Efects of low frequency electromagnetic ield on surface quality, microstructure and hot-tearing tendency of semi-continuous casting ZK60 magnesium alloy billets

The low frequency electromagnetic field was applied during direct chill(DC) semi-continuous casting of the ZK60 magnesium alloy billets. Effects of low frequency electromagnetic field on surface quality, microstructure and hot-tearing tendency of Φ500 mm ZK60 magnesium alloy billets were investigated. The results showed that with the application of the low frequency electromagnetic field, the surface quality of the ZK60 magnesium alloy billets is markedly improved and the depth of cold fold is decreased. The microstructure of the billets is also significantly refined. Besides, the distribution of the grain size is relatively uniform from the billet surface towards its center, where the average grain size is 42 μm at surface and 50 μm at center. It also shows that the hot-tearing tendency of DC semi-continuous casting ZK60 magnesium alloy billets is significantly reduced under low frequency electromagnetic field.

Optimization approach hydroforming car beam billets based grey system theory

Perfect combination of structural size parameters of the hydroforming billets is essential to obtain even wall thicknesses of the car beam. Finite element （ FE ） analysis on hydroforming car beam was carried out, and the results were optimized according to multiple quality objectives by the grey system theory. With bending angle, bending radius and hight difference along the axis direction as variables, orthogonal FE analyses were conducted and the minimum and maximum wall thicknes ses of the billets with different sizes were obtained. Taking the minimum and maximum wall thick nesses as two references, the correlation coefficient between the data for reference and those for comparison by the grey system theory reduced multi objectives to a single quality objective, and the average correlation level of every billet facilitated the optimization of size parameters for hydroform ing car beam. The trial production showed that the optimization approach satisfied the need of hy droforming car beams.

Influence of mechanical reduction amount on internal quality of continuous casting billets by thermal and numerical simulation

With establishment of thermal and numerical simulation models,the influence of reduction amount on solidification structure,segregation and shrinkage porosity of continuous casting(CC)billets was investigated.The thermal–mechanical coupled simulation results indicated that with an increase in reduction amount,the temperature in the central area decreases,and the reduction efficiency firstly increases and then decreases,reaching the maximum value at reduction amount of 6 mm.Metallographic analysis showed that increasing the reduction amount is beneficial for the refinement of central solidification structure.Moreover,the internal cracks are more likely to appear at higher reduction efficiency.The X-ray computerized tomography results revealed that a higher reduction amount can significantly reduce the volume fraction and equivalent diameter of the central shrinkage porosities of CC billets and increase the sphericity of them.Simultaneously,the macrosegregation of carbon along the central line is improved as the reduction amount increases;while the reduction amount exceeds 8 mm,the segregation degree will not change any more.

Multi-physical fields distribution in billet during helical electromagnetic stirring:A numerical simulation research

Electromagnetic stirring is one of the widely applied techniques to modify the quality of casting billets.Different from conventional rotate stirring,the helical stirring is more professional in assisting multi-dimensional flow of molten metal and eliminating solidification defects.In this study,the single-winding helical stirring(SWHS)was introduced,offering advantages such as smaller volume and lower electromagnetic shielding compared to traditional helical stirring methods.Following a comprehensive numerical simulation,the stirring parameters of SWHS were adjusted to yoke inclination angle of 43°and frequency of 12 Hz.The higher electromagnetic force and flow velocity in drawing direction,as well as the lower temperature gradient induced by the SWHS,are positive factors for homogeneous solidification of billet.The experimental results on Al-8%Si alloy and 0.4%C-1.1%Mn steel demonstrate that compared to rotate stirring,the SWHS process can induce better billet quality and is more effective in accelerating the equiaxed expansion and reducing element segregation.The SWHS process can enhance the equiaxed ratio of the billet by 58.3%and reduce segregation degree of carbon element by 10.97%.Consequently,SWHS holds great promise as a potential approach for improving the quality of continuous casting billets.

