Investigation of bubbles escape behavior from low basicity mold flux for high-Mn high-Al steels using 3D X-ray microscope

Qiang Liu; Xiang Li; Shen Du; Ming Gao; Yanbin Yin; Jiongming Zhang

doi:10.1007/s12613-024-2896-6

Volume 32 Issue 1

Jan. 2025

Turn off MathJax

Article Contents

Article Navigation > International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials > 2025 > 32(1): 102-110

Qiang Liu, Xiang Li, Shen Du, Ming Gao, Yanbin Yin, and Jiongming Zhang, Investigation of bubbles escape behavior from low basicity mold flux for high-Mn high-Al steels using 3D X-ray microscope, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 32(2025), No. 1, pp. 102-110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-024-2896-6

Cite this article as:

Qiang Liu, Xiang Li, Shen Du, Ming Gao, Yanbin Yin, and Jiongming Zhang, Investigation of bubbles escape behavior from low basicity mold flux for high-Mn high-Al steels using 3D X-ray microscope, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 32(2025), No. 1, pp. 102-110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-024-2896-6

Citation:

PDF( 3392 KB)

Research Article

Investigation of bubbles escape behavior from low basicity mold flux for high-Mn high-Al steels using 3D X-ray microscope

+ Author Affiliations

Corresponding author:
Jiongming Zhang E-mail: jmz2203@sina.com
Received: 7 December 2023; Revised: 4 March 2024; Accepted: 1 April 2024; Available online: 2 April 2024

Abstract

Abstract

During the continuous casting process of high-Mn high-Al steels, various types of gases such as Ar need to escape through the top of the mold. In which, the behavior of bubbles traversing the liquid slag serves as a restrictive link, closely associated with viscosity and the thickness of liquid slag. In contrast to two-dimensional surface observation, three-dimensional (3D) analysis method can offer a more intuitive, accurate, and comprehensive information. Therefore, this study employs a 3D X-ray microscope (3D-XRM) to obtained spatial distribution and 3D morphological characteristics of residual bubbles in mold flux under different basicity of liquid slag, different temperatures, and different holding times. The results indicate that as basicity of slag increases from 0.52 to 1.03, temperature increases from 1423 to 1573 K, the viscosity of slag decreases, the floating rate of bubbles increases. In addition, when holding time increases from 10 to 30 s, the bubbles floating distance increases, and the volume fraction and average equivalent sphere diameter of the bubbles solidified in the mold flux gradually decreases. In one word, increasing the basicity, temperature, and holding time leading to an increase in the removal rate of bubbles especially for the large. These findings of bubbles escape behavior provide valuable insights into optimizing low basicity mold flux for high-Mn high-Al steels.
- mold flux;
- low basicity;
- bubbles;
- three-dimensional X-ray microscope;
- viscosity

FullText(HTML)

Supplements(0)

References(29)

