Modeling of Dendritic Evolution of Continuously Cast Steel Billet with Cellular Automaton

In order to predict the dendritic evolution during the continuous steel casting process, a simple mechanism to connect the heat transfer at the macroscopic scale and the dendritic growth at the microscopic scale was proposed in the present work. As the core of the across-scale simulation, a two-dimensional cell automaton (CA) model with a decentered square algorithm was developed and parallelized. Apart from nucleation undercooling and probability, a temperature gradient was introduced to deal with the columnar-to-equiaxed transition (CET) by considering its variation during continuous casting. Based on the thermal history, the dendritic evolution in a 4 mm × 40 mm region near the centerline of a SWRH82B steel billet was predicted. The influences of the secondary cooling intensity, superheat, and casting speed on the dendritic structure of the billet were investigated in detail. The results show that the predicted equiaxed dendritic solidification of Fe-5.3Si alloy and columnar dendritic solidification of Fe-0.45C alloy are consistent with in situ experimental results [Yasuda et al. Int J Cast Metals Res 22:15–21 (2009); Yasuda et al. ISIJ Int 51:402–408 (2011)]. Moreover, the predicted dendritic arm spacing and CET location agree well with the actual results in the billet. The primary dendrite arm spacing of columnar dendrites decreases with increasing secondary cooling intensity, or decreasing superheat and casting speed. Meanwhile, the CET is promoted as the secondary cooling intensity and superheat decrease. However, the CET is not influenced by the casting speed, owing to the adjusting of the flow rate of secondary spray water. Compared with the superheat and casting speed, the secondary cooling intensity can influence the cooling rate and temperature gradient in deeper locations, and accordingly exerts a more significant influence on the equiaxed dendritic structure.     

基于元胞自动机有限元法对方坯凝固组织的数值模拟

 基于元胞自动机有限单元法(CAFE)对国内某钢厂220mm×220mm方坯的三维显微凝固组织进行模拟,分析了CAFE法模拟凝固过程显微组织的物理本质,对形核密度、枝晶尖端生长动力学、枝晶生长的择优取向以及FE与CA耦合的实现分别进行了探讨。用该方法对方坯的三维显微组织进行模拟,并对结晶器出口处方坯的角部温度、中心表面温度及坯壳厚度进行了计算。模拟结果表明：当拉速为0. 85m/min,浇铸温度为1535℃,浇钢过热度为30℃时,结晶器出口处方坯角部温度在850~950℃之间,中心表面温度在1050~1170℃之间,坯壳厚度在15mm左右,铸坯柱状晶发达,等轴晶比率较小。模拟的铸坯组织的等轴晶比例与低倍试验结果吻合较好,可以很好地预测方坯实际凝固组织。     

高碳绞线钢SWRH82B“笔尖”断裂分析与工艺改善

通过对高碳钢绞线SWRH82B拉丝材笔尖断裂的分析,得出笔尖状断口的中心网状碳化物级别≥4,存在较严重的碳偏析,组织转变上的差异导致拉拔变形不均匀产生断裂缺陷。通过对180 mm×180 mm断面高碳钢SWRH82B方坯中心碳偏析产生机理的研究,将钢水过热度从15～40℃调整为20～30℃、拉速由1.5 m/min降至1.4 m/min、末端电磁搅拌由电流350A增加至400A,钢坯的碳偏析指数由1.18降至1.06,明显降低了SWRH82B钢的拉丝材笔尖状断口发生率。     

SWRH82B铸坯凝固质量控制

针对安钢SWRH82B钢生产的工艺现状,研究了拉速、过热度、二冷配水等工艺参数对于铸坯中心缩孔、疏松和偏析等内部质量的影响。在实验室进行了铸坯凝固组织的研究,测量了二次枝晶间距,进一步了解连铸工艺参数对铸坯凝固组织的影响。     

连铸工艺参数对20CrMnTi齿轮钢150 mm x 150 mm铸坯凝固组织影响数值模拟和生产应用

为改善20CrMnTi钢小方坯凝固组织,基于ProCAST软件中的CAFE模型,对其凝固组织进行数值模拟,研究了不同钢水过热度、铸坯拉速、二冷比水量对凝固组织的影响。模拟结果表明,降低钢水过热度、提高铸坯拉速、降低二冷比水量均可达到增大铸坯等轴晶率和细化晶粒的目的,其中过热度对其影响最大。过热度每降低10℃,等轴晶率平均增加3.7%;拉速每增加0.1 m/min,铸坯等轴晶率平均增加1.8%;比水量每降低0.1 L/kg,铸坯等轴晶率平均增加1.65%。生产应用表明,钢水过热度30℃时,当拉速由原2.2 m/min降低至2.1 m/min,二冷比水量由0.6 L/kg提高至0.7 L/kg,铸坯中心疏松明显减少。     

