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
100mm 100mmcrosssectionofmoldthetaperisabout1mmfor1mlongmold.Thecrosssectionof
themoldisthecrosssectionoftheslab/bloom/billet.Lengthofthemoldisaround0.75 1.4mandis
moreforlargecrosssections.Moldcrosssectiondecreasesgraduallyfromtoptobottom.Mould
extractsaround10%ofthetotalheat.

Themoldisoscillatedupanddowntowithdrawthepartiallysolidifiedstrand(strandiseitherbilletor
bloomorslab).Theoscillatedfrequencycanbevaried.AtTatasteelslabcasterfrequencyisvariedin
between0and250cycles/minandthestrokelengthfrom0to12mm.

Steellevelinmouldiscontrolled,thatisthemeniscusforsmoothcasteroperation.Sensorsareusedto
controlthemeniscuslevel.

Thefunctionsofmoldfluxare.
 Inclusionabsorptioncapability.
Preventionofoxidation.
Minimizationofheatlosses.
Fluxonmeltingentersintotheairgapandprovideslubrication.

Fortheabovefunctionsthefluxshouldhavethefollowingproperties.

Lowviscosity
Lowliquidustemperature
Meltingrateoffluxmustmatchwiththespeedofthecontinuouscasting.

Massflowrateoffluxcanbecalculatedby

U
m

m Powderfeedratekg/sm, U castingspeedm/s, isboundarylayerthickness,isdensityofflux,

isviscosityofslag kg/ms .

Considerslabcastingspeed0.05ms , 3 10 , 0.1mm, 3000kgm

m 0.1

Foramoldoflength1m, m 6 kg/min

Typicallytherangeofcompositionformoldfluxesare.

CaO 2545% Na2O 120% BaO 010%

SiO2 2050% K2O 15% Li2O 04%
Al2O3 010% FeO 06% B2O3 010%
TiO2 05% MgO 010% F 410%
C 125% MnO 010%

DesignofMoldflux

Therearespecificrequirementsofmouldfluxforspecificgradeofsteel.Forexample,lowcarbon
aluminumkilledsteelrequiresfluxwhichcanabsorbAl O inclusionwithoutanadverseeffecton
viscosity.Alowerviscosityhelpsthefluxprovidesufficientlubricationathighercastingspeed.

Mediumcarbongrades 0.08% C to 0.18% arepronetocracking.Highsolidificationtemperatureof

fluxreducesheatthroughmold.Foradequatelubricationlowviscosityofthefluxisrequired.

Highcarbongradestoorequirefluxoflowviscosityandmeltingpoint.
Ultralowcarbonsteels C 0.005 % requiresfluxwhichcanabsorbnonmetallicinclusions,improve
insulation,providedgoodlubrication,stablepropertiesandminimalslagentrapment.

Tablegiveseffectofchemicalcompositiononmoldfluxproperties.

Increasein Viscosity solidification Meltingpoint

temperature
CaO Decrease Increase Increase
SiO2 Increase Decrease Decrease
CaO/SiO2 Decrease Increase Increase

Al2O3 Increase Decrease Increase

Na2O Decrease Decrease Decrease

F Decrease Increase Decrease
Fe2O3 Decrease Decrease Decrease
MnO Decrease Decrease Decrease
MgO Decrease Decrease Decrease
B2O3 Decrease Decrease Decrease
BaO Decrease Decrease Decrease
Li2O Decrease Decrease Decrease
TiO2 Nochange Increase Increase
K2O Decrease Decrease Decrease

ThetablecanbereadasforexampleincreaseinCaOdecreasesviscositybutincreasessolidificationand
meltingtemperatureoftheflux.Similarlytheeffectsonotherconstituentsontheviscosityand
solidification/meltingtemperaturecanbeunderstood.

Secondarycooling

Belowthemoldpartiallysolidificationstrandiswatersprayedtocompletethesolidification.Numberof
primaryparameterswhichinfluencetherateofheatextractionare.

Waterdropflux
Meandropsize
Dropletvelocityhittingthestrandsurface
Wettingeffects.

Spraycoolingessentiallyinvolvesboilingheattransfer.Awatervapourblanketformsonthestrand
surfacewhichpreventsdirectcontactofwaterdropletswiththestrandsurface.Velocityofdroplets
shouldbesuchthatdropletcanpenetratethevapourlayersothatdropletscanwetthesurfaceand
coolsthesurface.
Insecondarycooling,numberofnozzlesisdistributedoverthesurfaceofthemovingstrand.
Overlappingofspraymayoccur.Distancebetweennozzlesisimportant.

