Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Detection of Non-metallic Inclusions in Centrifugal Continuous Casting Steel Billets

  • Published:
Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B Aims and scope Submit manuscript

An Erratum to this article was published on 21 June 2016

Abstract

In the current study, automated particle analysis was employed to detect non-metallic inclusions in steel during a centrifugal continuous casting process of a high-strength low alloy steel. The morphology, composition, size, area fraction, amount, and spatial distribution of inclusions in steel were obtained. Etching experiment was performed to reveal the dendrite structure of the billet and to discuss the effect of centrifugal force on the distribution of oxide inclusions in the final solidified steel by comparing the solidification velocity with the critical velocity reported in literature. It was found that the amount of inclusions was highest in samples from the tundish (~250 per mm2), followed by samples from the mold (~200 per mm2), and lowest in billet samples (~86 per mm2). In all samples, over 90 pct of the inclusions were smaller than 2μm. In steel billets, the content of oxides, dual-phase oxide–sulfides, and sulfides in inclusions were found to be 10, 30, and 60 pct, respectively. The dual-phase inclusions were oxides with sulfides precipitated on the outer surface. Oxide inclusions consisted of high Al2O3 and high MnO which were solid at the molten steel temperature, implying that the calcium treatment was insufficient. Small oxide inclusions very uniformly distributed on the cross section of the billet, while there were more sulfide inclusions showing a banded structure at the outside 25 mm layer of the billet. The calculated solidification velocity was higher than the upper limit at which inclusions were entrapped by the solidifying front, revealing that for oxide inclusions smaller than 8μm in this study, the centrifugal force had little influence on its final distribution in billets. Instead, oxide inclusions were rapidly entrapped by solidifying front.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
Fig. 21
Fig. 22
Fig. 23
Fig. 24

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. [1] Lifeng Zhang, Brian G. Thomas. State of the art in evaluation and control of steel cleanliness. ISIJ International, 2003, 43(3): 271-291.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. [2] Lifeng Zhang. State of the art in the control of inclusions in tire cord steels - A review. Steel Research International, 2006, 77(3): 158-169.

    Google Scholar 

  3. [3] Lifeng Zhang, Brian G. Thomas. State of the art in the control of inclusions during steel ingot casting. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B, 2006, 37(5): 733-761.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. [4] D. R. Uhlmann, B. Chalmers, K. A. Jackson. Interaction between particles and a solid-liquid interface. Journal of Applied Physics, 1964, 35(10): 2986-2993.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. D. M. Stefanescu, B. K. Dhindaw, S. A. Kacar, A. Moitra. Metallurgical Transactions A, 1988, 19A: 2847-2855.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. [6] S. N. Omenyi, A. W. Neumann. Thernodynamic aspects of particle engulfment by solidifying melts. Journal of Computational Physics, 1976, 47(9): 3956-3962.

    Google Scholar 

  7. D. Shangguan, S. Ahuja, D. M. Stefanescu. Metall. Trans. A, 1992, 23A: 669-680.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. [8] Q. Han, J. D. Hunt. Particle pushing: critical flow rate required to put particles into motion. Journal of Crystal Growth, 1995, 152(3): 221-227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. [9] Hiroyuki Shibata, Hongbin Yin, Satoru Yoshinaga, Toshihiko Emi, Mikio Suzuki. In-situ observation of engulfment and pushing of nonmetallic inclusions in steel melt by advancing melt/solid interface. ISIJ International, 1998, 38(2): 149-156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. D. M. Stefanescu, F. R. Juretzko, B. K. Dhindaw, A. Catalina, S. Sen, P. A. Curreri. Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 1998, 29A: 1697-1706.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. [11] Adrian V. Catalina, Sundeep Mukherjee, Doru M. Stefanescu. Dynamic model for the interaction between a solid particle and an advancing solid/liquid interface. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 2000, 31(10): 2559-2568.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. [12] G. Wilde, J. H. Perepezko. Experimental study of particle incorporation during dendritic solidification. Materials Science and Engineering A, 2000, 283(1): 25-37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. M. Hashio, N. Tokuda, M. Kawasaki, T. Watanabe: Proceedings of the Process Technology Conference, 1981, pp. 65–73.

