Heat Transfer in Funnel-mould Casting: Effect of Plate Thickness

Plant measurements and three-dimensional models are used to develop an accurate and efficient model of heat transfer in a thin-slab continuous casting mould, interface, and solidifying shell. A finite-element model of the complex-shaped mould, developed using ABAQUS, is applied to find offset correction factors that enable the efficient CONI D model to accurately predict temperature at thermocouple locations. Model interface parameters are calibrated using an extensive database of plant data obtained from the Corus Direct Sheet Plant in IJmuiden, The Netherlands, including measurements of mould heat removal, mould temperature, oscillation mark shape, mould-powder consumption, and mould thickness. The validated CON1D model is applied to quantify the combined effects of casting speed and mould plate thickness on mould heat transfer. Increasing casting speed causes a thinner solidified steel shell, higher heat flux, higher mould hot face temperature, a thinner slag layer and lower solid slag layer velocity. Increasing mould plate thickness increases hot face temperature, lowers solid slag layer velocity, increases slag layer thickness, and lowers mould heat flux.