Lecture33continuouscastingofsteel

Contents
Introduction
Howcastingisdonecontinuously
Tundish
Moldsecondarycooling
Heattransferincontinuouscasting
Productandcastingdefect

Keywords:continuouscasting,tundishmetallurgy,secondarycooling,defectsincastproduct

Introduction
Inthecontinuouscasting,moltensteelispouredfromthetundishinthewatercooledmoldand
partiallysolidifiedbloom/billetorslab(hereaftercalledstrand)iswithdrawnfromthebottomofthe
moldintowaterspraysothatsolidifiedbloom/billetorslabisproducedconstantlyandcontinuously.
Continuouscastingiswidelyadoptedbysteelmakers.Theadvantagesofcontinuouscastingoveringot
castingare
Qualityofthecastproductisbetter
Noneedtohaveslabbing/bloomingorbilletmillasrequiredwheningotcastingisused.
Higherextentofautomationispossible
Widthoftheslabcanbeadjustedwiththedownstreamstripmill.
Continuouslycastproductsshowlesssegregation.
Hotdirectchargingofthecastproductforrollingispossiblewhichleadstoenergysaving.
Howcastingisdonecontinuously?
Theessentialcomponentsofacontinuouscastingmachinearetundish,watercooledmold,waterspray
andtorchcutters.Tundish,moldandwatersprayarearrangedsuchthatmoltenstreamispouredfrom
tundishtomoldandsolidifiedstrand(billet/bloom/billet)isproducedcontinuously.Therequiredlength
ofthestrandiscutbytorchcutter.Infigure32.1,thearrangementoftundish,moldandwatersprayis
shown.

Figure33.1Arrangementoftundish,moldandwatersprayinacurvedmoldmachine(pastefigure
2.3a)
Tundish
Tundishisarefractorylinedvessel.Liquidsteelisusuallytappedfromladleintotundish.Thestreamis
shroudedasitentersfromladletotundish.Thefunctionsofthetundishare:
Reservoirofmoltensteel
Tundishactsasareservoirformoltensteel.Itsuppliesmoltensteelinpresenceofaslagcovertoall
continuouscastingmoldsconstantlyandcontinuouslyatconstantsteelflowrate.Theflowrateis
maintainedconstantbymaintainingaconstantsteelbathheightinthetundishthroughteemingof
moltensteelfromtheladle.Thenumberofmoldiseitheroneormorethanone.Normallybloomand
billetcastingmachinesaremultistrandi.e.numberofmoldsareeither4or6or8.Slabcastersusually
haveeithersingleortwomolds.Duringsequencecastingandladlechangeoverperiods,tundish
suppliesmoltensteeltothemolds.
Distributor
Tundishdistributesmoltensteeltodifferentmoldsofthecontinuouscastingmachineatconstantflow
rantandsuperheatwhichisrequiredforstandsimilarlywithreferencetosolidificationmicrostructure.
Controlofsuperheatisrequiredinallthemouldstoreducebreakout.Locationofladlesstreaminthe
tundishisimportant.Itmaybelocatedsymmetricorasymmetrictothecentreofthetundishdepending
onthenumberofmold.Forsinglestrandmachines,moltenstreamentersfromonesideandexitsthe
othersideofthetundish.Inmultistrandtundishes,ladlestreamiseitheratthecentreofthetundishor
displacedtothewidthsideofthetundish.
Inclusionremoval
Tundishhelpstoremoveinclusionsduringtheprocessofcontinuouscasting.Forthispurposeliquid
steelflowinthetundishismodifiedbyinsertingdams,weirs,slotteddamsetc.Thewholeideaisto
utilizetheresidencetimeavailablebeforesteelleavesthetundish.Forexample,ifcapacityoftundishis
40tonsandcastingspeedis5tons/min,thentheaverageresidencetimeofmoltensteelinthetundish
is8minutes.Duringthisaverageresidencetime.,inclusionremovalcanbeexercised.Forthispurpose
flowofsteelmeltinthetundishhastobemodifiedsoastoacceleratetheinclusionremoval.The
Inclusionremovalisatwostepstepunitoperation,namelyfloatationandabsorptionbyafluxaddedon
thesurfaceofthetundish.Fluxisusuallyricehusk,orflyashorsomesyntheticpowder.Thereaders
mayseethereferencesgivenattheendofthislectureforfurtherreading.

Figure33.2:Tundishwithflowcontroldevice,namelyweirandslotteddam

Mold:
Moldistheheartofcontinuouscasting.Inthewatercooledmold,moltenstreamentersfromthe
tundishintomoldinpresenceoffluxthroughthesubmergednozzleimmersedintheliquidsteel.
Solidificationofsteelbeginsinthemold.Thecastingpowderisaddedontothetopofmoltensteelin
themold.Itmeltsandpenetratesbetweenthesurfaceofmoldandthesolidifyingstrandtominimize
frictionasshowninfigure33.2.Controlofheightofmoltensteelinthemouldiscrucialforthesuccess
ofthecontinuouscastingmachine.Thesolidificationbeginsfromthemeniscusofsteellevelinthe
mould.Moldlevelsensorsareusedtocontrolthemeniscuslevelinthemould.