Heattransferincontinuouscasting

Heattransferincontinuouscastingtakesplaceinmoldandinsecondarycoolingbyacombinationof
conduction,convectionandradiation.Figure33.3showsheattransferinthemoldandsecondary
cooling.

Figure33.3:Heattransferinthemoldandsecondarycoolingzoneandtheformationofsolidshell.
Mushyzoneandliquidcorecanalsobeseen

Inthemoldairgapformationinfluencesheattransfer.Thehigherheatfluxinmouldcanleadtohigher
castingspeeds.Heatfluxdependson.

Compositionofsteel.
Mouldtaper.
Typeoflubricant
Typeofmouldstraightorcurve
Castingspeed.

Themajorrequirementsforsecondarycooling
 Partiallysolidifiedstrandmusthaveshellsufficientlystrongattheexitofthemoldtoavoid
breakoutduetoliquidpressure.
Theliquidcoreshouldbebowlshaped
Solidificationmustcompletebeforethewithdrawlroll.

Castingspeedi.e.rateoflinearmovementofstrand/minutefromthemouldisimportant.Castingspeed
mustmatchwiththerateofsolidification.Slabsarecastwithinthespeedrangingfrom1.5/minto
2.5m/min.

Theintensityofheatextractionbywatersprayinsecondarycoolingis

f
h
T T

hisheattransfercoefficient Wm . s , T issurfaceandT watertemperature.Theheattransfer

coefficienthdependsonwaterflowrate.Insecondarycoolingsolidificationmustbecomplete.Someof
theissuesare:

Waterspraymustbedistributeduniformlyonthemovingstrandsothatreheatingofthe
stranddoesnotoccur.Nonuniformcoolingleadstogenerationofthermalstressesonthe
surfaceandsurfacecracksmayappear.
Outersurfacetemperatureshouldbegreaterthan850 toavoidvolumetricexpansion
accompanyingduetotransformationofaustenitetoferrite.

Mistspraycoolingi.e.mixtureofair+waterprovidesmoreuniformcooling.Herehighpressureair+
watermixtureissprayedonthemetalsurfaces.Someadvantagesare:

a) Uniformcooling
b) Lesswaterrequirement
c) Reducedsurfacecracking

Productsandcastingdefects

Presentlykilledsteelsarecastcontinuouslyintoslabforflatproductsandbloomandbilletforstructural
products.

Defectsincontinuouscastingoriginatefromseveralfactorslikemouldoscillation,mouldflux,
segregationcoefficientofsoluteelements;phasetransformationetc.Inthefollowing,abrief
presentationisgivenondefectformation.

 Defects
Internal Surface shape

Midwaycracks Longitudinalmidface Rhomboidity

Triplepointcracks andcornercracks Longitudinaldepressionovality
Centerlinecracks Transversemidface
Diagonalcracks andcornercracks.
Centersegregationand Deeposcillationmasks
porosity
Castingfluxinclusion.
Blowholes

Cracksareoriginatedinthecastproductduetomechanicalandthermalstresses.Materialfactorsare
alsoresponsible

Mechanicalstressesarecreateddueto

i. Friction.
ii. Ferrostaticpressure.
iii. Bendingandstraighteningoperation.
iv. Rollpressure.

Mechanicalstressescanbereducedbyimprovingmoldpracticeslike

Controllingpowderfeedrate
Resonanceinmold
Moreaccuratestrandguidance
Castingpowder

Thermalstressesareduetononuniformcoolinginthesecondaryzone.Controllingwaterfluximpinging
thesurfaceofthestrandandminimizingreheatingofstrandcanalleviatethermalstresses.Alsoair
+watermistsprayprovidesmoreuniformcooling.

Materialfactorsarerelatedto transformation.HighSandlowMn/sratiocausemidface
longitudinalcracks.Controlofinclusionisalsoimportant.

Readersmaygothroughthereferencesgiveninthislecture.

References:

D.J.Hariset.al.Continuouscastingofsteel,vol.1.Ironandsteelsoc.AIME(1983)
J.K.Brimacombeet.alCrackformationincontinuouscastingofsteel,Met.Transfer.1977vol.8BP489

J.K.Brimacombeet.al.Heatflow,solidificationandcrackformation.155publication,1984p108.
J.jMoore:Reviewofaxialsegregationincontinuouslycaststeel,1bidp185

H.F.Schrave:Continuouscastingofsteel

Y.SahaiandAhuja:Ironmakingandsteelmaking1983(B)p241

A.J.Mooreet.al:Overviewforrequirementsofcontinuouscastingmouldfluxes