Integrated Modeling of Steel Refining, Casting and Rolling Operations to Obtain Design Set Points for Quality Steel Sheet Production

Non-metallic inclusions are defects present in steel which disrupt the homogeneity of structure and adversely affects the mechanical properties. To some extent silo approach based mathematical models have been successfully used to modify and control inclusions in steel making but very few attempts have been made to deal with these processes in integrated framework. With computational advancement and high promising potential of ICME (Integrated Computational Materials Engineering), physics based models can be integrated which will lead to overall increase of process understanding, control and eventually to better properties and performance of material. The objectives of the present work are: (a) using CFD based models understand the influence of various design and process parameters on inclusion removal during secondary steel making, (b) using FEM model study the effects of type and characteristics of inclusions during solid state forming operations, and finally (c) integrate these models in order to develop an integrated modeling framework. This integrated framework will determine the extent up to which inclusions can be tolerated in downstream processes without affecting the quality and properties of final steel sheet significantly and suggest modifications in upstream processes if inclusions are above acceptable limit.