Heat transfer and solidification analysis in the mould region of a horizontal copper alloy billet continuous caster

Abstract

Mathematical modelling has been widely used as a powerful tool for process design and optimisation of the continuous casting process. A three-dimensional heat transfer model was developed to simulate heat transfer and solidification in a horizontal billet continuous casting system. In this model, the air gap formation and its effect on heat extraction from the billet was also modelled and considered. The developed model was run to simulate the heat transfer and solidification for an industrial billet casting machine. The predicted temperature distribution within the mould and billet was compared with those measured on an industrial caster and good agreement was obtained. Parametric studies were carried out to evaluate the effects of different parameters on the temperature distribution and solidification profile within the cast brass billet. Finally, the secondary dendrite arm spacing (SDAS) was determined experimentally and a semiempirical correlation between measured SDAS and corresponding calculated cooling rate was proposed for continuously cast brass billet.

External Surface Quality of the Graphite Crystallizer as a Factor Influencing the Temperature of the Continuous Casting Process of ETP Grade Copper

“…The essence of the continuous casting process lies in the continuous supply of liquid metal to the primary cooling system where the liquid metal crystallizes into a cast rod or strand. The crystallization system, which is most often made of a graphite insert, the so-called crystallizer, and a cooling system perform the essential function in this process as it is responsible for the heat transfer during the process [ 22 , 23 ]. The effectiveness of such system essentially depends on the characteristics of the materials used for the crystallizer and the cooling system, their geometry and the quality of the combination of these two structures.…”