Preparation of 3003/4045 Cladding Hollow Billets by Horizontal Electromagnetic Continuous Casting

The 3003/4045 aluminum alloys cladding hollow billets with the diameter of 60 mm and external thickness of 3 mm are fabricated by horizontal electromagnetic continuous casting.The surface features of ingots and microstructures of the bonding interface are observed.The results show that cladding hollow billets combine the external and internal layers by metallurgical bonding without mixing when the pouring temperature of the external liquid metal is 903 K.The diffusion region with the thickness of 25 μm can be seen clearly,where mutual diffusion of Si and Mn atoms takes place. In addition,the intermetallic compound Al_(12)(FeMn)_3Si_2 is formed in the interface.

A novel unified model predicting flow stress and grain size evolutions during hot working of non-uniform as-cast 42CrMo billets

The cast preformed forming process(CPFP) is increasingly considered and applied in the metal forming industries due to its short process, low cost, and environmental friendliness, especially in the aerospace field. However, how to establish a unified model of a non-uniform as-cast billet depicting the flow stress and microstructure evolution behaviors during hot working is the key to microstructure prediction and parameter optimization of the CPFP. In this work, hot compression tests are performed using a non-uniform as-cast 42 CrMo billet at 1123–1423 K and 0.01–1sà1. The effect laws of the non-uniform state of the as-cast billet with different initial grain sizes on the flow stress and microstructure are revealed deeply. Based on experimental results, a unified model of flow stress and grain size evolutions is developed by the internal variable modeling method. Verified results show that the model can well describe the responses of the flow stress and microstructure to deformation conditions and initial grain sizes. To further evaluate its reliability, the unified model is applied to FE simulation of the cast preformed ring rolling process.The predictions of the rolling force and grain size indicate that it could well describe the flow stress and microstructure evolutions during the process.

Control of Equiaxed Crystal Ratio of High Carbon Steel Billets by Circular Seam Cooling Nozzle

A circular seam cooling nozzle and its online control system have been developed to reduce the center segregation in high carbon steel billets by decreasing the superheat of the molten steel and improving the equiaxed crystal ratio based on the numerical results. An industrial experiment has been carried out on a 150 mm× 150 mm caster to investigate the effect of the circular seam cooling nozzle on the superheat removal of the molten steel. The results show that the circular seam cooling nozzle can be used to control the casting temperature in a closed loop control system. The online control system can be effectively adapted to the variation of operating parameters. The casting lasts about 4 h and about 400 t steel is successfully produced in a continuous operation. The removal of about 14 ℃ superheat and the improvement of approximate 10% equiaxed crystal ratio can be achieved by the newly developed circular seam cooling nozzle.

Solidification Structure of Continuous Casting Large Round Billets under Mold Electromagnetic Stirring

The solidification structure of a continuous casting large round billet was analyzed by a cellular-automaton-finite-element coupling model using the ProCAST software. The actual and simulated solidification structures were compared under mold electromagnetic stirring （MEMS） conditions （current of 300 A and frequency of 3 Hz）. Thereafter, the solidification structures of the large round billet were investigated under different superheats, casting speeds, and secondary cooling intensities. Finally, the effect of the MEMS current on the solidification structures was obtained under fixed superheat, casting speed, secondary cooling intensity, and MEMS frequency. The model accurately simulated the actual solidification structures of any steel, regardless of its size and the parameters used in the continuous casting process. The ratio of the central equiaxed grain zone was found to increase with decreasing superheat, increasing casting speed, decreasing secondary cooling intensity, and increasing MEMS current. The grain size obviously decreased with decreasing superheat and increasing MEMS current but was less sensitive to the casting speed and secondary cooling intensity.

Analysis of inhomogeneity of solidified microstructure of continuous casting copper tubular billet based on factor analysis

The horizontal continuous casting process,the initial step in TP2 copper tubular processing,directly determines the microstructure and properties of copper tubular.However,the process parameters of the continuous casting characterize time variation,multiple disturbances and strong coupling.As a consequence,their influence on a casting billet is difficult to be determined.Due to the above issues,the common factor and special factor analysis of the factor analysis model were used in this study,and the casting experiment and billet metallographic experiment were carried out to diagnose and analyze the reason of the microstructure inhomogeneity.The multiple process parameters were studied and classified using common factor analysis,2 the cast billets with abnormal microstructures were identified by GT^(2) statistics,and the most important factors affecting the microstructural homogeneity were found by special factor analysis.The calculated and experimental results show that the principal parameters influencing the inhomogeneity of solidified microstructure are the primary inlet water pressure and the primary outlet water temperature.According to the consequence of the above investigation,the inhomogeneity of the copper billet microstructure can be effectively improved when the process parameters are controlled and adjusted.

