Evaluation of Equiaxed zone in Continuously Cast (CC) Billets using Ultrasonic C-Scan Imaging

Abstract

The continuous cast billets has a heterogeneous structures consist of dendritic, columnar, equiaxed etc. Due to the fine grain structure, the core is harder compared to the columnar zone that causes breakage while drawing the rods. Moreover the carbon segregation takes place at the inter-columnar areas. Hence a large equiaxed zone is a desirable structure for the cast billets for drawing rods. Using Electromagnetic stirring (EMS), a well established high efficiency technique, is possible to achieve effective and reliable stirring of the molten steel in the continuous casting process, which can meet the metallurgical objective of improving the quality and productivity of cast products. This project attempts to establish the effect of EMS current on percentage equiaxed zone, central porosity and segregation of continuous cast HC billet for achieving acceptable high C billet quality.