Investigation of Continuous Casting Slag Films Sampled on Site and Comparison with Laboratory Results
AbstractSlag film samples together with their associated mold fluxes were collected after service during tail out at the voestalpine Stahl GmbH continuous casting machine. The slag films were obtained after casting steel grades different in Al or Ti content and mineralogically investigated. Three distinctive layers could be determined within the slag films. A so called glassy layer, a crystalline layer and a layer, which has been liquid during casting and solidified afterwars, could be observed. Cuspidine (Ca4Si2O7F2) is the prevailing crystal phase in the crystalline layer. Casting alloyed steel grades the structure of the crystalline layer will be modified. With increasing Al2O3 content of the slag, due to interactions with the steel, nepheline ((Na,K)AlSiO4) was formed besides cuspidine. Here the distinctive needle like shaped cuspidine is remarkable. With casting steel grades with even more elevated Al content, the slag composition shows a strong decrease of silica and an increase of alumina. Therefore no longer cuspidine but fluorite (CaF2) and a so far unknown phase rich in alumina are the main crystal phases. When casting steel grades with increased Ti content, perovskite (CaTiO3) will be formed additionally to cuspidine in the crystalline layer.In addition quench tests of the original mold powders as well as DTA and viscosity measurements of the original mold powder and the slag films were performed. The methods revealed the impact of the Al2O3 and TiO2 pick-up on the crystallization temperature, the phase composition and the viscosity.