Development and investigation of electroslag continuous casting

The principle and technological design of electroslag continuous casting （ESCC）, including bifilar mode, T-shaped mould, and metal level detecting system, are detailed. Remelting was carded out for 1Crl8Ni9Ti stainless steel with ESCC. The surface finish, chemical composition, macroand microstructures, and inclusions of the remelted billets were characterized. ESCC reduces the cost and increases the productivity in comparison to traditional ESR, while achieves comparably excellent products.

High-temperature mechanical properties of near-eutectoid steel

The high-temperature mechanical properties of near-eutectoid steel were studied with a Cleeble-1500 simu- lation machine. Zero strength temperature （ZST）, zero ductility temperature （ZDT）, hot ductility curves, and strength curves were measured. Two brittle zones and one plastic zone were found in the temperature range from the melting point to 600℃. Embrittlement in zone I is caused by the existence of liquid film along dendritic interfaces. Ductility loss in zone Ⅲ mainly results from precipitates and inclusions as well as S segregation along grain boundaries. Pearlite transformation also accounts for ductility deterioration in the temperature range of 700-600℃. Moreover, the straightening temperature of the test steel should be higher than 925℃ for avoiding the initiation and propagation of surface cracks in billets.

Numerical investigation of the effect of transitory strand opening on mixing in a multistrand tundish

In a multistrand,the outlet near the inlet produces short circuiting flow.This leads to the formation of dead zones inside the tundish,and consequently,the mean residence time decreases.In the present study,numerical investigation of mixing inside a delta shaped tundish with sloping boundaries was carried out by solving the Navier-Stokes equation and employing the standard turbulence model.To decrease the dead zone volume inside the tundish,the effect of closing the outlet near the inlet for a small amount of time and further opening it on the mixing behavior of the tundish was studied.The outlets near the inlet were closed for varying amount of time,and the transient analysis of fluid flow and the tracer dispersion study were carried out to find the mixing parameters of the tundish,namely,mean residence time and the ratio of mixed to dead volume of the tundish.An optimum closure time of the near outlet has been found,which yields best mixing inside the tundish.The numerical code was validated against the experimental observation by performing the tracer dispersion study inside a multistrand tundish and the reasonably good match between the experimental and numerical results in terms of residence time distribution （RTD） curves.The results obtained from the present study confirm the strong role of choosing the right time for opening and closing the outlets to get improved characteristics for the fluid flow and mixing behavior of the tundish.The educational version of computational fluid dynamics （CFD） software PHOENICS was used to solve the governing equations and interpret the results in different forms.

The use of induction heating in hot-rolling operations

The use of induction heating in the hot-rolling of slabs,bars,billets,and blooms is presented.In today' s world,the cost of fossil fuels and the impact on the environment is an increasing concern.Induction heating can be used to heat materials from ambient temperature or in conjunction with gas reheat furnaces to enhance flexibility, boost productivity,reduce space requirements,improve metal surface quality,increase energy efficiency,and reduce harmful emissions to the environment.Various possible locations for induction heating are shown.An example case study is presented to quantify an increase in output.Some basic concepts of induction heating are explained to provide metallurgists with a better understanding of how and where induction heating can be applied.A brief introduction to computer modeling and control is touched on.Finally,some examples of recent installations are presented.

Sheet Bending Deformation in Production of Thin-Walled Pipes

Nowadays, thin-walled super-diameter pipes are produced by the method of plastic bending of sheets. After a sheet is bent into a pipe and its ends are welded, a pipe billet is subjected to expansion deformation. The technology of forming end areas of a sheet is developed and formulaes forming forces equations are deduced. Experimental investigations of deformation are undertaken.

