Influence of Ti(C,N) precipitates on austenite growth of micro-alloyed steel during continuous casting

Austenite grain size is an important influence factor for ductility of steel at high temperatures during continuous casting. Thermodynamic and kinetics calculations were performed to analyze the characteristics of Ti(C,N) precipitates formed during the continuous casting of micro-alloyed steel. Based on Andersen-Grong equation, a coupling model of second phase precipitation and austenite grain growth has been established, and the influence of second precipitates on austenite grain growth under different cooling rates is discussed. Calculations show that the final sizes of austenite grains are 2.155, 1.244, 0.965, 0.847 and 0.686 mm, respectively, under the cooling rate of 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 ℃·s-1, when ignoring the pinning effect of precipitation on austenite growth. Whereas, if taking the pinning effect into consideration, the grain growth remains stable from 1,350 ℃, the calculated final sizes of austenite grains are 1.46, 1.02, 0.80, 0.67 and 0.57 mm, respectively. The sizes of final Ti(C,N) precipitates are 137, 79, 61, 51 and 43 nm, respectively, with the increase of cooling rate from 1 to 10 ℃·s-1. Model validation shows that the austenite size under different cooling rates coincided with the calculation results. Finally, the corresponding measures to strengthen cooling intensity at elevated temperature are proposed to improve the ductility and transverse crack of slab.