Having a good control of the temperature in the different vessels is always important during steelmaking. It is even more so closer to casting since the steel temperature has a great impact on the casting conditions.
In this exercise you can see how the ladle and tundish steel temperatures change over time. The aim is to order ladles with the right temperatures. If the temperatures are too low, there is a risk of solidification in either the ladle or the tundish; too high, and the effects of superheat can have adverse effects on the subsequent strand quality, increased wear of refractories, and of course the increased cost of heating the ladle steel.
You can also explore the effect of heat loss rates in the ladle. Ladles with well-maintained refractory linings will lose heat less quickly than older ones, and hence provide a more stable temperature profile.
References
- AISE, The Making, Shaping and Treating of Steel - Casting Volume CD, The AISE Steel Foundation,
- Bernhard, C & Sjökvist, T, Die interaktive Stranggießsimulation auf www.steeluniversity.org Berg- und Hüttenmännische Monatshefte, SpringerWienNewYork, 0005-8912
