THE INDUSTRY APPLICATION OF THE SOFTWARE SUPPORT MOULDSCREEN®: FIRST TRY-OUT OF THE SLAG FILM VISUAL DISPLAY SYSTEM AT SLAB CCM

Abstract

The investigating results are given in the article for the correlation between the  properties of various kinds  of steel and  the  design features of  continuous casting machines (CCM) from  the  one  hand, and  the  physical and  chemical properties  of  slag-forming materials  injected  into   the CCM’s mold as well as the slag films these materials create which  coat  the  billet’s outer skin,  from  the  other hand. On base of vast  scientific investigations the  software support have  been developed which  allows  the  visualization of the slag’s  film width  and state covering the entire internal surface of the  CCM’s mold. At the  same time  the  displaying of all real  variables for continuing casting all in all is carried out.  The data on the  properties of applicable slag-forming materials are  inserted in the program and owing to this the MouldScreen® calculates and  displays the  states of both solid  and  liquid  slag’s  fractions presenting in the  mold  as well as it shows  the width  and temperature of the crystallizing billet’s outer skin. All data are displayed on the monitor screen. The  physical and  chemical model  which  the  program is based on,  gives  out  all needed information about the processes occurring inside the CCM’s mold. The CCM’s thermocouple element’s indications are  taken into account when  calculating according the  model. Besides so  called «converting» utility  program Modify  tool  is included into the  MouldScreen® program, this  utility  facilitates the  detailed analysis for the  influence of various keyword working  parameters on  the   slag   film’s  behavior, and   consequently, on the  billet  lubricating conditions as  well  as  on the heat removing from the billet  through the mold’s walls. This feature allows the modeling of any keyword parameter influence’s change on the metal tapping in whole.  The first try-out of the  system was  carried out  on the  slab  CCM in Germany. Ill. 12. Ref. 8.