Physical modelling of tundish slag entrainment under various technological conditions

This paper deals with the issue of physical modelling of vortexes creation and tundish slag entrainment over the mouth of the nozzle into the individual casting strands. Proper physical model is equivalent to the operational continuous casting machine No. 2 in TRINECKE ZELEZARN, a.s. Physical modelling methodology and simulated operational conditions are shortly described. Physical modelling was used for the evaluation of current conditions of steel casting at the application of different impact pads in the tundish. Further, laboratory measurement on the physical model aiming the determination of exact critical periods of vortexes creation and study of the slag entrainment as a consequence of changes in surface level during the tundish refilling to standard level were realised. The obtained results were analysed and discussed.Web of Science6231471146

INEL Spray-forming Research

Spray forming is a near-net-shape fabrication technology in which a spray of finely atomized liquid droplets is deposited onto a suitably shaped substrate or mold to produce a coherent solid. The technology offers unique opportunities for simplifying materials processing without sacrificing, and oftentimes substantially improving, product quality. Spray forming can be performed with a wide range of metals and nonmetals, and offers property improvements resulting from rapid solidification (e.g., refined microstructures, extended solid solubilities and reduced segregation). Economic benefits result from process simplification and the elimination of unit operations. Researchers at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) are developing spray-forming technology for producing near-net-shape solids and coatings of a variety of metals, polymers, and composite materials. Results from several spray forming programs are presented to illustrate the range of capabilities of the technique as well as the accompanying technical and economic benefits. Low-carbon steel strip greater than 0.75 mm thick and polymer membranes for gas/gas and liquid/liquid separations that were spray formed are discussed; recent advances in spray forming molds, dies, and other tooling using low-melting-point metals are described

Numerical Investigation of Steel Grade Change using ANSYS

The tundish working as a buffer and distributor of liquid steel between the ladle and continuous casting (CC) moulds. It plays a vital role in the performance of CC machine, Solidi fication of liquid steel and quality of productivity. Therefore it is necessary to control the flow pattern, heat transfer and inclusion particle movement of molten steel in the tundish [1]. Hence this paper targets to study the performance of tun dish by studying water volume fractions and validated against the Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) results obtained from available literature. The variation of time dependent concentration field is measured by PLIF. Due to special calibration procedure of the PLIF system the optical, geometrical and physical parameters do not have to be determined analytically, thus leading to reliable results. The experiments have shown that the mixing process correlates with th e quasi steady state flow pattern. Such information is important in steel production because the number of mixed slabs produced during sequence casting with a grade change is closely related to the mixing of the tundish melt. Hence in this paper PLIF measurements are used to validate numerical solutions of the mixing processes in water models of metallurgical reactor [2]

Influence of submerged entry nozzle on intermixed zone in round blooms with a diameter of 525 mm

This work compares the experimental results of nickel concentration measurements in the intermixed zone of the continuously cast round blooms with a diameter of 525 mm using two types of submerged entry nozzles (SEN) - a straight-through nozzle and one with 5-ports. Based on determination of the system and optical interface in the blooms a detailed study of concentration profiles on the bloom surface in a small radius area, on the right side and then also on a cross-section of the blooms, was carried out. The results were further analysed using approximation models, and were to be used to verify the proposed model for predicting intermixed zones for a continuous casting machine, developed based on the results of physical and numerical modelling.Web of Science58119118

Physical and numerical modelling of a non-stationary steel flow through a subentry shroud with an inner metering nozzle

The paper presents new knowledge about physical and numerical modelling of a non-stationary steel flow into a mould through a subentry shroud with an inner, pressed metering nozzle. The physical and numerical modelling was realized under the conditions of the Department of Metallurgy and Foundry at VSB-Technical University of Ostrava. A special type of the subentry shroud is used during continuous casting of steel in Tøinecké `elezárny, a.s. During continuous casting of steel, two unfavourable phenomena were observed. In the first case, it was not possible to increase the casting speed, though the diameter of the metering nozzle was extended. In the second case, a fluctuation of the casting speed among individual casting strands was detected. These two problems did not allow an improvement of the performance of the casting machine. Therefore, the physical and numerical modelling was performed. Attention was focused on the verification of the effect of the inner diameter of the nozzle body and internal diameter of the metering nozzle on the resulting volume flow rates. Four diameters of the metering nozzle – (16; 17; 17.5; 18) mm – were tested. The physical modelling was done on a 1 : 1 model constructed from Plexiglas. The numerical modelling was realized in the ANSYS FLUENT software. On the basis of the results of the modelling study and in cooperation with the VESUVIUS company, a new type of the profile of the subentry shroud with a metering nozzle was designed. The first experimental results in the steel plant led to an increase in the productivity of the continuous-casting machine.Web of Science47681480

Rapidly solidified titanium alloys by melt overflow

A pilot plant scale furnace was designed and constructed for casting titanium alloy strips. The furnace combines plasma arc skull melting techniques with melt overflow rapid solidification technology. A mathematical model of the melting and casting process was developed. The furnace cast strip of a suitable length and width for use with honeycomb structures. Titanium alloys Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-14Al-21 Nb were successfully cast into strips. The strips were evaluated by optical metallography, microhardness measurements, chemical analysis, and cold rolling

Microstructural optimization of unalloyed ductile cast irons with a ferritic matrix used in the manufacture of wind turbine rotors

The aim of this work was the microstructural optimization of cast irons with nodular graphite for the manufacture of wind turbine hubs, paying preferential attention to the geometry and distribution of graphite spheroids to ensure the required mechanical properties for this application. The target was pursued based upon microstructure-properties correlation, in an environment of great competitiveness and exigency marked by current international standards. The methodology followed consisted of the generation of knowledge from tailor-made industrial castings, followed by the analysis of their microstructures, in order to extract valuable conclusions for the production process through the use of statistical analysis. The approach method employed was a Fractional Design of Experiments (DOE) with 7 factors, 16 experiments and resolution IV. The samples from each experiment were cubes of identical geometry, and designed to match a surface-to-volume module equal to 4 cm (1.57 in) found as the highest values in real hubs of 3 MW power wind turbines. It is concluded that the use of nodulizers with traces of lanthanum favour the reduction of the volume fraction of pearlite, although La has proved not to promote the spherical shape of primary graphite. The negative effect of pre-inoculants containing SiC on the spheroidal morphology of graphite has also been verified, and also that low-Mn bearing scrap favours graphite formation and the reduction of the volume fraction of pearlite, in spite of being a carbide forming element. The whitening effect of Mn was minimized with low carbon equivalent melts