ESR and VAR are secondary refining processes used for producing high-quality steels and superalloys. In ESR, electrical current flows through molten slag, generating Joule heating that melts a consumable electrode drop by drop. VAR operates under vacuum conditions, where a high-current arc ensures controlled melting and degassing. Both processes improve chemical purity, reduce inclusions, and refine solidification microstructure. The lecture highlights coupled multiphysics modeling: electromagnetism, heat transfer, phase change, and fluid flow in molten pools.
