Effects of operating parameters on the flow field in slab continuous casting molds with narrow widths

Computational simulations and high-temperature measurements of velocities near the surface of a mold were carried out by using the rod deflection method to study the effects of various operating parameters on the flow field in slab continuous casting(CC) molds with narrow widths for the production of automobile exposed panels. Reasonable agreement between the calculated results and measured subsurface velocities of liquid steel was obtained under different operating parameters of the CC process. The simulation results reveal that the flow field in the horizontal plane located 50 mm from the meniscus can be used as the characteristic flow field to optimize the flow field of molten steel in the mold. Increases in casting speed can increase the subsurface velocity of molten steel and shift the position of the vortex core downward in the downward circulation zone. The flow field of liquid steel in a 1040 mm-wide slab CC mold can be improved by an Ar gas flow rate of 7 L·min~(-1) and casting speed of 1.7 m·min~(-1). Under the present experimental conditions, the double-roll flow pattern is generally stable at a submerged entry nozzle immersion depth of 170 mm.     

Effect of SEN structure on the mold level fluctuation and heat transfer for a medium thin slab caster

It is important to select suitable parameters of a submerged entry nozzle (SEN) for optimizing the flow and temperature patterns in a mold. The effect of SEN design on the mould level stability, meniscus steel flow velocity, and heat transfer of the mold of a medium thin slab caster was studied by means of 1:1 water modeling and industrial testing. The advantages of a 2-port SEN compared with a 3-port SEN are the following: more optimal flow patterns with a lower mold level fluctuation and a lower meniscus steel flow velocity; proper powder consumption without slag bears due to a reasonable liquid powder thickness. The argon flow rate can be reduced and the mold average heat flux and temperature near the edges of the copper plate are reduced. At a casting speed of 2.5 m·min-1, the mold level fluctuation lies within +5 mm. In addition, soft cooling of the steel shell in the mold is realized, which is suitable for casting crack susceptible steel grades.     

Optimization of flow control devices in a single-strand slab continuous casting tundish

The optimization of flow control devices in a single-slab continuous casting tundish was carried out by physical modeling, and the optimized scheme was presented. With the optimal tundish configuration, the minimum residence time of liquid steel was increased by 1.4 times, the peak concentration time was increased by 97%, and the dead volume fraction was decreased by 72%. A mathematical model for molten steel in the tundish was established by using the fluid dynamics package Fluent. The velocity field, concentration field, and the residence time distribution (RTD) curves of molten steel flow before and after optimization were obtained. Experimental results showed that the reasonable configuration with flow control devices can improve the fluid flow characteristics in the tundish. The results of industrial application show that the nonmetallic inclusion area ratio in casting slabs is decreased by 32% with the optimal tundish configuration.     

Water modeling of mold powder entrapment in slab continuous casting mold

The optimal parameters were determined by the water modeling of slab casting. It was found that there are mainly three types of mold powder entrapment in slab continuous casting, i.e., the entrapment caused by the shearing flow near the narrow face of mold, the entrapment caused by vortexes around the submerged entry nozzle (SEN), and the entrapment caused by the Ar bubbling. Both the velocity of the surface flow and the level fluctuation of the liquids are enlarged with increasing the casting speed, reducing the submersion depth of SEN, decreasing the downward angles of the nozzle outlets, and increasing the Ar flowrate, all of which increase the tendency of mold powder entrapment. Among the four above-mentioned factors, casting speed has the largest effect.     

Leakage in Mold Slit during Inverse Solidification

The liquid steel will be leaked from the slit between the bottom of solidification mold and mother sheet during inversion casting process. By substitution of the actual liquid steel, the Pb-Sn alloy and the numerical simulation can be used to study the fluid flow in the inversion solidification mold, the mother sheet critical speed is determined for preventing the leakage from the slit of bottom. When the mother sheet speed is more than 0.06 m/s, Pb-Sn liquid alloy will not leak from the slit of the mold. Otherwise, the Pb-Sn liquid alloy can leak from the slit of the mold.     

Online forecasting model of tundish nozzle clogging

A nozzle clogging online forecasting model based on hydrodynamics engineering was developed, in which the actual flow rate was calculated from the mold width, thickness, and casting speed. There is a linear relationship between the theoretical flow rate and the slide gate opening ratio as the molten steel level, argon flow rate, and the top slag weight are kept constant, and the relationship can be obtained by regression of the data collected at the beginning of the first heat in each casting sequence when the nozzle clogging does not occur. Then, during the casting, the theoretical flow rate can be calculated at intervals of one second. Comparing the theoretical flow rate with the actual flow rate, the online nozzle clogging ratio can be obtained at intervals of one second. The computer model based on the conception of the nozzle clogging ratio can display the degree of the nozzle clogging intuitively.     

