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Breakout Problems Study of Continuous Casting Steel

Article · August 2012

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Sahib Mahdi
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 Journal of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Volume 2, Issue 2, August 2012, Pages 1-11
___________________________________________________________________________

Breakout Problems Study of Continuous Casting Steel

Saheb Mohammed Mahdi*
Materials Engineering Department, Al-mustansiriya University-Baghdad-Iraq

ABSTRACT

The breakout is one of greatest problems in the continuous casting processes. We can return most
of their reasons on the bad control of casting process circumstances, including the chemical
composition of the metal, pouring speed and temperature, as well as operation processes control.
In this research, the breakout heats had been constrained for the period of ten months, for (ST 52)
type steel .From the operating data, remarked that most breakout heats was out of the upper limit
pouring temperature. Breakout is also appearing to be effect by the chemical composition.
Although Manganese percent of the steel was within limits, but it is effect to induce breakout in
indirect manner. Increase Silicon content will increase the fluidity of molten steel, leading to
increase the ferro-static pressure on solidified shell causing breakout. The increase in Carbon
percent has a positive effect in decreasing breakouts. From actual operating effect on breakout, it
is found that most breakouts were of first sequence of the heat, which it means that casting
preparation was unsuitable. Breakout can be eliminate or avoid by compliance with operation
instructions.

Keywords: Continuous casting, Breakout, Heat sequence, mould (mold), strand

* Author for correspondence E-mail: sahebmahdi@yahoo.com; Tel. No. 00964-7707279486

1. INTRODUCTION containing a core of liquid steel [5,7]. After

Continuous casting process is one of
significant production techniques, because of
its efficient way to solidify large volumes of
metal into simple shapes [1,2]. Figure 1 shows
an illustration of continuous casting process.
Relative to other casting processes, continuous
casting generally has a higher capital cost, but
lower operating cost [3,4]. It’s an energy
efficient production method, with high quality
[5]. The process is started by plugging the
bottom of the mould with a "dummy bar";
molten steel is transported from the melting
furnace to the continuous casting machine
with a ladle. The ladle feeds the tundish, and
then tapping into the mould [6]. The molten
steel freezes against the water-cooled walls of
the copper mould to form a solid shell
enough metal has solidified, the dummy bar is
then slowly withdrawn down from the bottom
of the mould at a controlled casting speed, on
exit from the mould the strand enters the
secondary cooling zone, which gradually
solidifies as the strand moves down until
completely freeze [8]. Breakout is the earlier
continuous casting technical problem [2,6],
where the solidifying steel shell sticks to the
mould, tears initiation allows molten steel to
pour over the bottom of the machine. It is
difficult to specify accurately the breakout
reasons [9,10]. Many attempts and
investigation had been applied to overcome
breakouts. Safe caster operation (without
metal breakout) and achievement of acceptable
product quality require understanding of both
engineering and metallurgy of solidification.

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 Journal of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Volume 2, Issue 2, August 2012, Pages 1-11
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Liduidus temperature (Tliq) must be known for Tliq = 1536 –{78(%C) + 7.6(%Si) +
all types of casting. It is important for 4.9(%Mn)} ……………………..(3)
controlling solidification of a metal. Always This is true with error (±4oC). From the
casting temperature be enough higher than Formula (3), the temperatures of pouring, ladle
metal liquidus temperature (Tliq) to facilitate before and after treatment and the tundish can
pouring (increase castability). For continuous be calculating [11].
casting practically found that: The main incidentals of the breakout
(Pouring Temp. Tp) Tp = Tliq + 25oC phenomenon are, lowering production
……… (1) efficiency, increasing the expense price of
o
(Ladle Temp. TL) TL = Tliq + 65 C liquid steel tonnage, time lost on maintenance
……….. (2) and worker exposed to hazards [12–18].
Moreover, for calculating liquidus
temperature, by knowing steel main alloying
content, the formula is

Fig. 1: Show Illustration of Continuous Casting Process [6].

2. WORKING PROCEDURE 1. Pursuing the weekly reports of the casting

heats for ten months (the period of this
As mentioned, it is difficult to give an accurate study). Then sorting the heats that been
reason for Breakout. In this research, the aim sustained of breakout.
is to study effects of chemical composition of 2. Arrange the operating values of the
steel on breakout occurrence. The following breakout heats in suitable tables.
steps were applying for obtaining this 3. The tabulated data are schematically
research: drawn, showing upper and lower limits