  14. Y. Wang: Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2010, p. 118.

  15. [15] Qiaoying Zhang, Lintao Wang, Xinhua Wang, Wanjun Wang. Non-metallic inclusion distribution in surface layer of IF steel slabs. Journal of Iron and Steel Research International, 2008, 15(1): 70-74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. C.B. Stravs, J.N. Jager: Apparatus for forming pipe or other articles in continuous lengths, the United States, 1904, p. 777561.

  17. W.H. Milispaugh: Centrifugal casting method, the United States, 1931, p. 1828335.

  18. G.R. Leghorn, Continuous centrifugal casting of tube using liquid mold, the United States, 1971, p. 3616842.

  19. Q. Wang, L. Zhang. Determination for the entrapment criterion of non-metallic inclusions by the solidification front during steel centrifugal continuous casting, 2015.

  20. Q. Wang, L. Zhang, S. Seetharaman. Modeling on fluid flow and inclusion motion in centrifugal continuous casting strands, 2015.

  21. [21] Ying Ren, Yufeng Wang, Shusen Li, Lifeng Zhang, Xiangjun Zuo, SimonN Lekakh, Kent Peaslee. Detection of non-metallic inclusions in steel continuous casting billets. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B, 2014, 45(4): 1291-1303.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. [22] N. Verma, P. C. Pistorius, R. J. Fruehan, M. S. Potter, H. G. Oltmann, E. B. Pretorius. Calcium modification of spinel inclusions in aluminum-killed steel: reaction steps. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B, 2012, 43(4): 830-840.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. [23] Lifeng Zhang, Shoji Taniguchi, Kaike Cai. Fluid flow and inclusion removal in continuous casting tundish. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B, 2000, 31(2): 253-266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. [24] Lifeng Zhang, Wolfgang Pluschkell. Nucleation and growth kinetics of inclusions during liquid steel deoxidation. Ironmaking and Steelmaking, 2003, 30(2): 106-110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. [25] M. El-Bealy, Brian G. Thomas. Prediction of dendrite arm spacing for low alloy steel casting processes. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B, 1996, 27(4): 689-693.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. [26] D. M. Stefanescu, A. V. Catalina. Calculation of the critical velocity for the pushing/engulfment transition of nonmetallic inclusions in steel. ISIJ International, 1998, 38(5): 503-505.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. [27] Masana Imagumbai, Tetsuo Takeda. Influence of calcium-treatment on sulfide- and oxide-inclusions in continuous-cast slab of clean steel-dendrite structure and inclusions. ISIJ International, 1994, 34(7): 574-583.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. [28] Yoichi Ito, Noriyuki Masumitsu, Kaichi Matsubara. Formation of manganese sulfide in steel. Transaction ISIJ, 1981, 21: 477-484.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. [29] Katsunari Oikawa, Kiyohito Ishida, Taiji Nishizawa. Effect of titanium addition on the formation and distribution of MnS inclusions in steel during solidification. ISIJ International, 1997, 37(4): 332-338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. S. Wang, L. Zhang, S. Seetharaman: The 6th China-Korea Joint Symposium on Advanced Steel Technology, 2014, pp. 161–174.

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful for support from the National Science Foundation China (Grant Nos. 51274034, 51404019, 51504020), Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Recycling and Extraction of Metals (GREM), the Laboratory of Green Process Metallurgy and Modeling (GPM2) and the High Quality Steel Consortium (HQSC) at the School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering at University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB), China.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB), Beijing, 100083, China

    Qiangqiang Wang (Ph.D Student), Lifeng Zhang (Professor), Shufeng Yang (Lecturer), Wen Yang (Lecturer) & Yi Wang (Postdoctoral Fellow)

  2. International Digital Laboratory, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV47AL, UK

    Sridhar Seetharaman (Professor)

Authors
  1. Qiangqiang Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lifeng Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sridhar Seetharaman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shufeng Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Wen Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Yi Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lifeng Zhang.

Additional information

Manuscript submitted December 2, 2015.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wang, Q., Zhang, L., Seetharaman, S. et al. Detection of Non-metallic Inclusions in Centrifugal Continuous Casting Steel Billets. Metall Mater Trans B 47, 1594–1612 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-016-0625-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-016-0625-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation