Abstract: A refining method for decarburization by blowing by using a top-blown lance having a gas-supplying pipe of at least one independent line, wherein the absolute secondary pressure P.sub.0 of nozzle of the lance of at least one line is maintained to be not smaller than 0.7 times but not larger than 2.5 times of the properly expanding absolute secondary pressure P.sub.0p of nozzle of the lance, and the oxygen supplying rate is so changed that a maximum value of the absolute secondary pressure of the nozzle is not smaller than 1.1 times of a minimum value thereof. The top-blown lance used here has not less than 2 but not more than 10 shielding portions arranged in the openings at the end of the lance in a concentric polygonal shape or a concentric circular shape in cross section, has a ratio B/h of the length h (mm) of the short side to the length B (mm) of the long side of the openings separated by the shielding portions of from 10 to 225, has slit-like nozzles of which the ratio (B.multidot.h)/R is from 0.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a molten steel refining method for refining molten steel, the carbon content of which is not more than 0.1 weight %, by blowing oxygen gas for decarburization at a blowing speed so that a cavity, the depth of which is 150 to 400 mm, can be formed on the surface of molten steel in a straight barrel type vacuum refining apparatus in which a straight barrel type vacuum vessel having no vessel bottom and a ladle are arranged.