Numerical modeling of clog fragmentation during SEN clogging in steel continuous casting

Hadi Barati, Menghuai Wu, Sergiu Ilie, Abdellah Kharicha, Andreas Ludwig

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

In the study of clogging during steel continuous casting, less attention was paid to the clog fragmentation, although it always accompanies the clogging process. This paper introduces a sub-model for the clog fragmentation integrated into a comprehensive transient clogging model. In this sub-model, the intricate network of the clog is simplified as a bunch of fictitious cylinders. Each cylinder, called ‘clog finger’, contains a column of spherical non-metallic inclusions (NMIs), which are mechanically bound by sintering at contact points. The mechanical stress acting at the sintering neck between NMIs due to hydraulic forces of the melt flow is evaluated. Simulation of clogging/fragmentation in a real-scale SEN was conducted using the integrated clogging model. Comparing the simulation results with the as-clogged SEN observed in steel plants revealed a qualitative agreement. The effects of different parameters were discussed. The importance of the fragmentation and necessity to have such a sub-model were affirmed.
Original languageEnglish
Article number119307
Number of pages14
JournalPowder Technology
Volume434.2024
Issue number1 February
Early online date19 Dec 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Feb 2024

Bibliographical note

The authors gratefully acknowledge the funding support of K1-MET
GmbH, metallurgical competence center. The research program of the
K1-MET competence center is supported by COMET (Competence Cen-
ter for Excellent Technologies), the Austrian program for competence
centers. COMET is funded by the Federal Ministry for Climate Action,
Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation, and Technology; the Fed-
eral Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs; the Federal States of
Upper Austria, Tyrol, and Styria; and the Styrian Business Promotion
Agency (SFG). In addition to the public funding from COMET, this
research project was partially financed by scientific partners (Mon-
tanuniversit¨at Leoben and Johannes Kepler University Linz) and in-
dustrial partners (voestalpine Stahl Linz GmbH, voestalpine Stahl
Donawitz GmbH, and RHI Magnesita GmbH). The authors also thank
voestalpine Stahl Linz GmbH for providing topography of the as-clogged
SEN.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Elsevier B.V.

Keywords

  • Clogging
  • Continuous casting
  • Non-metallic inclusions
  • Fragmentation
  • Detachment

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