Effect of Slag-Steel Reaction on the Initial Solidification of Molten Steel during Continuous Casting

With the mold simulator technique, the effect of slag-steel reaction on the initial shell solidification as well as the heat transfer and lubrication behavior of the infiltrated mold/shell slag film was studied in this article. The results showed that the Al₂O₃ content, the CaO/SiO₂ ratio, and the viscosity of mold flux were increased with the progress of the slag-steel reaction during casting. The slag-steel reaction has two major effects on the initial shell solidification: one is increasing the mold heat flux and shell thickness by the decrease of slag film thickness. The other is the reduction of mold heat flux by the increase of crystal fraction in slag film. Mold flux with a lower basicity, viscosity, and crystallization temperature would result in a larger liquid slag consumption and the uneven infiltration of slag into the mold and shell gap that eventually leads to the irregular solidification of initial shell with a poor surface quality, such as slag entrapment and depressions as well as glaciation marks. Conversely, mold flux with a higher viscosity, basicity, and crystallization temperature would result in a smaller liquid slag consumption, which would cause the poor mold lubrication, the longitudinal shell surface defects, and drag marks.