高碳绞线钢SWRH82B中心碳偏析控制实践

针对高碳钢SWRH82B钢绞线拉丝材笔尖断裂及网碳超标缺陷,研究了180 mm×180 mm断面高碳钢SWRH82B方坯中心碳偏析产生机理,分析了钢水过热度、拉速、末端电磁搅拌、二冷强度等因素对SWRH82B钢碳偏析的影响。结果表明,180 mm×180 mm断面SWRH82B钢中心碳偏析与过热度存在拟合关系为y=1.0929-0.0088x+3.1069×10^-4x²_过热度,为控制碳偏析最佳工艺参数为过热度20～30℃;拉速1.4 m/min;末端电磁搅拌电流400 A频率10 Hz;二冷采用弱冷比水量0.4 L/kg。     

Study on Solidification Structure of Wheel Steel Round Billet Using FE‐CA Coupling Model

Solidification structure of wheel steel round billet during the continuous casting process was simulated using FE (Finite Element)–CA (Cellular Automaton) coupling model. Variation of thermo‐physical parameters during solidification was considered based on a thermodynamic database. Meanwhile effect of electromagnetic stirring (EMS) was reflected by increasing both the thermal conductivity and crystal formation rate in liquid phase. It was found that the cooling curves and solidification structure calculated by this model agreed well with that in experiments. Optimum casting temperature range was discussed based on the simulation results and actual conditions in plant. An optimized casting superheat will be no more than 25 °C in order to obtain at least 50% equiaxed crystal ratio, while the degree of segregation in the billet is less than 1.05 correspondingly.     

连铸工艺参数对SWRH82B小方坯内部质量的影响

分析了安钢第一炼轧厂150mm×150mm小方坯连铸机生产SWRH82B高强度预应力钢绞线用钢时连铸拉速、钢水过热度、冷却强度以及电磁搅拌等基本工艺参数对SWRH82B钢铸坯内部质量的影响,提出了在现有工艺条件下,生产SWRH82B钢最佳的连铸工艺参数。     

Mathematical Simulation of Process Parameters in the case of Rapid Solidification of Steel

Rapid solidification of steel was investigated experimentally under laboratory conditions by immersion of cold copper rods in steel baths. For a better understanding of the process parameters during rapid solidification, an explicit finite difference model was employed. In the calculation, a coefficient of heat transfer between a frozen steel shell and solid copper of α = 40 [KW/m²·K] is assumed in good agreement with experimental data derived from temperature measurements. The solidification parameters such as local time of solidification (LST), local time of the superheat reduction (LShRT), local solidification and cooling rates (LSR, LCR) and local heat flux density of solidification and superheat reduction (LSHFD, LShRHFD) can be calculated using the developed model, in dependence on the processing conditions. This influence of processing parameters, such as steel bath superheat, steel bath material, immersed body material, initial temperature of immersed body and immersed body geometry, were the subject of intensive investigations.     

降低过热度对方坯凝固组织的影响

结晶器内钢液过热度的降低可以促进柱状晶向等轴晶的转变和提高等轴晶率,从而有利于铸坯组织的均质化。基于上述原理,设计和制造了可用于降低钢液过热度的冷却水口,并在方坯连铸机上进行了工业试验,分析了低过热度技术对方坯凝固组织的影响。结果表明:采用冷却水口以后,结晶器内钢液过热度的下降幅度可达14℃,铸坯的等轴晶率提高了8%~24%,中心偏析和缩孔严重程度有所降低。     

Experimental investigation on solidification of GCr15 bearing steel by the simulated continuous casting

ABSTRACT

An experimental apparatus for simulation of continuous casting process of GCr15 bearing steel billet is established. With the apparatus, the billets of diameter 140?mm are casted in various superheats and cooling conditions. The solidification macrostructure, dendrite morphology, segregation and carbide are investigated. It is shown that melting superheats and cooling conditions remarkably influence the microstructure and solute segregation. It is found that the secondary dendrite arm spacing of the steel increases with the increase of the superheat temperature, and with decrease of the cooling rate. Lower superheat with higher cooling rate promotes the refining of the microstructure. Refining equiaxed grains structure in the centre of the billet leads to lower segregation of carbon. Furthermore, with increasing cooling rates, the spacing of the pearlite laminar is refined and the precipitation of proeutectic carbides is suppressed.     

