ISSN 09670912, Steel in Translation, 2012, Vol. 42, No. 2, pp. 146147. Allerton Press, Inc., 2012.

Original Russian Text Yu.A. Pak, D.V. Rabadzhi, T.S. Masalskii, A.V. Filippov, D.V. Yurechko, 2012, published in Stal, 2012, No. 2, pp. 3940.

New ContinuousCasting Equipment

Yu. A. Paka, D. V. Rabadzhib, T. S. Masalskiib, A. V. Filippovb, and D. V. Yurechkob
a

Bardin Central Research Institute of Ferrous Metallurgy, Moscow, Russia

OAO Magnitogorskii Metallurgicheskii Kombinat, Magnitogorsk, Russia

AbstractNew equipment for plasma heating of steel in the intermediate ladle is discussed. Experiments
have been conducted on continuouscasting machine 4 at OAO Magnitogorskii Metallurgicheskii Kombinat,
in collaboration with Bardin Central Research Institute of Ferrous Metallurgy, OOO AGNIK, and other
organizations.
DOI: 10.3103/S0967091212020179

The widespread adoption of continuous casting has

encouraged the development of ladle treatment meth
ods, since high productivity and satisfactory billet
quality depend on precise and consistent (from melt to
melt) regulation of the steels temperature and chem
ical composition and the use of liquid steel from which
inclusions and gases have been removed.
In the oxygenconverter shop at OAO Magnitogor
skii Metallurgicheskii Kombinat (MMK), five contin
uous slabcasting machines operate:
(24)strand machines 1 and 4;
fourstrand machines 2 and 3;
singlestrand machine 6.
The maximum total output of the continuouscast
ing machines is less than 10 million t/yr. Steel of the
required quality is supplied to the continuouscasting
machine from a ladletreatment system that includes
two desulfurization units, two circulatory vacuum
treatment units, injection units (for homogenizing the
steel), a twoposition electroheater, two twoposition
ladlefurnace units, and a mildinjection unit. How
ever, even this system cannot rule out unsatisfactory
steel delivery to the continuouscasting machine,
including inadequate temperatures, with consequent
downtime and loss of output.
To stabilize continuous casting in the oxygencon
verter shop at OAO Magnitogorskii Metallurgicheskii
Kombinat, an experimental system for plasma heating
of the steel in the intermediate ladle has been intro
duced. Tests have been conducted on continuous
casting machine 4 at OAO Magnitogorskii Metallur
gicheskii Kombinat, in collaboration with Bardin
Central Research Institute of Ferrous Metallurgy,
OOO AGNIK, and other organizations, within the
framework of a state contract.
The main function of the plasma heating system is
to improve the continuouscast billet by bringing the
steels temperature closer to the liquidus temperature
and reducing the central chemical inhomogeneity of
the billet. This is accomplished by reducing the dis

charge temperature of the melt and stabilizing the

casting temperature, with consequent increase in cast
ing rate and productivity.
The plasma heating system consists of the interme
diate ladle, two rotary consoles with plasmotrons (the
cathode and anode), a central control panel, electrical
equipment, a cooling system, gas equipment, electri
cal equipment, and measuring instruments, as shown
in the figure. The intermediate ladle has two heating
chambers, with plasma heating of the steel. Each
chamber is formed by two barriers with apertures for
transmission of the molten steel and channels for
argon injection of the melt. The barriers prevent the
incursion of slag from the intake and casting chambers
of the intermediate ladle. The metal is sent to the
intake part of the ladle, where the nonmetallic inclu
sions rise to the surface. The supply of metal to the
heating chamber is organized so as to ensure mixing
with the hot metal. Baffles and argon injection facili
tate the mixing. Each heating chamber is closed by a
lined lid with an aperture for the plasmatron.
The rotary console is used to position the plasma
tron within the chamber and ensures energy supply to
the plasmatron. The console permits vertical motion

146

1
6

2
3
4

Plasma heating system: (1) casting ladle; (2) intermediate

ladle; (3) submersible nozzle; (4) mold; (5) plug; (6) plas
motron; (7) protective refractory tube; (8) barriers.

NEW CONTINUOUSCASTING EQUIPMENT

147

of the plasmatron (by means of an asynchronous elec

tric drive with a gear system), manual rotation (trans
fer from the initial position to the working position and
back), and manual horizontal motion (to the aperture
in the chamber lid).

steel and the liquidus temperature in the intermediate

ladle

In the new system, the steel in the intermediate

ladle is heated by lowtemperature plasma formed as
the electric arc interacts with the gas (argon).

The first tests were conducted on continuouscast

ing machine in the oxygenconverter shop at the
beginning of November 2011. The temperature was
measured continuously by a Contilance ContiLab E
thermocouple. The temperature rise was 10C. On the
basis of the first stage of the research, we developed a
control algorithm for the plasma heating system, so as
to maintain the metal temperature in the intermediate
ladle at the specified level.
Repeated tests were conducted over two weeks. Two
melts were cast in the recommended conditions. The
temperature fluctuation of the metal in the intermedi
ate ladle was no more than 4C, which ensures con
stant billet extrusion rate.
According to macrostructural data, the develop
ment of internal defects does not exceed 1.5 on the
scale specified by the OST 14473 standard. No sur
face defects were observed.
The tests indicate that the system for plasma heat
ing of the steel in the intermediate ladle may be used to
stabilize the continuous casting of steel and boost
product quality.

The characteristics of the basic equipment are as

follows:
Plasmatron diameter, mm
Working power of plasma heater, kW
Current, A
Working gas
Argon consumption, m3/h
Coolingwater consumption, m3/h
Minimum heating rate, C/min

60
200600
2004000
Argon
40
36
6.5

Before the tests, temporary technical instructions

VTI 101STKKTs99 (2011) for the equipment were
developed. The steel temperature in the intermediate
ladle must exceed the liquidus temperature by no more
than 1030C. The casting rate vca is established as a
function of the temperature difference t between the

STEEL IN TRANSLATION

Vol. 42

No. 2

2012

t, C
vca, m/min

>30
0.5

2530
0.6

1525
0.7

<15
0.8