Nowadays, steelmaking companies use numerical simulations as an advanced tool to optimize process parameters, reduce defects, and enhance product quality, aligning with the rising market demand for high-quality steel ingots. For more accurate simulations, it is essential to set the correct material properties, process parameters (such as flow rate and temperatures), heat transfer coefficient, as well as the suitable geometry and corresponding discretization. During the mold filling, one main issue is the trapping in the liquid of casting powders used to protect the steel from reoxidation, which turns in the presence of large non-metallic inclusions in the solidified part and the consequent discard. This work is part of an industrial research aimed at studying the filling and solidification of a 26 tonne square ingot by using numerical simulation with the commercial program ProCAST®. The study investigates the impact of several casting parameters and liquid upgate system geometries on the creation of exogenous non-metallic inclusions through simplified numerical simulations. The reliability of the simulation model was evaluated by an experimental test conducted on an industrial scale: the inclusions measured were all less than the acceptable threshold of <2.0 mm equivalent defect. The research was able to establish the conditions needed to prevent the sporadic entrapment of casting powders, hence enhancing the overall quality of this type of ingot.
RISK ASSESSMENT OF CASTING POWDERS ENTRAPMENT IN A 26 TONNE STEEL INGOT USING NUMERICAL SIMULATION
Mantelli A.
;Viscardi C.;Roberti R.;Pola A.;Gelfi M.;
2024-01-01
Abstract
Nowadays, steelmaking companies use numerical simulations as an advanced tool to optimize process parameters, reduce defects, and enhance product quality, aligning with the rising market demand for high-quality steel ingots. For more accurate simulations, it is essential to set the correct material properties, process parameters (such as flow rate and temperatures), heat transfer coefficient, as well as the suitable geometry and corresponding discretization. During the mold filling, one main issue is the trapping in the liquid of casting powders used to protect the steel from reoxidation, which turns in the presence of large non-metallic inclusions in the solidified part and the consequent discard. This work is part of an industrial research aimed at studying the filling and solidification of a 26 tonne square ingot by using numerical simulation with the commercial program ProCAST®. The study investigates the impact of several casting parameters and liquid upgate system geometries on the creation of exogenous non-metallic inclusions through simplified numerical simulations. The reliability of the simulation model was evaluated by an experimental test conducted on an industrial scale: the inclusions measured were all less than the acceptable threshold of <2.0 mm equivalent defect. The research was able to establish the conditions needed to prevent the sporadic entrapment of casting powders, hence enhancing the overall quality of this type of ingot.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
