Title

APPLYING MOULDSCREEN® IN THE INDUSTRY, FIRST TRIAL RUNS OF A NEW FLUX FILM VISUALIZATION TOOL AT A SLAB CASTER

APPLYING MOULDSCREEN® IN THE INDUSTRY, FIRST TRIAL RUNS OF A NEW FLUX FILM VISUALIZATION TOOL AT A SLAB CASTER

Authorship

Hilgenhöner, Enno H.; Wosch., Erwin A.T.

Hilgenhöner, Enno H.

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Wosch., Erwin A.T.

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DOI

10.5151/2594-5300-20868

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Abstract

The behaviour of the flux film between strand shell and mould plate is crucial for product quality, operational safety and productivity in continuous casting. Correlations between the properties of different steel grades and the different design characteristics of continuous casting machines on the one hand, and the physiochemical properties of different mould powders and the subsequent flux film formation on the other hand are subjects of this work. Based on extensive scientific studies and in cooperation with the Department of Ferrous Metallurgy, RWTH Aachen; S&B Industrial Minerals GmbH developed a software tool that visualizes the thickness and the condition of the flux film over the entire mould area under consideration of real operation parameters. With the knowledge about certain slag properties, MouldScreen® calculates and visualizes the solid and liquid fraction of the flux film and the thickness and temperature of the strand shell and displays it on the screen. The underlying physical-mathematical model provides all relevant information about the process status in the mould (e.g. heat flux densities, strand temperature and copper plate temperature). Thermocouple readings will be included in the calculation. In addition, the MouldScreen® “Modify Tool” facilitates a detailed analysis of different key operating parameters on the flux film behaviour and thus on the lubrication and heat removal conditions between strand and mould. This function allows simulating the possible impact of any change in key operation parameters. This paper describes the results of the first application of the system to a slab caster in Germany.

The behaviour of the flux film between strand shell and mould plate is crucial for product quality, operational safety and productivity in continuous casting. Correlations between the properties of different steel grades and the different design characteristics of continuous casting machines on the one hand, and the physiochemical properties of different mould powders and the subsequent flux film formation on the other hand are subjects of this work. Based on extensive scientific studies and in cooperation with the Department of Ferrous Metallurgy, RWTH Aachen; S&B Industrial Minerals GmbH developed a software tool that visualizes the thickness and the condition of the flux film over the entire mould area under consideration of real operation parameters. With the knowledge about certain slag properties, MouldScreen® calculates and visualizes the solid and liquid fraction of the flux film and the thickness and temperature of the strand shell and displays it on the screen. The underlying physical-mathematical model provides all relevant information about the process status in the mould (e.g. heat flux densities, strand temperature and copper plate temperature). Thermocouple readings will be included in the calculation. In addition, the MouldScreen® “Modify Tool” facilitates a detailed analysis of different key operating parameters on the flux film behaviour and thus on the lubrication and heat removal conditions between strand and mould. This function allows simulating the possible impact of any change in key operation parameters. This paper describes the results of the first application of the system to a slab caster in Germany.

Keywords

Continuous casting; Mould lubrication; Flux film visualization.

Continuous casting; Mould lubrication; Flux film visualization.