Mould Powder Development for Continuous Casting of Steel

Mould powders significantly determine the stability of the continuous casting process of steel at all casting speeds. The main functions of mould powders are to provide strand lubrication and to control the mould heat transfer in the horizontal direction between the steel shell and the copper mould. The composition, properties and operational performance of mould powders were investigated in detail with a focus on high-speed thin slab casting and conventional slab casting. Various advanced characterisation methods were applied, completed with experiments at laboratory scale and full-scale plant trials. It was found that melting of mould powder at the meniscus and crystallisation of the slag film are key processes during continuous casting. Both powder melting and slag crystallisation are primarily based on the composition of the mould powder and the mould slag. Additionally, the operational parameters during continuous casting will affect these processes as well. Results of the work are used for a further and more fundamental understanding of the mould powder functions and to guide mould powder design for various steel grades.