计算梅花扁环压降和泛点气速的新方法

随着装置大型化和节能减排要求的不断提高,有必要对QH-2型扁环填料用于气液传质过程的设计计算方法作进一步研究,为推广应用提供更为可靠的依据。文中在Φ600mm的实验塔内用水-空气体系,在很宽的喷淋密度范围内[0—200m3/(m2·h)],系统研究了QH-2型扁环填料的流体力学性能。在大量实验数据和对多种数学模型进行比较的基础上,提出了采用改进的Billet模型计算压降和基于流动参数计算液泛气速的新方法。

Effect of electromagnetic stirring in mold on the macroscopic quality of high carbon steel billet

An industrial plant trial for optimizing the process parameters in a round billet continuous casting mold with electromagnetic stirring （M-EMS） was performed, in which the influences of stirring parameters with M-EMS on the solidification macrostructure of high carbon steel were investigated. The results show that the billet quality is not well controlled under the condition of working current and frequency with EMS, in which the subsurface crack of grade 1.0-2.0 ups to 38.09%, the central pipe of grade 1.0-1.5 reaches to 14.28%, and the central porosity of grade 1.5 is 14.29%. The parameters of current 260 A and frequency 8 Hz as the final optimum scheme has a remarkable effect for improving the macroscopic quality of billet, in which the subsurface crack, central pipe and skin blowhole are all disappeared, and the central porosity and carbon segregation are also well improved.

Identification and PID Control for a Class of Delay Fractional-order Systems

In this paper,a new model identification method is developed for a class of delay fractional-order system based on the process step response.Four characteristic functions are defined to characterize the features of the normalized fractionalorder model.Based on the time scaling technology,two identification schemes are proposed for parameters' estimation.The scheme one utilizes three exact points on the step response of the process to calculate model parameters directly.The other scheme employs optimal searching method to adjust the fractional order for the best model identification.The proposed two identification schemes are both applicable to any stable complex process,such as higher-order,under-damped/over-damped,and minimum-phase/nonminimum-phase processes.Furthermore,an optimal PID tuning method is proposed for the delay fractionalorder systems.The requirements on the stability margins and the negative feedback are cast as real part constraints(RPC)and imaginary part constraints(IPC).The constraints are implemented by trigonometric inequalities on the phase variable,and the optimal PID controller is obtained by the minimization of the integral of time absolute error(ITAE) index.Identification and control of a Titanium billet heating process is given for the illustration.

Volume calculation of the spur gear billet for cold precision forging with average circle method

Forging spur gears are widely used in the driving system of mining machinery and equipment due to their higher strength and dimensional accuracy.For the purpose of precisely calculating the volume of cylindrical spur gear billet in cold precision forging,a new theoretical method named average circle method was put forward.With this method,a series of gear billet volumes were calculated.Comparing with the accurate three-dimensional modeling method,the accuracy of average circle method by theoretical calculation was estimated and the maximum relative error of average circle method was less than 1.5%,which was in good agreement with the experimental results.Relative errors of the calculated and the experimental for obtaining the gear billet volumes with reference circle method are larger than those of the average circle method.It shows that average circle method possesses a higher calculation accuracy than reference circle method(traditional method),which should be worth popularizing widely in calculation of spur gear billet volume.

Optimization of flow control devices in a tenstrand billet caster tundish

The physical model of a ten-strand billet caster tundish was established to study the effects of various flow control devices on the melt flow. Before and after the optimization of the melt flow, the inclusion removal in the tundish was evaluated by plant trials. The physical modeling results show that when combined with a baffle, the turbulence inhibitor, instead of the impact pad, can significantly improve the melt flow. A turbulence inhibitor with a longer length of inner cavity and without an extending lip at the top of the sidewall seems to be efficient in the improvement of the melt flow. Various types and designs of baffles all influence the flow characteristics significantly. The "V" type baffles are better than the straight baffles for flow control. The "V" type baffle with four inclined holes at the sidewall away from the stopper rods is better in melt flow control than the one with one inclined hole at each sidewall. The combination of a well-designed turbulence inhibitor and an appropriate baffle shows high efficiency on improving the melt flow and an optimal proposal was presented. Plant trials indicate that, compared with the original tundish configuration in prototype, the inclusions reduce by 42% and the inclusion distribution of individual strands is more similar with the optimal one. The optimal tundish configuration effectively improves the melt flow in the ten-strand billet caster tundish.