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Air‐Water Mist and Homogeneity Degree of Spray Cooling Zones for Improving Quality in Continuous Casting of Steel
Author(s) -
ElBealy Mostafa O.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
steel research international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.603
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1869-344X
pISSN - 1611-3683
DOI - 10.1002/srin.201000301
Subject(s) - nozzle , homogeneity (statistics) , mist , materials science , mold , continuous casting , metallurgy , alloy , slab , water cooling , composite material , mechanics , mechanical engineering , structural engineering , engineering , meteorology , statistics , physics , mathematics
A theoretical investigation used previous experimental works for validation of model predications and for studying the effect of different nozzle designs on the quality of continuously cast steel slabs has been undertaken. This is by optimizing the homogeneity degree of cooling pattern “ HDCP ” between a pair of rolls. The idea behind this technique is to maximize the solid shell resistance against thermo‐metallurgical and mechanical stresses and therefore minimizes the defects generated in different cooling zones. A 2‐D mathematical model of thermal, solidification, solid shell resistance and cooling conditions has been developed. The model determines the temperature distributions, the different phases associated with the solidification and three phase peritectic reaction L + δ → γ of Fe−0.12%C steel alloy as well as isotherms. The effect of different cooling patterns for various spray cooling systems on the homogeneity degree and solid shell resistance are examined. In additional to traditional water and air‐water (AWM) nozzles, a new design of air‐water mist nozzle has been proposed to improve the homogeneity degree of spray cooling system. The results indicate generally that the increasing in the homogeneity degree of cooling conditions is proportional to the increasing in the solid shell resistance and therefore to the improving of slab quality. Model predications of different effects of different nozzle designs on the surface and inner quality levels are compared and discussed in the mold and secondary spray cooling zones.