Nonmetallic inclusions and secondary structure of continuous casting steels

The article presents the results of a study of the non-metallic inclusions and secondary structure of continuous casting steels It is estimate that main quantity of non-metallic inclusions (»72%) it inputted in steel during the deoxidization and the secondary oxidation, therefore the casting processes need to be managed very well to decrease the quantity of non-metallic inclusions in liquid steel. Reducing the secondary dendrite arms spacing for the strip casting process, in comparison with the conventional continuous casting process of thick slab, will reduce the size of non-metallic inclusion and as result could improve the mechanical properties of steel. Content of the endogenous non-metallic inclusions in stainless steel with Ti, in carbon steel and in electrical steel grades decreases in ladle and tundish in 2.7–3.2 times in comparison with quantity of non-metallic inclusions before pouring from furnace. The increasing of the tundish width decreases in 20 times the quantity of nonmetallic inclusions by sizes from 70 to 80 mm, and in 5–6 times by sizes 220–230 mm. Increasing of the tundish height reduces of the oxygen content in continuous casting of slab It was development the dependence of the secondary dendrite arm spacing with cooling rate. Analysis shown, that the secondary dendrite arms spacing for the strip casting process decreases from 5.91 to 8.31 times in comparison with the conventional continuous casting process of thick slab of thickness 220 mm. Simultaneously non-metallic inclusions sizes to decrease, too. Rapid solidification reduces the number of large non-metallic inclusions: the inclusion number larger than 1 mm is decreased by a ratio of 5 in comparison with the conventional slabs process. It was estimated influence of main parameters on the average grain sizes and the steel microstructure for the strip and conventional casting processes. The dependence of the grain size of carbon and low alloying steels grades (C = 0.08–0.6%, Si = 0.4–0.6%, Mn = 0.4–1.4%, P < 0.03%, S < 0.03%), (C = 0.04–0.6%, Si = 0.11–0.3%, Mn = 0.3–1.12%, P = 0.01–0.035%, S = 0.005–0.035%, Nb = 0.013%, V = 0.001%) and high chromium and stainless steels of type AISI 430 and 304 (C = 0.03–0.12%, Si = 0.83–1.0%, Mn = 0.8–1.0%, Cr = =16.0–18.4%, Ni = 8.47%, N = 0.03%) from casting speed range, final thickness of slab or sheet, reduction, temperature range is estimated by a multi regression analysis. The grain size of steel obtained by the strip casting process, in range 1300 to 1400 oC, is 2.3 time smaller than for the slab casting processes with slab thickness from 50 to 220 mm.