Investigation on Mold Flux Melting and Consumption During Continuous Casting of Liquid Steel

Mold powders play an integral role in maintaining the stability and efficiency of the continuous casting process as they (1) provide lubrication, (2) control heat transfer, (3) absorb nonmetallic inclusions, and (4) prevent reoxidation of liquid steel during continuous casting of liquid steels. Much of the previous investigations are focused on the characterization of mold powders to understand the physicochemical aspects of the continuous casting process. However, limited attention has been given to analyzing the melting behavior of mold powder, which is necessitated for the proper functioning of the caster. An experimental technique akin to the industrial practice has been adopted in this investigation to study the melting behavior of the mold powder. A realistic nondimensional correlation is proposed considering the various casting parameters (casting speed, mold oscillation frequency, and stroke, negative strip time, and cross-sectional area of mold), the mold powder melting, and the consumption rate based on the adopted experimental and theoretical methods for real-time application.