Surface turbulence in a physical model of a steel thin slab continuous caster

In the thin slab continuous casting (TSCC) of steel, the issue of optimum fluid flow is very important due to higher casting speeds and has direct influence on the formation of solidified shells and the quality of final products. In the current work, a full-scale physical modeling of a thin slab caster on the basis of dimensionless Reynolds and Froude similarity criteria was constructed. The flow pattern in the funnel shaped mold with a new tetra-furcated submerged entry nozzle (SEN) was investigated. To determinate optimum operational parameters, some experiments were carried out under various casting conditions. The results show that the tetra-furcated design of the nozzle leads to a special flow pattern in the mold cavity with three-dimensional recirculating flow. It is also shown that the increase of casting speed and gas injection results in surface turbulence. On the other hand, using a higher depth of SEN decreases the vortex in the free surface of the caster. To avoid surface turbulent and related casting problems, it is recommended to use 30-cm and 40-cm SEN depth at the casting speeds of 3.5 and 4.5 m/min, respectively.     

非均匀冷却下板坯凝固末端形状及机械轻压下时其对中心偏析的影响

In order to study the effect of continuous casting process parameters on the shape of slab solidification end under non-uniform cooling, a solidification model of a continuous-cast slab with non-uniform cooling condition was established with ProCAST software. The model was verified by the results of nail shooting tests and the infrared temperature measurement equipment. Four characteristic parameters were defined to evaluate the uniformity of the shape of slab solidification end. The results showed that the nonuniformity at the beginning and end of solidification, the solidification end length, and the solidification unevenness increased with the rise of casting speed. For each 10°C increase of superheat, the solidification unevenness increased by about 0.022. However, the effect of superheat on the solidification end length can be ignored. The secondary cooling strength showed minimal effect on the nonuniformity at the beginning and end of solidification. With the increase in secondary cooling intensity, the solidification end length decreased, but the solidification unevenness increased. In addition, the central segregation of the slab produced with and without the mechanical soft reduction (MSR) process was investigated. The transverse flow of molten steel with low solid fraction influenced the central segregation morphology under MSR.     

Shape of slab solidification end under non-uniform cooling and its influence on the central segregation with mechanical soft reduction

In order to study the effect of continuous casting process parameters on the shape of slab solidification end under non-uniform cooling, a solidification model of a continuous-cast slab with non-uniform cooling condition was established with ProCAST software. The model was verified by the results of nail shooting tests and the infrared temperature measurement equipment. Four characteristic parameters were defined to evaluate the uniformity of the shape of slab solidification end. The results showed that the nonuniformity at the beginning and end of solidification, the solidification end length, and the solidification unevenness increased with the rise of casting speed. For each 10°C increase of superheat, the solidification unevenness increased by about 0.022. However, the effect of superheat on the solidification end length can be ignored. The secondary cooling strength showed minimal effect on the nonuniformity at the beginning and end of solidification. With the increase in secondary cooling intensity, the solidification end length decreased, but the solidification unevenness increased. In addition, the central segregation of the slab produced with and without the mechanical soft reduction(MSR) process was investigated. The transverse flow of molten steel with low solid fraction influenced the central segregation morphology under MSR.     

Non-uniform heat transfer behavior during shell solidification in a wide and thick slab continuous casting mold

By employing a two-dimensional transient thermo-mechanical coupled finite element model for simulating shell heat transfer behaviors within a slab continuous casting mold, we predicted the evolution of shell deformation and the thermal behaviors, including the mold flux film dynamical distribution, the air gap formation, as well as the shell temperature field and the growth of carbon steel solidification, in a 2120 mm × 266 mm slab continuous casting mold. The results show that the shell server deformation occurs in the off-corners in the middle and lower parts of the mold and thus causes the thick mold flux film and air gap to distribute primarily in the regions of 0–140 mm and 0–124 mm and 0–18 mm and 0–10 mm, respectively, from the corners of the wide and narrow faces of the shell under typical casting conditions. As a result, the hot spots, which result from the thick mold flux film filling the shell/mold gap, form in the regions of 20–100 mm from the corners of the wide and narrow faces of the shell and tend to expand as the shell moves downward.     

