Thermo-Mechanical Behavior During Steel Continuous Casting in Funnel Molds

Computational models have been developed to investigate the thermal and mechanical behavior of the solidifying steel shell in continuous casting funnel molds, with the goal of understanding the effect of funnel shape on the solidifying steel shell. The numerical models have been calibrated with plant measurements from the Corus Direct Sheet Plant in IJmuiden, The Netherlands, and are used to recommend funnel designs and narrow-face taper practices. The steady-state temperature distribution in the mold is calculated in three-dimensions, and then used to calibrate and validate a simpler one-dimensional model of mold heat transfer. The results are applied to explain the effect of mold wear on the measured mold temperatures and heat fluxes. Investigation of the mechanical behavior of the solidifying shell has identified the geometry of the funnel has little influence on the thermal behavior of the solidifying shell, but induces a bending effect in the shell that is absent in conventional parallel-face molds. This bending effect is shown to increase the likelihood of crack formation in the “inside curve” region of the funnel, due to increased tensile stress on the solidification front. This mechanical effect can be mitigated by using a shallow and wide funnel with no inner flat region. Naturally, this finding needs to be balanced with the original purpose of the funnel, to allow room for the submerged entry nozzle, and with other crack mechanisms in order to find the optimal funnel-shape design