DEFECTS IN CONTINUOUS CAST STEELS

Defects in Continuous Cast Steels

Continuous casting (CC) is the process which converts liquid steel into a solid product mainly in the
form of slab (either thick or thin), bloom or billets. It is one of progressive steel making technologies
which produces a cast product of a desired cross section in indefinite length. The CC process
requires strict observance of operating procedures, technological norms, and advanced production
and control techniques. Despite these measures, the occurrence of defects in the CC product cannot
be fully ruled out. The formation and the type of defects depends on the status of CC machine
equipment, the cast product shape and size, the steel grade, the technological conditions of casting
such as casting temperature and speed, the mould oscillation and cooling, the quality and properties
of the casting powder etc.
A defect in a CC product can be defined as a deviation in the appearance, shape, dimension,
macrostructure, and/or chemical properties when compared with the specifications given in the
technical standards or any other normative documents in force. Defects are detected after casting in
the CC product through visual inspection of their surface at the cooling beds, by checking the surface
quality again by visual inspection on the inspection beds, or by checking the chemical analysis and
the macrostructure of the test samples in the laboratories.
The defects in CC products generated during the solidification and cooling process lead to loss or
diversion of prime material for further processing or sale. To prevent these losses, it is necessary to
analyze the causes of the occurrence of defects for taking preventive action by adopting preventive
metallurgical technologies and constructive solutions. Also it is necessary to segregate and remove
defective product from the prime material.
A defect is not always the consequence of a unique single cause. Many times, the defect is the result
of the multiple interacting causes that depend on a variable number of parameters. Similar defects
may have one or more different reasons, while different defects may have one or more common
causes.
Defects of the CC products are formed during the production process due to several factors which
include material related factors, casting speeds and temperatures, mould oscillation, casting powder,
segregation coefficient of solute elements, phase transformation, and mechanical and thermal
stresses. Mechanical stresses are created due to friction, ferro static pressure, bending and
straightening operations, and roll pressure. Thermal stresses are due to non uniform cooling in the
mould and/or secondary zone. Controlling water flux impinging the surface of the strand and
minimizing reheating of strand can lower the thermal stresses.
Material related factors include delta to gamma phase transformation, high sulphur and low
manganese/sulphur ratio, high oxygen potential of liquid steel, high super heat, and presence of
inclusions in the liquid steel. In transformation of delta (ferrite) to gamma (austenite), volume changes
and deformations take place, which decrease the rate of transfer of heat from the solidified shell to the
mould. This results in a non uniform thickness of solidified steel shell. Steels with the carbon content
of 0.09 % to 0.15 %, so called peritectic steels, are susceptible to the formation of defects usually
longitudinal cracks.
High casting speeds decrease the thickness of the chill zone, which can break in extreme conditions.
The weakening of the chill zone is also supported by the presence of coarse non metallic particles
and oscillation marks. High casting temperatures (higher super heat) increase the surface
temperatures of the strand. The formed skin becomes overheated and then thermal and tension
stress is created, which causes the formation of cracks and defects of the skin.
The temperature of casting of liquid steel must be maintained above the liquidus temperature. The
difference between the casting temperature and the liquidus temperature is called superheat. Super
heat of liquid steel plays an important role in the defects formation and it is necessary to control it.
 Mechanical deformations results due to insufficient lubrication and during straightening of the strand.
They act in the longitudinal and transversal directions. Thermal stress acts in the transverse direction
when the strand is rapidly cooled and This is the cause of the formation of the defects.
Regular oscillation of the mould prevents the molten metal from getting stuck to the mould. At a low
oscillation frequency of the mould, the skin can break, or surface cracks and oscillation marks can be
formed. Defect formation can be avoided by an increased oscillation frequency of the mould and a
stabilized casting speed.
There are several defects which can be found on a CC product. The defects in the CC products
arising during the process of continuous casting of steel can be classified as (i) surface defects, (ii)
internal defects, (iii) shape defects, (iv) mechanical defects, and (v) deviations from the prescribed
chemical composition of steel.
Surface defects can be longitudinal mid face and corner cracks, transverse mid face and corner
cracks, and deep oscillation marks. Internal defects can be midway cracks, triple point cracks, centre
line cracks, diagonal cracks, centre segregation and porosity, casting flux inclusion, and blow holes.
Shape defects are rhombodity and longitudinal depression ovality.
Surface defects in CC products need expensive, time consuming surface grinding, and in severe
cases, even downgrading or rejection. The reconditioning yard is often a bottleneck in the process,
and the cost associated with removing these defects by grinding is also high.