板坯连铸结晶器吹氩工艺参数优化

采用流体体积(VOF)方法和拉格朗日离散模型建立了反映230mm×1100mm板坯连铸结晶器吹氩过程中钢液、熔渣和氩气气泡流动行为的数学模型,通过数值模拟方法研究吹氩量、拉坯速度和水口浸入深度等工艺参数对结晶器内钢/渣界面行为特征的影响规律。结果表明,吹氩会明显加剧水口附近的钢/渣界面波动,选择合适的拉坯速度能有效降低该处的界面波动幅度,同时吹氩有利于减缓结晶器弯月面处的液面波动,可在一定程度上达到稳定钢/渣界面的目的。从16种工艺配置方案中优化出该结晶器的最佳吹氩工艺参数为:拉坯速度1.2m/min,吹氩量9L/min,水口浸入深度120mm。     

CSP结晶器内钢液流动及凝固的数值模拟

应用数值模拟方法,建立CSP漏斗型结晶器内钢液流动及凝固传热耦合模型。针对结晶器内铸坯角部受到强冷的特点,对结晶器内热流密度采用修正方程进行计算,分析热流密度修正系数对铸坯凝固坯壳表面温度计算精度的影响。通过比较不同拉坯速率下结晶器内钢液凝固的特点,研究凝固坯壳对结晶器内钢液流动行为的影响。结果表明,采用热流密度修正系数后,铸坯凝固坯壳角部温度的计算值与实际情况更相符;提高拉坯速率可使铸坯凝固坯壳厚度减小;拉坯速率较大时凝固坯壳厚度随铸坯距弯月面距离的增大基本呈线性增长,拉坯速率为3m/min时,凝固坯壳在生长过程中厚度的增长有短暂的停滞现象;凝固坯壳对钢液流动的影响较大,主要是由钢液有效流动区域减少及两相区额外动量阻损造成的。     

宽厚板坯连铸结晶器流场、温度场及应力场的耦合数值模拟

利用ProCAST软件对2400 mm×400 mm宽厚板坯结晶器建立三维动态模型,采用移动边界法实现结晶器内流场、温度场及应力场的耦合模拟.结果表明：考虑凝固坯壳的影响,下回流区位置向铸坯中心靠拢,真实反映了钢液在连铸结晶器内的流动情况.自由液面的钢液从窄面流向水口,速度先增大后减小,距水口约0.7 m处,出现最大表面流速,约为0.21 m· s-1.结晶器出口坯壳窄面中心厚度最小且由中心向两侧逐渐增大,最小厚度约为10.4 mm;受流股冲击影响较弱的宽面坯壳与窄面相比生长更均匀,宽面偏角部和中心的坯壳厚度分别为18.9 mm和27.6 mm.铸坯坯壳应力变化趋势与温度基本保持一致,表明初凝坯壳应力主要是热应力.结晶器内铸坯宽窄面上的等效应力均沿着结晶器高度下降方向呈增大趋势,铸坯角部、宽面中心及窄面中心位置的最大应力各约为200、100和25 MPa.     

Effect of continuous casting speed on mold surface flow and the related near-surface distribution of non-metallic inclusions

For the control of surface defects in interstitial-free(IF) steel, quantitative metallographic analyses of near-surface inclusions and surface liquid flow detection via the nail-board tipping method were conducted. The results show that, at casting speeds of 0.8 and 1.0 m/min, a thin liquid mold flux layer forms and non-uniform floating of argon bubbles occurs, inducing the entrainment and subsequent entrapment of the liquid flux; fine inclusion particles of Al_2O_3 can also aggregate at the solidification front. At higher casting speeds of 1.4 and 1.6 m/min, the liquid mold flux can be entrained and carried deeper into the liquid steel pool because of strong level fluctuations of the liquid steel and the flux. The optimal casting speed is approximately 1.2 m/min, with the most favorable surface flow status and, correspondingly, the lowest number of inclusions near the slab surface.     

基于 PIV 技术的板坯连铸结晶器内钢水流动行为研究

利用粒子图像测速技术,以200 mm×2040 mm板坯连铸结晶器为原型,建立1：4水模型进行实验,对结晶器内钢液流动形态、流速及各流态所占比例、液面波动、以水口为中心结晶器两侧对称点速度随时间的变化、水口两侧液面水平流速、水口两侧对称位置液面至结晶器底部垂直方向速度和钢液对两侧窄面的冲击深度进行系统地研究和分析,并对比拉速的影响.研究表明,粒子图像测速技术不仅可以测量结晶器内流场流速,还可以对流场对称性进行全方位、多角度定量分析,为研究连铸参数变化,比如拉速、水口结构和水口浸入深度,对板坯连铸结晶器内钢液流动及对称性的影响提供一种较为精确的方法和思路.通过分析得出,在本实验条件下拉速0.5 m·min-1优于0.6 m·min-1.     

