Tundish Process Performance Parameters and Their Direct Estimation from a New, Plant Measurement-Based Formalism

Abstract

A mathematical frame work has been developed to quantitatively investigate inclusion floatation and generation phenomena in a tundish during continuous casting of LCAK (low carbon aluminum killed) steel. Embodying industrial scale measurements of dissolved and total aluminum in VD (vacuum degasser), tundish and bloom in a materials balance frame work, two key dimensionless parameters, viz., inclusion generation (GI) and floatation (FI) indices, have been formulated. To demonstrate their adequacy, as a test case, a 13 metric ton bloom casting tundish has been considered and plant scale data from nearly fifty heats applied. The analysis reveals barely satisfactory inclusion floatation coupled with significant generation, indicating essentially sub-optimal tundish process performance.