Break temperatures of mould fluxes and their relevance to continuous casting

The break temperatures of mould fluxes are important since they help to con trol the horizontal heat transfer and lubrication between the steel shell a nd the mould, and consequently affect occurrences of longitudinal cracking and sticker breakout in continuous casting. Break temperatures T-br have be en determined for both steady state and dynamic measurement of the viscosit y, and equations relating T-br to chemical composition have been obtained f or both cases. It has been found that T-br can be affected by (i) cooling r ates and (ii) fluorine losses during the measurements. I&S/1436 (C) 2000 Io M Communications Ltd.