Enhancing liquid metal quality and productivity in a slab caster through physical and mathematical modelling

由于客户提出了严格的质量要求，扁平产品制造商不断面临提高生产率、同时保持高质量连铸钢坯的压力。然而，生产率的提高对铸坯质量有不利影响，缺陷和废品对生产商的底线有重大影响。控制连铸中间包和结晶器内的流动是保证钢水清洁、减少缺陷的关键参数之一。物理和数学模型是理解和优化连铸过程中流体流动的必不可少的工具。连铸机由两个方面组成：(I)结晶器；(Ii)中间包。该项目将处理中间包内液态金属的流动和清洁度。中间包的主要目标是控制和优化熔体流动，从而提高钢的洁净度。这将有助于减少SEN堵塞，最大限度地减少夹杂物的形成，并为模具提供更清洁的钢。该项目的总体目标是确定提高中间包钢洁净度的解决方案，并提高超低碳钢和拉拔钢种的生产率。通过提高钢水和钢液的质量，预计每年可节省超过200万美元的成本。拟议的研究项目与AMD的战略愿景和业务目标保持一致，并将为位于加拿大安大略省的安赛乐米塔尔多法斯科立即带来好处。这项研究的结果将创造出有助于更好地设计和操作连铸工艺的应用知识。这项研究将为改进奠定基础，这些改进不仅有利于加拿大，也有利于全球钢铁业在产品清洁度、质量和生产率方面。几名高素质的人员(HQP)将在项目过程中接受炼钢和铸造领域的培训，他们最终将进入加拿大的钢铁行业或学术界。

Flat product manufacturers are under constant pressure to increase productivity, and simultaneously maintain high quality of continuously cast steel slabs because of stringent quality demands imposed by their customers. However, increasing productivity has detrimental effects on slab quality, and defects and rejections have a major impact on the producers bottom-line. Controlling fluid flows in continuous casting tundishes, and moulds is one of the key parameters to ensure cleaner steel and reduce defects. Physical and mathematical modelling is an absolutely essential tool to understand and optimize fluid flows in continuous casting. The continuous caster consists of two integral aspects: (i) mould; (ii) tundish. This project will deal with liquid metal flow and cleanliness in the tundish. The main goal in the tundish is to control and optimize the melt flow which will enhance steel cleanliness. This will help in the reduction of SEN clogging, minimize inclusion formation, and supply cleaner steel to the moulds. The overall aim of the project is to identify solution strategies for enhancing steel cleanliness in the tundish, and increasing the productivity for ultra-low carbon steel and drawn steel grades. The cost saving arising from improving both liquid and solid steel quality is expected to exceed $2 million/year. The proposed research project is aligned with AMD's strategic vision and business goals, and will create immediate benefits to ArcelorMittal Dofasco, located in Ontario, Canada. The results of this research will create applied knowledge that will facilitate better design and operation of the continuous casting process. The study will establish a basis for improvements that benefits not only the Canadian but also the global steel industry in terms of product cleanliness, quality and productivity. Several highly qualified personnel (HQP) will be trained in the course of the project in the area of steelmaking and casting who will eventually enter the steel industry or academia in Canada.