Heat-Transfer Behavior of Mold Fluxes for Continuous Casting of Invar Alloy

Abstract

The heat-transfer behavior across mold fluxes for Invar alloy Fe-36Ni would introduce significant influence on the slab surface quality. A study on the heat-transfer property of mold flux film for Invar alloy Fe-36Ni was carried out by an interaction between laboratory simulation and field trial. The study results indicate that great effect on heat transfer across flux film is caused by chemical compositions of mold fluxes. An increase of basicity and CaF2 content suppresses heat transfer across flux film; heat transfer across flux film increases when the Al2O3 content increases from 4 pct to 8 pct but decreases when Al2O3 content is above 8 pct. The crystalline phases of both the conventional mold fluxes and the improved mold fluxes are all cuspidine phases. However, crystallization capability of the improved mold fluxes decreases as the result of the increase of basicity and CaF2 content as well as the decrease of Al2O3 content. The average thickness of flux film taken from mold is about 1.6 mm, and the crystalline fraction is only 21.4 pct. All these promote heat transfer across the flux film. The field trial of the improved mold fluxes shows that the properties of liquid slag are steady during continuous casting; comprehensive heat transfer across flux film meets the needs of continuous casting of Fe-36Ni. Border solidification structures of solidified shell are refined remarkably, and hot cracking gets avoidance eventually.