Solidification of the liquid steel starts in the watercooled mold and continues progressively as the strand moves through the casting machine. Freezing begins at the liquid steel meniscus level in the mold forming a shell in contact with the walls of the mold. Casting conditions are established such that the strength of the solidified steel shell leaving the mold is sufcient to withstand the ferrostatic pressure of the liquid steel in the mold. To prevent sticking of the solidified shell to the mold wall, the mold is oscillated in a vertical direction. Friction between the shell and mold is minimized by the introduction of mold lubricants such as oils or fluxes which form a fluid slag. <Read in Full>
Continuous Casting Equipment Casting machines can be classified into four main groups depending on the section shape produced: billet; bloom; round; and slab. In some cases, overlaps occur where the molds on a particular machine can be changed to cast other shapes. In addition, machines exist where special shapes, such as rectangles and 'dogbone' structural sections can be cast as well as billets or blooms. <Read in Full>
Heat Transfer in the Mold The predominant transverse heat transfer can be considered as a flow of heat energy through a series of thermal resistances, from the high temperature source of liquid steel core in the mold to the sink of cooling water of the mold cooling system. It includes the heat transfer processes in the solidifying casting; that from steel shell surface (skin) to inner copper lining surface; that through copper lining; and the heat transfer from outer copper lining surface to mold cooling water. <Read in Full>
Historical Review of Continuous Casting Though the idea of continuous casting (CC) was proposed as early as mid-1800’s, its real industrial application of the technology started a century later. The extensive industrial application of the continuous casting started in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Today the continuous casting ratio of crude steel output has reached about 90%. <Read in Full>
Phase Transformation in Cast Iron and Steel Carbon, too is uncommon among the alloying elements, in that it is a very small atom that forms interstitial solid solutions with iron. The range of compositions from 2% to 4.5% carbon gives rise to the very important group of engineering materials called cast irons, while the iron-carbon alloys that contain less than 2% carbon are called steels. Complicated phase transformations occur with various carbon content and in various temperature. <Read in Full>
Continuous Casting General Direction and Topics to Study This article lists major technical topics on the continuous casting to be studied and understood, in order to qualify for plant operational and maintenance personnel. Topics 1-7 are for the operational personnel, 8-16 for maintenance personnel, and 17-18 are for both. <Read in Full>
Casting R&D Roadmap: Executive Summary The Metalcasting Industry Technology Roadrrtap Workshop in 1997 brought together experts from the metalcasting industry, some major customers, academia, and the national laboratories to identify key targets of opportunity, technology barriers, and priority research needs for the metalcasting industry… <Read in Full>
Casting R&D Roadmap: Relevant Industry R&D Projects A number of projects related to issues in the Roadmap are ongoing or have recently been completed. Many of these projects are collaborations between industry, the metalcasting technical societies, government agencies, academia, and other stakeholders… <Read in Full>