高拉速连铸低碳铝镇静钢铸坯中夹杂物

针对高拉速板坯连铸生产的低碳铝镇静钢铸坯,采用Aspex自动扫描电镜对铸坯表层夹杂物进行大面积的扫描分析,得到不同拉速下夹杂物的变化规律,并探究流场和S含量对夹杂物分布的影响。结果表明：随着拉速增大,钩状坯壳的深度和长度逐渐减小。对拉速大于2 m·min-1的铸坯,由于钩状坯壳不是很发达,铸坯表层没有发现大于200μm的夹杂物。铸坯表层尺寸介于50~200μm的夹杂物主要是由凝固坯壳所捕获,而夹杂物在凝固前沿的受力决定了夹杂物的捕获行为。随着拉速提高,凝固前沿的钢液流速增加,随着冲刷力的增加、捕获力的减少,夹杂物被捕获的数量减少。在高拉速连铸下,如果钢液中S含量较大,夹杂物受到明显的温度Marangoni力,会更容易被凝固坯壳捕获。     

湍流抑制器对中间包钢液流动的影响

采用水模拟试验研究湍流抑制器对中间包钢液流动特性的影响。结果表明,拉速变化时单层湍流抑制器对钢液流动影响程度较小,双层湍流抑制器能延长包内钢液平均停留时间;液位变化时双层湍流抑制器对钢液流动影响程度较小,相同液位下双层湍流抑制器使钢液在中间包内平均停留时间较之于单层湍抑器相应值至少增加20s;3种湍流抑制器对中间包流场的改善程度从大到小排序为:双层湍流抑制器,八角形湍流抑制器,单层湍流抑制器。     

板坯连铸结晶器内凝固坯壳的三维数值模拟

基于流场和温度场的计算,对断面为1 780 mm×225 mm的板坯结晶器进行数值模拟,考虑3种不同水口条件下,钢液流动对凝固壳的冲刷,计算出凝固壳厚度的三维分布特征,并与二维切片法的计算结果进行了对比。结果表明:有水口时结晶器角部位置凝固壳最大值为约45mm,宽面和窄面中心凝固厚度壳最大值为24mm,分别比无水口条件下凝固壳薄1~2 mm;钢液的扩散会使凝固壳在距离结晶器角部300mm和顶部400mm的位置形成约深度2.5mm的凹陷;同时钢液会冲刷整个结晶器窄面的凝固壳,在窄面中心最严重;对比不同的水口,凸底水口冲刷最大,凹底最小。     

板坯连铸结晶器数值模拟

运用Fluent 6.3对板坯连铸结晶器进行数值计算,研究拉速、水口浸入深度及水口开口角度对流场的影响.结果表明:对于断面1400 mm×230 mm结晶器,随拉速增加,液面最大水平和垂直流速均增加,而窄边冲击点的位置基本不变,随距液面距离增加,窄边速度先增加后减小,直至趋向于零;当拉速超过1.2 m.min-1时,液面水平速度增加明显.随水口浸入深度增加,液面最大水平流速减小,浸入深度超过140 mm时,最大水平流速变化不明显;垂直于液面方向的最大速度逐渐增加;对窄边冲击点影响较小.随水口开口向下角度增加,液面最大水平流速减小后增加,水口开口向下12.5°时液面最大水平流速最小,而水口开口向下10°～12.5°时窄边冲击点速度最小.     

电磁制动对CSP结晶器内流动和传热的影响

采用数值模拟方法,通过计算1 500 mm×90 mm CSP漏斗型结晶器内磁场、流场和温度场分布,研究了CSP漏斗型结晶器采用不同浸入式水口条件下电磁制动对钢液流动和传热行为的影响.研究结果表明,施加电磁制动后,采用牛鼻子水口的结晶器内流股冲击深度变小,自由液面最大速度从0.231 m/s降至0.067 m/s;采用双侧孔水口的结晶器内钢液主流股向上弯曲的趋势消失,流股对结晶器窄侧壁的冲击强度减弱,结晶器上部回流钢液速度减小,自由液面最大速度从0.798 m/s降到0.140 m/s.综合比较采用两种水口时电磁制动对钢液流动和传热行为的影响,采用双侧孔水口时制动效果较好,有利于提高铸坯质量.