The cracks are openings found on the CC product surface with variable length and depth and
can sometimes extend on the entire CC product on one strand or even on the full heat. The cracks
are not always straight. They are sometimes interrupted and continued further in a zigzag way. Taking
into account the direction on which they are formed, the cracks are called longitudinal, transverse or
star cracks.
Some of the CC defects are described below.
 Longitudinal cracks – They are formed in the direction of extraction of the steel. The presence of
this defect causes rejection of the CC product. Longitudinal cracks occurs mainly due to (i) uneven
primary cooling in the mould, (ii) turbulent flow of liquid steel and a meniscus level variation in the
mould, (iii) non uniform or very intensive secondary cooling, (iv) variance in thermal conductivity
coefficient along the mould length causing unequal, advanced wear of the mould, (v) casting of
liquid steel with high superheat, (vi) high speed of casting, and (vii) use of the casting powder with
improper characteristics.
 Transverse cracks – These cracks usually appear due to the tensions on the longitudinal direction
of strand. Normally these cracks are ground within the permissible prescribed limits provided they
are not deep. Transverse cracks appear due to (i) the thermal stresses, (ii) variation in the
meniscus level variation, (iii) presence of segregation at the bottom of oscillation mark, and (iv)
friction of the strand in the mould.
 Corner cracks – These are cracks present in the edge of the cast steel product. They appear due
to high temperature variations in the liquid steel, higher aluminum content in the steel, higher
sulphur level in the steel, non uniform edge temperature, excess friction in the edges during
casting because of non uniform distribution of casting powder, and lower superheat of the steel.
 Star cracks – These cracks are very fine and caused by fragile nature of the strand at high
temperatures. They are visible only on scale free surface. The surface is usually ground locally to
remove the defect. Intense local cooling and presence of copper at the austenitic grain boundary
cause star cracks. To avoid the star cracks in the cast product it is necessary to have (i) correct
correlation between the spray flow and the casting speed, (ii) a uniform layer of melted casting
powder between the strand and the mould, (iii) moderate secondary cooling of the strand for
avoiding increase of the thermal stress.
 Depressions – These are local deformations in the cast surface. Depressions can be longitudinal
or transverse. Longitudinal depressions appear like the shallow ditches oriented along the length
of the cast product. They occur due to the uneven heat transfer in the mould. These depressions
can be controlled by uniform cooling in the mould, by centering of the liquid steel jet in the mould,
by controlling the fluctuations of the mould steel level, use of a casting powder with suitable
viscosity and melting characteristics, and by regularly monitoring the degree and uniformity of the
mould wear. Transverse depressions may occur cyclically along the strand length. The peritectic
steels with low carbon and high manganese contents and the stainless steels are sensitive to this
defect. The transverse depressions can be caused by the fluctuations in the mould level, large
 quantity of casting powder, and by the turbulence of steel the sub-meniscus level. These
depressions are controlled by controlling the mould steel level, having proper mould taper, use of
a casting powder with suitable viscosity and melting characteristics, and proper positioning of the
input nozzle and its support.
 Blowholes – These are cavities in the outer surface of the cast product and are often associated
with inclusions. They are caused by presence of gases in the steel, humidity and quality of the
casting powder, variation in the mould level, presence of moisture in the tundish refractory lining.
Blowholes are controlled by sufficient de-oxidation of steel, use of dry casting powder, use of
casting powder compatible with the grade of steel grade, temperature and casting speed, control
of mould level fluctuations, control of nozzle immersion depth, avoiding the high superheat and
avoiding slag foaming around the nozzle.
 Interruptions in the physical continuity of the cast product – This defect occurs when there is a
pause in the casting process. It often occurs when there is a change of heat during sequence
mode of operation. This defect is caused by a short interruption of the casting process and occurs
when there is sudden change in casting speed caused by the variations of steel temperature in the
tundish, by the variations of steel level in the mould, cogging of the nozzle due to high alumina
levels, or by the variations of casting mode. The corrective measures are maintenance of a
constant casting speed, a narrow range of temperature variation in the tundish, and steel level in
the tundish within the prescribed limits.
 Slag spots defects -This defect is caused by the penetration of tundish slag in the cast product. It
is caused by high level of slag in the tundish, rise in the active oxygen percentage in the steel,
lowering of steel level in the tundish resulting in slag to enter the mould, and high viscosity of
casting powder.