Application of Non-Arrhenius Models to the Viscosity of Mold Flux

The mold flux in continuous casting mold experiences a significant temperature gradient ranging from more than 1773 K (1500 °C) to room temperature, and the viscosity of the mold flux would therefore have a non-Arrhenius temperature dependency in such a wide temperature region. Three non-Arrhenius models, including Vogel–Fulcher–Tammann (VFT), Adam and Gibbs (AG), and Avramov (AV), were conducted to describe the relationship between the viscosity and temperature of mold flux in the temperature gradient existing in the casting mold. It found that the results predicted by the VFT and AG models are closer to the measured ones than those by the AV model and that they are much better than the Arrhenius model in characterizing the variation of viscosity of mold flux vs temperature. In addition, the VFT temperature and AG temperature can be considered to be key benchmarks in characterizing the lubrication ability of mold flux beyond the break temperature and glass transition temperature.