Solidification Structure of Continuous Casting Large Round Billets under Mold Electromagnetic Stirring

The solidification structure of a continuous casting large round billet was analyzed by a cellular-automaton-finite-element coupling model using the ProCAST software.The actual and simulated solidification structures were compared under mold electromagnetic stirring (MEMS)conditions (current of 300 A and frequency of 3 Hz).There-after,the solidification structures of the large round billet were investigated under different superheats,casting speeds,and secondary cooling intensities.Finally,the effect of the MEMS current on the solidification structures was obtained under fixed superheat,casting speed,secondary cooling intensity,and MEMS frequency.The model accurately simulated the actual solidification structures of any steel,regardless of its size and the parameters used in the continuous casting process.The ratio of the central equiaxed grain zone was found to increase with decreasing su-perheat,increasing casting speed,decreasing secondary cooling intensity,and increasing MEMS current.The grain size obviously decreased with decreasing superheat and increasing MEMS current but was less sensitive to the casting speed and secondary cooling intensity.     

Analysis of Acoustic Emission During the Melting of Embedded Indium Particles in an Aluminum Matrix: A Study of Plastic Strain Accommodation During Phase Transformation

Acoustic emission (AE) is used in this article to study melting and solidification of embedded indium particles in the size ranging from 0.2 to 3 μm in diameter and to show that dislocation generation occurs in the aluminum matrix to accommodate a 2.5 pct volume change. The volume-averaged acoustic energy produced by indium particle melting is similar to that reported for bainite formation upon continuous cooling. A mechanism of prismatic loop generation is proposed to accommodate the volume change, and an upper limit to the geometrically necessary increase in dislocation density is calculated as 4.1 × 10⁹ cm^?2 for the Al-17In alloy. Thermomechanical processing is also used to change the size and distribution of the indium particles within the aluminum matrix. Dislocation generation with accompanied AE occurs when the melting indium particles are associated with grain boundaries or upon solidification where the solid-liquid interfaces act as free surfaces to facilitate dislocation generation. AE is not observed for indium particles that require super heating and exhibit elevated melting temperatures. The AE work corroborates previously proposed relaxation mechanisms from prior internal friction studies and that the superheat observed for melting of these micron-sized particles is a result of matrix constraint.     

Influence of alloying elements on the thermal contraction of peritectic steels during initial solidification

Abstract

A modified SSCT (submerged split chill tensile) test was used to measure the contraction forces occurring during the solidification of steels with a carbon content of between 0·05 and 0·2 wt-% at constant Mn (1·55%) and Si (0·3%) contents. Further test series were performed with varying Si, V, Cr, Mn, Ni and Nb contents at a constant C content of 0·1%. Any cracks generated were detected, counted and measured. The total crack length allows conclusions to be drawn about the influence of alloying elements on crack susceptibility. The measured results match very well with results calculated from hot tearing criteria. Besides the steel composition, the superheat of the melt proved to be the most important factor in crack formation caused by contraction.     

CAFE模型机理研究及应用

 摘 要：研究和分析了CAFE法模拟凝固过程微观组织的物理本质、数值计算方法。在CAFE模型中,形核密度用高斯分布来描述;枝晶尖端生长动力学用KGT模型进行计算;枝晶生长的择优取向是<100>方向,并可实现枝晶生长的竞争机制;FE与CA的耦合是通过FE节点和CA元胞之间的插值实现的。应用CAFE法模拟了易切削钢9SMn28的三维微观凝固组织,模拟结果与实验吻合较好。对易切削钢9SMn28进行了成分优化,并对优化结果进行了模拟,有效的改善了9SMn28的凝固组织。     

Numerical Simulation and Applications of F-EMS for High Carbon Steel Billet

The distribution of electromagnetic fields and electromagnetic force of F-EMS were simulated by ANSYS12.0 software. The magnetic induction intensity and electromagnetic force of billet with various stirring parameters were cal- culated, then the relationship between the magnetic induction intensity and electromagnetic force was calculated. The results showed that the electromagnetic force is not positive with the magnetic induction intensity. Depending on the com- bination of the practical production, the central segregation of high carbon steel SWRH77B is improved effectively under the best stirring parameter that the current is 360A and the frequency is 12Hz.     

