Measurement of viscosity and melting characteristics of mould powder slags by ultrasonics

Abstract

The paper presents an attempt to find the possibility of measuring high temperature properties of mould powder slags such as viscosity, break temperature, liquidus temperature during heating as well as solidification start and solidification end temperatures during cooing using ultrasonics. These powders are used in continuous casting of steel and the abnormality in their properties can impact the productivity and quality of the steel products. These properties are in general measured by high temperature rotational viscometers, hot stage microscopes and DTA instruments. Here, the fundamental flexural guided wave mode F(1,1) in a ceramic buffer rod was employed in experiments. The results show the possibility of measuring all the above properties in single experiment by measuring ultrasonic reflection factors during continuous heating and cooling of the mould powders. The advantage of the ultrasonic system is that it can be installed in the plant for online monitoring of these properties. The ultrasonically measured properties of the mould powders supplied by five different suppliers were compared with those measured by rotational viscometers and estimated by mathematical models.

Keywords:

• Mould powders
• Continuous casting of steel
• Viscosity
• Liquidus temperature
• Break temperature

The authors are thankful to the management of Tata Steel for giving permission to publish this work.