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 Journal of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Volume 2, Issue 2, August 2012, Pages 1-11
___________________________________________________________________________
value. To facilitate, fixing the out limits
heats .As shown in Figures (2–5).
4. Analysis and discuss these values, in order
to specify the breakout reasons.
3. RESULTS
Table I shows the chemical composition of the
steel grade ST52 (in DIN specification). This
grade of steel was study during the ten months
period. From the weekly operating reports and
compared with the standard operating values,
42 heats have been suffer from breakout.
Although this problem is relatively few.
Nevertheless, its effects are effective on the
production rate where it needs from few days
to many hours for repairing the production line
as well as other mentioned effects. For detects
the reason of these breakout heats, according
to pouring temperature, the main alloying
content elements and the operation procedure
it was:
1. Pouring Temperature effect: Through
observing the operating values for the
tundish temperature of the steel grade
(ST52). Table I show the chemical
composition of this steel. Figure 2 show
the relation between the breakout heats
that occurs during the study period with
temperature limit that be allowed. It is
seen that 19 heats of 42 are above the
o
upper limit that been allowed (1534 C),
where is only 4 heats are within lower
limit (1514 oC), the rest are within upper
limit.
ISSN: 2231–3818© STM Journals 2012. All Rights Reserved
2. Effect of Manganese percent: From the
operating values for the chemical
composition of (ST52) steel grade.
Comparing the Mn% in steel with correct
operating instruction and from Figure 3 , it
is found that 32 breakout heats of Mn%
content in the steel lays within lower limit.
3. Effect of Silicon percent: Figure 4 shows
the heats that had been breakout because
of the Silicon percent in the molten steel.
Most heats are within limits except 13 of
42. Where 12 heats were out of upper limit
and one is out of lower limit.
4. Effects of Carbon percent: Figure 5 shows
the heats that had been breakout with the
upper and lower limits of Carbon percent
in steel. It is clear that most heats are
within the limit range, except six heats are
out of the lower limit.
5. Effect of chemical composition on pouring
temperature: Figure 6 show the effect of
pouring temperature that has been
calculated from the Formulas (3) and (1).
It is clear that all point are in the upper
limits. But this figure tells us the real
temperatures that must be taken in the
process, whereas the actual pouring
temperature are shown in Figure 1.
6. Continuous casting machine state:
Figure 7 shows the number of breakouts
that have been take place in each month of
studying period. This figure is represent
the actually truth operating for period of
the study.
7. Bad preparation of continuous casting
machine: From pursuing the breakout
Page 3
 Journal of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Volume 2, Issue 2, August 2012, Pages 1-11
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heats and its relation with heat sequence of number of heats of the first sequence in
casting steps, it is remarked rising in casting steps as shown in Figure 8.

Table I: The Chemical Composition of the Steel ST52 due to DIN Specifications.
C% Si % Mn % P% S%
ST52

Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. Max. Min. Max.

0.34 0.38 0.2 0.25 1.00 1.30 0000 0.04 0000 0.04

Fig. 2: The Pouring Temperature of the Molten Steel for the Heats that Suffer Breakout in the
Period of the Study.

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 Journal of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Volume 2, Issue 2, August 2012, Pages 1-11
___________________________________________________________________________

Fig. 3: The Manganese Percent in the Molten Steel for the Heats that Suffer Breakout in the Period of
the Study.

0.45

0.4

0.35

0.3
Silicon %

0.25
Max. Limit

0.2

Min. Limit

0.15

0.1
Nov.

May Jun July Aug. Sep. Oct. Dec. Jan. February

Month of study
Fig. 4: The Silicon Percent in the Molten Steel for the Heats that Suffer Breakout in the Period
of the Study.

ISSN: 2231–3818© STM Journals 2012. All Rights Reserved Page 5

 Journal of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Volume 2, Issue 2, August 2012, Pages 1-11
___________________________________________________________________________

Fig. 5: The Carbon Percent in the Molten Steel for the Heats that Suffer Breakout in the Period
of the Study.

Fig. 6: The Calculated Pouring Temperature of the Molten Steel for the Heats that Suffer Breakout in
the Period of the Study as a Function of the Chemical Compositio006E.

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 Journal of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Volume 2, Issue 2, August 2012, Pages 1-11
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Fig. 7: Number of Breakouts that Happens in each Month in the Period of the Study.

Fig. 8: Number of Breakouts for each Heat Sequence of Casting that Happens in the Period of the
Study.

