Study on Mitigating Center Macro‐Segregation During Steel Continuous Casting Process

Abstract

AbstractIn the current paper, Methods of enlarging the area for the distribution of segregation solutes were introduced to mitigate center macro‐segregation in steel billets and steel slabs during continuous casting process, which cost less and have significant effect. The location of center macro‐segregation is relative to the shape of liquid‐core at the solidification end during steel continuous casting. A method of dissymmetrical cooling on different surfaces, by which the area for the precipitation of segregation solutes was enlarged, was introduced to mitigate the center macro‐segregation in billets during continuous casting process. Method of optimizing the uniformity of solidified shell in the transverse direction was introduced to mitigate the center macro‐segregation in steel slabs. The uniform cooling intensity along the transverse direction guaranteed a regular solidification end in the continuous casting slab, which aided in the effective application of dynamic soft reduction technology. A relevant 2‐D heat transfer model was developed for the optimization of uniform solidification. The current method was applied to the industrial slab continuous casting using the heat transfer model. The results indicated a better industrial slab quality with much less center macro‐segregation after the use of the method.