Numerical Simulation and Experiment Research on Temperature Field of Steel Slab in Walking Beam Furnace

Abstract

This paper presents a study of the temperature fields of steel slab in a walking beam furnace. To simulate the temperature distribution in the slab of heating-up process in heating furnace, a two-dimensional mathematical model was developed. The heat transfer in the furnace was very complex, so the model was developed on the assumptions that the temperature of each section of the furnace was unchangeable, the slab moved in the furnace in even velocity, the heat transfer between the slab and the walking beam was out of consideration, the longitudinal heat conduction of the slab and the effect of the scale on the heat conduction were neglected. The equations were calculated by the finite difference method. A black box experiment research was carried out to measure the temperature history of the slab as it passed through the furnace. The comparison of the calculated results with the measured results showed that the model worked well for simulating the temperature distribution of the slab in walking beam furnace. With this developed model, the optimizing of hot rolling and heating processes of steel slab can be investigated in the future.