Precise pressure and flow control while continuous casting

A steelmaker faced the challenge of having to avoid argon and air inclusions during the continuous casting process. The product quality needed to be improved and the process steps optimised. Previously, excessive scale build-up had been detected on the cast steel. This was caused by the liquid steel coming into contact with air and oxygen atoms thus settling on the surface. It then required a laborious manual process to remove this oxide layer. The use of argon to prevent contact with oxygen in the air also led to increased argon inclusions or cavities in the cast product, which obviously had a major impact on quality. The solution was finally provided by an integrated pressure and flow control system for the necessary process gases that our customer can use to interfere in the casting processes. The casting quality can thus be controlled by known processes. In normal operation, the system guarantees constant pressure conditions. However, if operators recognise that the casting process is not going to plan, they are able to switch from pressure to flow control. The system reacts to changes in pressure, thus ensuring a constant target volume of flow. This ability to switch to an adjustable flow of argon guarantees sufficient fluidity of the molten metal. Seeing as the quantity of argon can be measured, the processes are traceable.

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