TY - JOUR

T1 - Image Processing Procedure to Evaluate Inclusion Dissolution in a Slag Observed by High-Temperature Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopy

AU - Ramesh Babu, Shashank

AU - Preißer, Nikolaus

AU - Michelic, Susanne Katharina

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

PY - 2022/3/22

Y1 - 2022/3/22

N2 - In situ study of the inclusion dissolution behavior in a slag utilizing high-temperature confocal scanning laser microscopy helps to understand the phenomenon of the removal of non-metallic inclusions from liquid steel before the casting process. The current work introduces an image processing procedure to automate and measure the inclusion diameter during its dissolution. Silica and alumina particle dissolution were considered as they appear differently when suspended in the slag (bubble-like transparent and solid-like opaque, respectively). The procedure consists of two parts: (1) morphological isolation and construction of the inclusion, and (2) inclusion diameter calculation. The inclusion diameters could be successfully measured over a series of images and showed good agreement with the manually measured diameters. The image processing procedure has the advantages of significant time saving and standardization compared to manual measurements.

AB - In situ study of the inclusion dissolution behavior in a slag utilizing high-temperature confocal scanning laser microscopy helps to understand the phenomenon of the removal of non-metallic inclusions from liquid steel before the casting process. The current work introduces an image processing procedure to automate and measure the inclusion diameter during its dissolution. Silica and alumina particle dissolution were considered as they appear differently when suspended in the slag (bubble-like transparent and solid-like opaque, respectively). The procedure consists of two parts: (1) morphological isolation and construction of the inclusion, and (2) inclusion diameter calculation. The inclusion diameters could be successfully measured over a series of images and showed good agreement with the manually measured diameters. The image processing procedure has the advantages of significant time saving and standardization compared to manual measurements.

KW - Non-metallic Inclusion

KW - slag

KW - Image Processing

KW - MATLAB

KW - confocal microscope

KW - In situ

KW - steel cleanliness

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85127006374&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/met12040531

DO - 10.3390/met12040531

M3 - Article

VL - 12.2022

JO - Metals : open access journal

JF - Metals : open access journal

SN - 2075-4701

IS - 4

M1 - 531

ER -