Figure33.2:Roleoffluxincontinuouscastingmold

Asseeninthefigure,fluxmeltsandentersintothegapbetweenmoldsurfaceandsolidifiedstrand.
Moldsaremadeofcopperalloys.Smallamountsofalloyingelementsareaddedtoincreasethe
strength.Moldistaperedtoreducetheairgapformation.Taperistypically1%ofthemoldlength.For
crosssectionofmoldthetaperisabout1mmfor1mlongmold.Thecrosssectionof
themoldisthecrosssectionoftheslab/bloom/billet.Lengthofthemoldisaroundu.7 andis
moreforlargecrosssections.Moldcrosssectiondecreasesgraduallyfromtoptobottom.Mould
extractsaround10%ofthetotalheat.
1uumm 1uumm
S - 1.4m
Themoldisoscillatedupanddowntowithdrawthepartiallysolidifiedstrand(strandiseitherbilletor
bloomorslab).Theoscillatedfrequencycanbevaried.AtTatasteelslabcasterfrequencyisvariedin
between0and250cycles/minandthestrokelengthfrom0to12mm.
Steellevelinmouldiscontrolled,thatisthemeniscusforsmoothcasteroperation.Sensorsareusedto
controlthemeniscuslevel.
Thefunctionsofmoldfluxare.
Inclusionabsorptioncapability.
Preventionofoxidation.
Minimizationofheatlosses.
Fluxonmeltingentersintotheairgapandprovideslubrication.
Fortheabovefunctionsthefluxshouldhavethefollowingproperties.
Lowviscosity
Lowliquidustemperature
Meltingrateoffluxmustmatchwiththespeedofthecontinuouscasting.
Massflowrateoffluxcanbecalculatedby
m = [
U
s
8
2
+
p g8
3
12

m = sm, 0
s

gms)
ms
-1
, = S 1u
-1
kg
ms

Powderfeedratekg castingspeedms, isboundarylayerthickness,isdensityofflux,

Foramoldoflength1m, m = 6 kgmin
Typicallytherangeofcompositionformoldfluxesare.
CaO

2545%

Na
2
O 120%

BaO 010%

SiO
2
Al
2
O
3
TiO
2
C
2050%
010%
05%
125%

K
2
O
FeO
MgO
MnO
15%
06%
010%
010%
Li
2
O
B
2
O
3
F
04%
010%
410%

DesignofMoldflux
Therearespecificrequirementsofmouldfluxforspecificgradeofsteel.Forexample,lowcarbon

cient
Mediumcarbongrades(u.u8% C to u.18%)arepronetocracking.Highsolidificationtemperatureof
hmold.Foradequa
aluminumkilledsteelrequiresfluxwhichcanabsorbAl
2
0
3
inclusionwithoutanadverseeffecton
viscosity.Alowerviscosityhelpsthefluxprovidesuffi lubricationathighercastingspeed.
fluxreducesheatthroug telubricationlowviscosityofthefluxisrequired.
Highcarbongradestoorequirefluxoflowviscosityandmeltingpoint.
Ultralowcarbonsteels(C < u.uuS %)requiresfluxwhichcanabsorbnonmetallicinclusions,improve
insulation,providedgoodlubrication,stablepropertiesandminimalslagentrapment.
temperature
point
Tablegiveseffectofchemicalcompositiononmoldfluxproperties.
Increasein Viscosity solidification Melting
CaO Decrease Increase Increase
SiO
2
Increase Decrease Decrease
CaO/SiO
2
Decrease

Increase Increase
Al
2
O
3
Increase

Decrease Increase
Na
2
O Decrease

Decrease Decrease
F Decrease Increase Decrease
Fe
2
O
3
ecrease Decrease Decrease D
MnO Decrease Decrease Decrease
MgO Decrease Decrease Decrease
B
2
O
3
Decrease Decrease Decrease
BaO Decrease Decrease Decrease
Li
2
O Decrease Decrease Decrease
TiO
2
Nochange Increase Increase
K
2
O Decrease Decrease Decrease

ThetablecanbereadasforexampleincreaseinCaOdecreasesviscositybutincreasessolidificationand
meltingtemperatureoftheflux.Similarlytheeffectsonotherconstituentsontheviscosityand
tiallysolidificationstrandiswatersprayedtocompletethesolidification.Numberof
primaryparameterswhichinfluencetherateofheatextractionare.
Meandropsize
hittingthestrandsurface
.
boilingheattransfer.Awatervapourblanketformsonthestrand
surfacewhichpreventsdirectcontactofwaterdropletswiththestrandsurface.Velocityofdroplets

solidification/meltingtemperaturecanbeunderstood.