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 Journal of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Volume 2, Issue 2, August 2012, Pages 1-11
___________________________________________________________________________
5. DISCUSSION
To discuss the results
1) For pouring Temperature effect: From
Figure 2 the rise of pouring temperature
will increase the super heat (it is the
difference between the liquidus temp. and
the casting temp.) ,which must be not
exceed (±10) oC. This increasing in
temperature will execute to form thin
shell, and extend the liquid metal length in
the core of the strand, which will increase
the ferro-static pressure of the molten
steel. This pressure can be creating crakes
in the frozen shell and then breakout
occurs.
However, the reasons that increase the
temperature could be:
a) The bad order between the time of pouring
from the furnace with the heats sequence.
b) The temperature of ladle's molten steel is
Inhomogeneous.
c) Tundish temperature is at superheat,
because of high pouring temperature.
d) Temperature measurement gages must be
calibrating from time to time.
In addition, we must note that the decrease in
pouring temperature below the minimum
allowed temperature. Could be cause breakout,
the metal sticking with the internal mold walls.
This case of breakout dose not happened in
our study.
2) For the Manganese percent effect: From
Figure 3 the additive quantity of ferro-
Manganese is less than required ,which
was the reason of inhomogeneous of
ISSN: 2231–3818© STM Journals 2012. All Rights Reserved
molten steel , and the rise of slag
proportion as well as increase in sulfur
percent in the molten steel, which delay
freezing that cause to breakout. The reason
is the formation of iron sulfide that
precipitated on grain-boundary. Moreover
because of low melting temperature of
iron sulfide (985 oC), this regions are
remain in liquid state for long time. The
importance of ferro-Manganese addition is
for Oxygen removal from the steel. The
formation of Manganese oxide will mixed
with slag, to insure cast strand be empty of
bubbles gas, as well as the formation of
agitation. Manganese can be reacting with
Silicon to form Manganese silicate, which
has low density that can be float with the
slag, to ease taking out from the surface.
Lowering Manganese to Silicon ratio in
the molten steel leads to Silica
precipitates, which are of high melting
temperature and high density, that will
sink in the molten steel .Silica presence
within the freezing shell will form a weak
zones cannot withstand the ferro-static
pressure of the molten steel leads to
breakout.
3) For the Silicon percent effect: From
Figure 4 the additive of ferro-Silicon is
more than required or it is not completely
consumed during iron reduction .The main
purpose of ferro-Silicon additive is to
reduce iron oxide and form the slag ,where
the soluble Silicon will increase the
fluidity of molten steel. The Silicon Oxide
that forms from reduction will float on the
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 Journal of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Volume 2, Issue 2, August 2012, Pages 1-11
___________________________________________________________________________

liquid surface with the slag. Silicon breakout in month (10). The reason was
content increasing made molten steel easy incompetence of X-ray instrument that
to flow, any default in the freezing shell used to control molten steel level inside
can help to breakout occurrence. the mold. The other reason was
4) For the Carbon percent effect: From insufficient maintenance before start
Figure 5 the increase in Carbon percent casting, where most breakouts happened in
has a positive effect in decreasing the first sequence of the heats.
breakouts. The increasing Carbon percent 7) For bad preparation of continuous casting
in molten steel leads to decrease metal machine: From Figure 8 the breakouts
solidifying temperature and vice versa is occurrence are because of the following
true .Low Carbon percent content of liquid factors :
steel will retain it in a liquid stat for longer a) Insufficient maintenance was before
time. This will elongate the molten core of start casting.
the strand .Here it is very important to take b) Misapplying the operating instructions of
attention of direct and indirect mold and continuous casting machine supplying in
exit strand cooling. Alternatively, this right way, like :-
positive case will turn to cause breakout. i) Wrong measurement of mold walls
5) From Figure 6, that represents the inclination.
calculated pouring temp. According to the j) Empty space exists between the narrow
main steel alloying elements (C% ,Mn% wall and wide wall of the mold.
and Si%). It is clear that all heats are k) Improper dummy bar preparation, and bad
within the upper casting tem. Limit. That mold powder was use.
is true if these temperatures were the
casting temperatures. Really Figure 2 CONCLUSIONS:
show the actual pouring temperatures,
where they are much higher than From the actual practice and the schematically
calculated temperatures. Indicating that in figures, conclusions are:
all cases, it was a super heat, and the 1. As pouring temperature to upraise more
chemical composition effect in raising the than allowed limits, the breakouts
temperature above that must be. Breakout increased, because of the freezing shell
happens if the pouring temperature is too cannot withstand the ferro-static pressure
high, because the solidify shill will be of the molten steel.
thin, that cannot standing against the 2. As the Manganese and Carbon percent
Ferro-static pressure. decreased and Silicon increase, the
6) For Continuous casting machine state: probability of breakout will increase. As
From Figure 7 There is a steep rise of well as pouring temperature increase with

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 Journal of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering
Volume 2, Issue 2, August 2012, Pages 1-11
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steel alloying elements increases causing 7. S. Mazumdar and S. K. Ray

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misapplying the operating instructions and 8. M. Velicka, R. Pyszko, M. Prihoda, et al.
bad supplement the casting operation. METALURGIJA.2009. 48(4). 277–280p.
9. Kenneth C. Mills. "Mold Powders For
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