Ferrovanadium is an alloy created by combining vanadium and iron. The combination is a greyish crystalline solid that manufacturers can crush to make Ferrovanadium dust. The compound has several uses in various industries because of its unique properties and benefits. Keep reading to learn more about Ferrovanadium’s definition, uses, and grades.
Definition
Ferrovanadium is a ferroalloy composed of iron and vanadium. The compound has more iron than vanadium, and the amount of vanadium present determines its grade. Ferrovanadium is manufactured through smelting and involves heating various additives, iron and vanadium oxide in an electric arc furnace. Additives included in the reaction include small amounts of carbon, aluminum, sulfur, arsenic, phosphorus, manganese, and copper. FEV80 is the most common Ferrovanadium compound and contains 80% vanadium. The compound contains impurities that can make up 11% of its weight and determine its grade.
Uses
Steel Production
Ferrovanadium is primarily used in steel production because of its capacity to enhance the metal’s hardness, resistance, and strength. It also helps strengthen steel’s resistance to corrosion and increases its tensile strength, making it suitable for demanding structures.
Ferrovanadium is used to produce high-strength low-alloy steel used in constructing airplanes, vehicles, tools, pipes, and more. Adding Ferrovanadium to steel improves its mechanical properties making it more suitable for demanding applications. Also, coating steel with Ferrovanadium can make it abrasion resistant.
Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries
Ferrovanadium is used to produce vanadium redox flow batteries that have better energy storage systems. Vanadium redox flow batteries store and release energy using chemical reactions from vanadium ions in varying oxidation states. The compound provides optimal vanadium content suitable for the battery’s electrodes. This makes the batteries energy-efficient at energy storage and discharge.
Aerospace and Defense
Ferrovanadium has a high corrosion and strength resistance, making it perfect for defense and aerospace applications. The military and aerospace industry uses the compound to create rocket components, military equipment, and aircraft parts. It is more durable and reliable, which are features required for the critical components when exposed to extreme conditions.
Chemical Industry
Ferrovanadium is used in the chemical industry to boost various chemical processes. Its catalytic properties facilitate chemical reactions, which reduce energy consumption and improve their efficiency. It is used to produce different chemical compounds, including sulphuric acid and phthalic anhydride.
Ferrovanadium Grades
Ferrovanadium is graded based on the amount of pure vanadium and impurities that make up the compound. The letters ‘Fe’ represent iron while the ‘V’ stands for vanadium in Ferrovanadium grades while the number represents the percentage of vanadium in the compound. Some common grades of ferrovanadium grades include:
FeV50
The composition of this compound is 50% vanadium. It is popular in the steel industry for improving product properties like hardness, strength, and heat resistance. The enhanced steel compound is ideal for applications like automotive, engineering, and construction projects.
FeV60
This Ferrovanadium compound grade has better properties than the FeV50. It has 60% vanadium and has better heating properties, corrosion resistance and improved strength. Manufacturers use it for the production of custom specialized steel alloys for building high-stress structures like bridges and buildings.
FeV80
This compound qualifies as high grade. It contains a high amount of vanadium, about 80%. It has beneficial properties for the manufacturing industry; it is used in applications like production of high efficiency parts and structures, used in energy storage systems, aerospace industry and the military. Some benefits of this compound are corrosion resistance and higher tensile strength, hence it is suitable for the production of critical components.
FeV-Reduced
This is a Ferrovanadium compound that has reduced impurities; its low impurity content composition is used for improved performance in intricate applications with low impurity level requirements like the manufacture of electronic components and chemicals.
Note that there are various parameters that affect the availability of Ferrovanadium grades for instance your region and the manufacturer. Additionally, manufacturers can take advantage of the versatility of Ferrovanadium to produce customized grades by using different amounts of vanadium and impurities to produce compounds that meet the customer’s requirements.
Conclusion
Ferrovanadium is a vital alloy that has several uses in various industries. Its application in steel manufacturing helps create stronger steel suitable and useful for building stress-resistant structures. Its use in redox flow batteries helps them store energy better.
The compound’s catalytic properties make it useful in the chemical industry and have also been quite useful in defense and aerospace applications. These uses and benefits make Ferrovanadium a versatile compound with high demand.
