DESIGN CRITERIA FOR CONTINUOUS SLAB CASTE RS

Objective. The article addresses questions of slab easter design when maximum cleanness is a primary goal. At the same time the risk of crac king should be minimised and central segregation avoided. For this pur pose a easter concept is to be selected which ensures maximum inclusio n separation (without accumulation peaks) in combination with low leve ls of internal cracking. Possible alternatives for caster design are d iscussed in this text and compared with respect to these requirements. Summary. The influence of inclusions on the HIC properties of plate g rades is illustrated. Steel cleanness can be negatively affected in th e tundish by excessively low steel levels, and positively by inertisat ion. Inclusion removal rates in the tundish and in the mould are asses sed. The inclusion contents achievable in the product are estimated fo r circular are, low head. vertical bending and purely vertical machine concepts. Deformation during bending and straightening is considered and the associated risk of internal cracking. The loads on the strand imposed by soft reduction and the necessary withdrawal forces are eval uated.