Secondarycooling

Belowthemoldpar
Waterdropflux
Dropletvelocity
Wettingeffects
Spraycoolingessentiallyinvolves
shouldbesuchthatdropletcanpenetratethevapourlayersothatdropletscanwetthesurfaceand
coolsthesurface.
Insecondarycooling,numberofnozzlesisdistributedoverthesurfaceofthemovingstrand.
Overlappingofspraymayoccur.Distancebetweennozzlesisimportant.
Heattransferincontinuouscastingtakesplaceinmoldandinsecondarycoolingbyacombinationof
.Figure33.3showsheattransferinthemoldandsecondary
cooling.

Figure33.3:Heattransferinthemoldandsecondarycoolingzoneandtheformationofsolidshell.
Mushyzoneandliquidcorecanalsobeseen
Inthemoldairgapformationinfluencesheattransfer.Thehigherheatfluxinmouldcanleadtohigher
astingspeeds.Heatfluxdependson.
orcurve
oling
Heattransferincontinuouscasting
conduction,convectionandradiation

c
Compositionofsteel.
Mouldtaper.
Typeoflubricant
dstraight Typeofmoul
Castingspeed.
Themajorrequirementsforsecondaryco
Partiallysolidifiedstrandmusthaveshellsufficientlystrongattheexitofthemoldtoavoid
breakoutduetoliquidpressure.
rethewithdrawlroll.
mthemouldisimportant.Castingspeed
mustmatchwiththerateofsolidification.Slabsarecastwithinthespeedrangingfrom1.5/minto
yofheatextractionbywatersprayinsecondarycoolingis
T
s
-T
v
Theliquidcoreshouldbebowlshaped
Solidificationmustcompletebefo
Castingspeedi.e.rateoflinearmovementofstrand/minutefro
2.5m/min.
Theintensit
h =
hcat fIux

hisheattra coefficient(W m
2
. s ), T
s
issurfaceandT
w
watertemperature.Theheattransfer
coefficienthdependsonwaterflowrate.Insecondarycoolingsolidificationmustbecomplete.Someof
rspraymustbedistributeduniformlyonthemovingstrandsothatreheatingofthe
stranddoesnotoccur.Nonuniformcoolingleadstogenerationofthermalstressesonthe
tionofaustenitetoferrite.
Mist ling.Herehighpressureair+
watermixtureissprayedonthemetalsurfaces.Someadvantagesare:
b) Lesswaterrequirement
cracking
roductsandcastingdefects
continuouslyintoslabforflatproductsandbloomandbilletforstructural
continuouscastingoriginatefromseveralfactorslikemouldoscillation,mouldflux,
segregationcoefficientofsoluteelements;phasetransformationetc.Inthefollowing,abrief

nsfer
theissuesare:
Wate
surfaceandsurfacecracksmayappear.
Outersurfacetemperatureshouldbegreaterthan8Sutoavoidvolumetricexpansion
accompanyingduetotransforma
spraycoolingi.e.mixtureofair+waterprovidesmoreuniformcoo
a) Uniformcooling
c) Reducedsurface

P
Presentlykilledsteelsarecast
products.
Defectsin
presentationisgivenondefectformation.

Defects
Internal Surface shape
Midwaycracks L
Triplepointcracks
Centerlinecracks

and
n
ongitudinalmidface
ndcornercracks
Transversemidface
andcornercracks.

Rhomboidity
dinaldepressionovality
Diagonalcracks
Centersegregation
porosity

Castingfluxinclusio .
Blowholes
a
Deeposcillationmasks
Longitu

Cracksareoriginatedinthecastproductduetomechanicalandthermalstresses.Materialfactorsare
Mechanicalstressesarecreateddueto
on.
ii. Ferrostaticpressure.
peration.
ressure.
ucedbyimprovingmoldpracticeslike
wderfeedrate

nonuniformcoolinginthesecondaryzone.Controllingwaterfluximpinging
reheatingofstrandcanalleviatethermalstresses.Alsoair
esmoreuniformcooling.
Readersmaygothroughthereferencesgiveninthislecture.
elsoc.AIME(1983)
J.K.Brimacombeet.alCrackformationincontinuouscastingofsteel,Met.Transfer.1977vol.8BP489
J.K.Brimacombeet.al.Heatflow,solidificationandcrackformation.155publication,1984p108.
alsoresponsible
i. Fricti
iii. Bendingandstraighteningo
iv. Rollp
Mechanicalstressescanbered
Controllingpo
Resonanceinmold
Moreaccuratestrandguidance
Castingpowder
Thermalstressesaredueto
thesurfaceofthestrandandminimizing
+watermistsprayprovid
Materialfactorsarerelatedto - transformation.HighSandlowNnsratiocausemidface
longitudinalcracks.Controlofinclusionisalsoimportant.
References:
D.J.Hariset.al.Continuouscastingofsteel,vol.1.Ironandste
J.jMoore:Reviewofaxialsegregationincontinuouslycaststeel,1bidp185
H.F.Schrave:Continuouscastingofsteel
Y.SahaiandAhuja:Ironmakingandsteelmaking1983(B)p241
A.J.Mooreet.al:Overviewforrequirementsofcontinuouscastingmouldfluxes