.002 0.013 0.0332
2 0.46 0.011 0.418 0.064 0.07 0.009 0.007 0.001 0.0051
3 0.20 0.034 0.222 0.096 0.045 0.007 0.002 0.006 0.0121
4 0.422 0.19 0.69 0.075 0.046 0.010 0.003 0.01 0.0112
5 0.71 0.31 1.04 0.0073 0.014 0.008 0.003 0.003 0.0070
6 0.79 0.38 1.12 0.011 0.013 0.07 0.004 0.002 0.0057

Hardness values for individual rails (HBW 2_5|187_5)_

Sample no. Manufacturer Steel grade Hardness in the centre of the head, HBW Hardness on the running surface, HBW
1 2 3 mean
1 Dortmunder Union Low carbon steel 204 192 189 195 —
2 Phoenix West Medium carbon steel 168 171 165 168 —
3 Aachener Hütte Low carbon steel 153 140 146 146 —
4 KRUPP Medium carbon steel 198 205 198 200 —
5 ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. R260 274 271 279 275 Avg. 285
6 ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. R350HT 387 385 382 385 Avg. 374

Range of chemical composition of the R260 and R350HT grades for residual elements_

Steel grade Mass %
Cu Ni Sn As Nb Ti Mo B Cu + 10Sn
R260 0.15 0.10 0.030 — 0.01 0.025 0.02 — 0.35
R350HT 0.15 0.10 0.030 — 0.04 0.025 0.02 — 0.35

Summary of the description of research samples_

Sample no. Manufacturer Year of production Steel grade Height of the rail (mm) Width of the rail foot (mm)
1 Dortmunder Union 1875 Low carbon steel 101* 93
2 Phoenix West 189? Medium carbon steel 130* 116
3 Aachener Hütte 1879 Low carbon steel 117* 109
4 KRUPP 1894 Medium carbon steel 127* 100
5 ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. 2024 R260 149 125
6 ArcelorMittal Poland S.A. 2024 R350HT 149 125
Language:
English
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Journal Subjects:
Materials Sciences, Materials Sciences, other, Nanomaterials, Functional and Smart Materials, Materials Characterization and Properties
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