References

[1]	L.Z. Kong, F. Xing, T.J. Wang, et al., Interfacial reaction model of high-Al steel in continuous casting mold, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 54(2023), No. 3, p. 1546. doi: 10.1007/s11663-023-02780-x
[2]	J. Yang, L.J. Wang, Y. Li, T.J. Wang, L.Z. Kong, and X.M. Zang, Modeling of flux reaction and mixing in continuous casting mold of medium Mn steel, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 53(2022), No. 3, p. 1516. doi: 10.1007/s11663-022-02461-1
[3]	W.L. Wang, B.X. Lu, and D. Xiao, A review of mold flux development for the casting of high-Al steels, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 47(2016), No. 1, p. 384. doi: 10.1007/s11663-015-0474-z
[4]	J.X. Gao, G.H. Wen, T. Huang, B.W. Bai, P. Tang, and Q. Liu, Effect of slag–steel reaction on the structure and viscosity of CaO–SiO₂-based mold flux during high-Al steel casting, J. Non Cryst. Solids, 452(2016), p. 119. doi: 10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2016.08.036
[5]	H. Zhao, W.L. Wang, L.J. Zhou, B.X. Lu, and Y.B. Kang, Effects of MnO on crystallization, melting, and heat transfer of CaO–Al₂O₃-based mold flux used for high Al-TRIP steel casting, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 45(2014), No. 4, p. 1510. doi: 10.1007/s11663-014-0043-x
[6]	L. Wang, J. Yang, and Y.B. Liu, Numerical investigation for effects of polydisperse argon bubbles on molten steel flow and liquid slag entrapment in a slab continuous casting mold, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 53(2022), No. 6, p. 3707. doi: 10.1007/s11663-022-02634-y
[7]	D. Bao, X. Zhang, H.F. Dong, Z.L. Ouyang, X.P. Zhang, and S.J. Zhang, Numerical simulations of bubble behavior and mass transfer in CO₂ capture system with ionic liquids, Chem. Eng. Sci., 135(2015), p. 76. doi: 10.1016/j.ces.2015.06.035
[8]	C.L. Yang, G.H. Wen, X.F. Zhu, and P. Tang, In situ observation and numerical simulation of bubble behavior in CaO–SiO₂ based slag during isothermal and nonisothermal processes, J. Non Cryst. Solids, 464(2017), p. 56. doi: 10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2017.03.028
[9]	L.J. Zhou and W.L. Wang, Application of non-Arrhenius models to the viscosity of mold flux, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 47(2016), No. 3, p. 1548. doi: 10.1007/s11663-016-0651-8
[10]	J.W. Cho, K. Blazek, M. Frazee, H.B. Yin, J.H. Park, and S.W. Moon, Assessment of CaO–Al₂O₃ based mold flux system for high aluminum TRIP casting, ISIJ Int., 53(2013), No. 1, p. 62. doi: 10.2355/isijinternational.53.62
[11]	J.W. Cho and H.T. Jeong, Infiltration of slag film into the grooves on a continuous casting mold, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 44(2013), No. 1, p. 146. doi: 10.1007/s11663-012-9748-x
[12]	X. Li, Y.P. Bao, M. Wang, and L. Lin, Simulation study on factors influencing the entrainment behavior of liquid steel as bubbles pass through the steel/slag interface, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 23(2016), No. 5, p. 511. doi: 10.1007/s12613-016-1262-8
[13]	S.G. Zheng and M.Y. Zhu, Physical modeling of gas–liquid interfacial fluctuation in a thick slab continuous casting mold with argon blowing, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 17(2010), No. 6, p. 704. doi: 10.1007/s12613-010-0377-6
[14]	K. Wu, W. Qian, S.J. Chu, Q. Niu, and H.W. Luo, Behavior of slag foaming caused by blowing gas in molten slags, ISIJ Int., 40(2000), No. 10, p. 954. doi: 10.2355/isijinternational.40.954
[15]	Y. Cao, Z. Kawara, T. Yokomine, and T. Kunugi, Experimental and numerical study on nucleate bubble deformation in subcooled flow boiling, Int. J. Multiphase Flow, 82(2016), p. 93. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmultiphaseflow.2016.02.008
[16]	Z.J. Shen, Q.F. Liang, J.L. Xu, and H.F. Liu, In situ study on the formation mechanism of bubbles during the reaction of captured chars on molten slag surface, Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 95(2016), p. 517. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2015.12.040
[17]	Z.K. Wu, S.C. Wu, J.G. Bao, et al., The effect of defect population on the anisotropic fatigue resistance of AlSi₁₀Mg alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion, Int. J. Fatigue, 151(2021), art. No. 106317. doi: 10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2021.106317
[18]	L.X. Cui, X.H. Lei, L.F. Zhang, et al., Three-dimensional characterization of defects in continuous casting blooms of heavy rail steel using X-ray computed tomography, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 52(2021), No. 4, p. 2327. doi: 10.1007/s11663-021-02172-z
[19]	Q. Liu, Z.H. Zhan, M. Gao, L.D. Xing, Y.B. Yin, and J.M. Zhang, Investigation of evolution of inclusions in 15-5PH stainless steel during hot compression using 3D X-ray microscopy, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 54(2023), No. 5, p. 2852. doi: 10.1007/s11663-023-02882-6
[20]	H. Singh, A.M. Gokhale, Y. Mao, A. Tewari, and A.K. Sachdev, Reconstruction and quantitative characterization of multiphase, multiscale three-dimensional microstructure of a cast Al–Si base alloy, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 40(2009), No. 6, p. 859. doi: 10.1007/s11663-009-9291-6
[21]	L.J. Zhou, H.F. Wu, W.L. Wang, H. Luo, X. Yan, and Y. Yang, Electrical conductivity and melt structure of the CaO–SiO₂-based mold fluxes with different basicity, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 53(2022), No. 1, p. 466. doi: 10.1007/s11663-021-02383-4
[22]	L.J. Zhou, W.L. Wang, F.J. Ma, et al., A kinetic study of the effect of basicity on the mold fluxes crystallization, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 43(2012), No. 2, p. 354. doi: 10.1007/s11663-011-9591-5
[23]	K.Z. Gu, W.L. Wang, L.J. Zhou, F.J. Ma, and D.Y. Huang, The effect of basicity on the radiative heat transfer and interfacial thermal resistance in continuous casting, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 43(2012), No. 4, p. 937. doi: 10.1007/s11663-012-9644-4
[24]	X.X. Wan, C.B. Shi, Y. Huang, Q.F. Shu, and Y. Zhao, Effect of SiO₂ and BaO/CaO mass ratio on structure and viscosity of B₂O₃-containing CaF₂–CaO–Al₂O₃-based slag for electroslag remelting of rotor steel, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 54(2023), No. 1, p. 465. doi: 10.1007/s11663-022-02706-z
[25]	X.X. Wan, C.B. Shi, Y. Zhao, and J. Li, Effect of CaF₂ and Li₂O on structure and viscosity of low-fluoride slag for electroslag remelting of rotor steel, J. Non Cryst. Solids, 597(2022), art. No. 121914. doi: 10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2022.121914
[26]	D.W. Cai, L. Zhang, W.L. Wang, L. Zhang, and I. Sohn, Dissolution of TiO₂ and TiN inclusions in CaO–SiO₂–B₂O₃-based fluorine-free mold flux, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 30(2023), No. 9, p. 1740. doi: 10.1007/s12613-023-2622-9
[27]	S.P. He, Q. Wang, D. Xie, C.S. Xu, Z.S. Li, and K.C. Mills, Solidification and crystallization properties of CaO–SiO₂–Na₂O based mold fluxes, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 16(2009), No. 3, p. 261. doi: 10.1016/S1674-4799(09)60047-9
[28]	G.Q. Yang, B. Du, and L.S. Fan, Bubble Formation and dynamics in gas–liquid–solid fluidization—A review, Chem. Eng. Sci., 62(2007), No. 1-2, p. 2. doi: 10.1016/j.ces.2006.08.021
[29]	S. Schwarz and J. Fröhlich, Numerical study of single bubble motion in liquid metal exposed to a longitudinal magnetic field, Int. J. Multiphase Flow, 62(2014), p. 134. doi: 10.1016/j.ijmultiphaseflow.2014.02.012