Effects of relative motion between consumable electrodes and mould on solidification structure of electroslag ingots during electroslag remelting process

Abstract

Steel solidification process control, especially in the solidification process of high alloy steel, and improvement of the solidification structure have been increasingly gaining interest among metallurgists, particularly the electroslag workers. To further develop the electroslag remelting (ESR) process and to improve the advantage of the ingot solidification structure, the effects of relative motion between the consumable electrodes and the mould (namely, mould rotation) on chemical element distribution were observed in this study, as well as the compact density changes in electroslag ingots. Experiment results show that applying relative motion between the mould and the consumable electrodes in ESR results in a more uniform chemical element distribution in the electroslag ingots. Compared with the electroslag ingot of conventional ESR, maximum segregation of carbon could decrease from 3·19 to 1·146, and statistical segregation decreased from 0·2636 to 0·0608. Maximum segregation of chromium could decrease from 1·316 to 1·253, and statistical segregation decreased from 0·2753 to 0·1201. The compact density for the stationary mould increased from 0·7693 to a compact density of 0·9501 for the rotating mould. The improvement in the solidification structure of the electroslag ingot can be attributed to mould motion, which led to the generation of a shallow pool and the improvement of the solidification structure. But the excessive rotation rate is harmful to solidification structure instead due to the molten metal pool motion caused by violent slag pool motion.     

小方坯齿轮钢连铸过程中的宏观偏析模拟

基于国内某厂齿轮钢小方坯连铸生产过程,利用ProCAST软件建立移动切片模型,能够高效模拟连铸过程中的宏观偏析,模型分别模拟研究了不同过热度、二冷水量和拉坯速度等对宏观偏析的影响。模拟结果与碳偏析检测结果吻合良好,验证了移动切片模型模拟连铸坯宏观偏析的准确性。由于溶质浮力的影响,内弧侧的宏观偏析强于外弧侧。随着过热度的增加,铸坯中心碳偏析度从1.06增加至1.15。过热度控制在25 ℃范围内,可以保证铸坯的宏观碳偏析度控制在1.10范围内。随着连铸二冷水量的增加,铸坯中心偏析改善程度较小,铸坯中心碳偏析度从1.16降低至1.13。随着拉坯速度的增加,铸坯中心偏析呈现加重的趋势,铸坯中心碳偏析度由1.14增加至1.21,拉坯速度控制在1.4 m·min–1范围内,可保证铸坯中心碳偏析度低于1.15。      

Effect of production parameters on cooling rates of AA2014 alloy powders produced by water jet cooled,rotating disc atomisation

Abstract

In this study, a novel type of rotating disc unit was designed and constructed and was used to produce rapidly solidified AA2014 alloy powders. Copper and stainless steel were used as the disc material and the temperature of the cooling water was selected as 0°C and 18°C. Effects of the production parameters, such as disc material, cooling water temperature, superheat of liquid metal and disc speed on the microstructure and the cooling rate of the powders, have been investigated.

The microstructure of the produced powders was cellular and changed to cellular-dendritic with increasing powder size. It was found that cooling rates were relatively higher using a copper disc and 0°C cooling water temperature. The results indicated that cooling rates of 25 μm powders produced with a copper disc were estimated as 1·01×10⁶ K s^-1 and 9·02×10⁵ K s^-1 for 0°C and 18°C cooling water temperatures respectively. Decreasing the superheat of the liquid metal and increasing disc rotating speed also increased the cooling rates. PM/1050     

Present Technology of Hard and Soft Ferrites

Abstract

In order to improve the mechanical properties of cemented carbides, Ti(C,N)–Ni–Mo alloys, in which carbon in the titanium carbide is replaced by nitrogen, are of potential interest from the viewpoint of grain size control. Since grain size control by nitrogen was also observed in Ti(C,N)–Ni alloys containing no molybdenum, the effect of nitrogen on grain growth of Ti(C,N)–Ni alloys was investigated by comparing TiC–Ni and TiN–Ni alloys. The grain growth rate of Ti(C,N)–Ni alloys showed a minimum value at the carbon content C/C+N = 0·5. From the results of chemical and grain size analyses, it is considered that the growth rate depends on the solubility of Ti(C,N) in the nickel solid solution and the degree of coalescence because the solubility decreases with decreasing carbon content. With nitride, the amount of liquid increases by denitrification of TiN, owing to the formation of the nickel solid solution or TiNi₃ phases, and growth of TiN grains by Ostwald ripening is observed. The apparent activation energy for the growth of TiC and TiN grains is calculated to be ～4·4×10⁵ and 1·9 × 10⁵ J mol^?1 respectively. PM/0201