Research overview of formation and heat transfer of slag film in mold during continuous casting

Mold flux, which plays an important role in continuous casting, occurs when liquid slag on top of the molten steel infiltrates the gap between the shell and mold. During this process, a liquid slag film forms on the shell side, whereas a solid slag film forms on the mold side. The behavior of the slag film between the shell and mold has a significant effect on the sequence casting and quality of the slab surface. To investigate the in-mold behavior and heat transfer of slag film, researchers have simulated the formation of slag film in the laboratory. Measurements and theoretical calculations have been performed to study the heat transfer of slag film. In this paper, the experimental methods used to simulate the formation of slag film were described and the research related to heat transfer in slag film was summarized, including the interfacial thermal resistance, the thermal conductivity of the mold flux, radiative heat transfer, and optical properties of the slag film. The issues related to the formation and heat transfer of slag film were also identified, that require further investigation. The results of recent studies indicate that the hot thermocouple technique could be applied to observe the formation of slag film, and the copper-finger dig test could be used to obtain samples for investigations related to the microstructure of solid slag film. The interfacial heat resistance is reported to be between 0.0002 and 0.002 m2·K·W-1. The thermal conductivity of mold flux at 800℃ ranges from 1.0-2.0 m2·K·W-1, and increases with increased temperature. Crystals in the solid slag film not only increase the interfacial heat resistance, but also decrease the radiative heat flux by reducing the reflectivity of slag film. Furthermore, due to the resulting change in optical properties, the addition of transition metal oxides and fine particles dispersed in slag film may also influence the radiative heat transfer through slag film.