LAUSR

Electric current is used to assist bubbles in removing inclusions from molten steel. Generally, large‐size bubbles do not effectively remove inclusions but instead convectively agitate the molten steel. The results show that the number of inclusions in the sample is reduced by 45% after the large‐size bubbles are coupled with the pulsed current, whereas the amount of inclusions in the sample treated only with large‐size bubbles does not change much. Numerical calculation reveals that electric current induces a force acting on the inclusion as the inclusion is close to a bubble. According to the nature of the force, there are three different effects, i.e., repulsion, attraction, and driven. The electric free energy change is calculated as well when an inclusion is captured by a bubble. Electric current causes a longer contact time and a shorter induction time between inclusions and bubbles, thus improving the collision and attachment probability and decreasing the detachment probability. As a result, inclusions are more easily captured by bubbles.