SEFID DASHT OF CHAHARMAL BAKHTIARI

STEELMAKING PLANT

CCM PROJECT

6-STRAND BILLET CCM

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION

SINOSTEEL EQUIPMENT & ENGINEERING CO., LTD.

DATE No. REV
July 2017 SDSCO-CCM 01

1-1
SINOSTEEL MECC Sefid Dasht of Chaharmal Bakhtiari Steelmaking Plant Project

Annex 1

CCM PROCESS
 SINOSTEEL MECC Sefid Dasht of Chaharmal Bakhtiari Steelmaking Plant Project

CONTENT

1.1 Plant Conditions.......................................................................... 1

1.1.1 Melting Condition ........................................................................ 1

1.1.2 CCM Configuration ..................................................................... 1

1.1.3 Building Conditions ..................................................................... 1

1.2 Production Capacity and Product Mix ......................................... 1

1.3.1 Production Capacity.................................................................... 1

1.3.2 Product Mix ................................................................................. 1

1.3 Casting Process Calculation ....................................................... 2

1.3.1 Caster Radius ............................................................................. 2

1.3.2 Caster Strand Number ................................................................ 2

1.3.3 Production Capacity Calculation of Caster ................................. 2

1.3.4 Caster Casting Speed Calculation .............................................. 3

1.4 Casting Process Description ....................................................... 5

1.4.1 Influence Factor of Billet Quality and Corresponding Measures . 5

1.4.2 Influence of Element in Steel to Crack Sensitivity ....................... 6

1.4.3 Measures for Improving Billet Quality ......................................... 7

1.4.4 Process Flow of Billet CCM ...................................................... 11

1.5 Main Technical Parameters and Index of Caster ...................... 12

 SINOSTEEL MECC Sefid Dasht of Chaharmal Bakhtiari Steelmaking Plant Project

1.1 Pl a n t Con d i ti on s
1.1.1 Meltin g Conditio n
(1) Melting condition
Type EAF
set tonnage 1140
avg. tapping 140 t per heat, Max. 140t/heat
avg. tap to tap cycle 70min (in future 60 min)
(2) Liquid steel refining condition
Type LF
settonnage 1140t
capacity 140 t
treatment cycle 50 min
1.1.2 CCM Confi guration
Sefid Dasht of Chaharmal Bakhtiari Steelmaking Plant (SDSCO)will construct
one set of 6-strand billet caster for 140t EAF plant. It is designed based on the high
quality and high efficiency principle adopting the modern latest but practical and
reliable technology, especially advanced technology and equipment for ensuring
billet quality. The seller may properly adjust the equipment parameters in annex but it
will not influence the operation performance of equipment.
1.1.3 Buildin g Conditions
The new caster is transversely arranged in the steel making building. The
building rail top level, span and crane tonnage and quantity in this bay are as follows.

Table 1-1: shop building condition

Building size (m) Crane
No. Bay name Remarks
Length Span Rail top level tset
Liquid steel receiving 260(310)/70/5t1
1 72 30 +29.20 exit
bay 80/30/51
2 Casting bay 72 32 +29.20 80/30/5t2 exit
Rotary Crane
3 Discharging bay 72 34 +12.00 exit
30/5t2
Rotary Crane
4 Slab Storing Bay 72 34 +12.00 exit
30/5t2

1 . 2 Pro d u cti on Cap aci t y an d Prod u ct Mi x

1.3.1 Productio n Cap acit y
According to requirement of the user, the annual production of caster is 80104 t
qualified cast billet. In future, when EAF Tap to Tap time reduced to 60min, this
caster should reach the annual production 1000,000 TPY billet.
1.3.2 Product Mix
(1) Production section

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 SINOSTEEL MECC Sefid Dasht of Chaharmal Bakhtiari Steelmaking Plant Project

Table 1-2: production section

Billet section mmmm Cut to length m

130130
150150 6,9 and12
200200

(2) Production steel grades

Casting steel grade is low carbon steel, medium carbon steel and HSLA.
1 . 3 Ca s ti n g Pro ces s Ca l cu l a ti on
1.3.1 Caster Radius
According to product requirement and plant conditions, the caster basic radius in the
design is R9m with continuous straightening and rigid dummy bar.
1.3.2 Caster Strand Numb er
Considering coordination between EAF and caster, the strand number of the new
caster is 6-strand.
1.3.3 Productio n Cap acit y Calcul ation of Caster
The coordinated production capacity of casting shop refers to the production
at one to one coordination with one caster and one EAF and the caster
completes the casting of one heat of liquid steel within one tap to tap cycle
of 60 min.
(1) Casting preparation time

Table 1-3: Casting Preparation Time

Item Value min Remarks
From closing of tundish nozzle to tail
12 Avg.
billet out
From moving down of dummy bar to
9
dummy bar head inserting into mold
Dummy bar head sealing 4
Completion of dummy bar sealing to
4
re-stranding
The level of tundish liquid are raised
6
to the height for casting
Total 35

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 SINOSTEEL MECC Sefid Dasht of Chaharmal Bakhtiari Steelmaking Plant Project

(2) Production calculation

Avg. casting cycle = 60 min

Table 1-4: Production calculation-1

EAF avg. tapping 140t
max. tapping 140t.
Avg. casting cycle 60min
Preparation time 35min
Metal yield (from liquid steel to qualified billet) 98.5%
Heat number of sequence casting 25 heats
Annual working days 310
Production = 1440*25*140*98.5%*310/(25*60+35) = 1000258 t/a

Avg. casting cycle =70 min

Table 1-5: Production calculation-2

EAF avg. tapping 140t
max. tapping 140t.
Avg. casting cycle 70min
Preparation time 35min
Metal yield (from liquid steel to qualified billet) 98.5%
Heat number of sequence casting 25 heats
Annual working days 310
Production = 1440*25*140*98.5%*310/(25*70+35) = 862165 t/a

1.3.4 Caster Castin g Speed Calcul ation

Maximum casting speed of different billet section is mainly influenced by factor
such as thickness of mold exit billet shell, metallurgical length, and
straightening deformation rate.
The billet shell coming out of mold must be kept at certain thickness, and the
thickness is different for different billet sections.
Metallurgical length here refers to the length between mold level to 1.5m before
torch cutting machine initial position.
For alloy steel, the max. allowed straightening deformation rate of the
two phase zone of each straightening point is []=0.15%, and it is
generally required to be within 0.1%.
The caster casting speed calculation result based on designed mold
copper tube length, straightening zone length and caster metallurgical
length is shown in table below.

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 SINOSTEEL MECC Sefid Dasht of Chaharmal Bakhtiari Steelmaking Plant Procject

Avg. casting cycle = 60 min

Table 1-6 Avg. casting cycle-1
Billet Section
Avg. casting cycle (min) Casting Available Value
(mm) Weight
(kg/m) 58 60 62 Casting Speed (m/min) Casting time (min)
Width Thickness
Corresponding Speed (m/min) Min. Max. Max. Min.

130 130 132.67 3.13 3.03 2.93 3.0 3.4 60.6 53.4

150 150 176.63 2.35 2.27 2.20 2.3 2.9 59.3 47.1

200 200 314.00 1.32 1.28 1.24 1.3 1.7 59 45.1

Avg. casting cycle =70 min

Table 1-7 Avg. casting cycle-2
Billet Section
Avg. casting cycle (min) Casting Available Value
(mm) Weight
(kg/m) 68 70 72 Casting Speed (m/min) Casting time (min)
Width Thickness
Corresponding Speed (m/min) Min. Max. Min. Max.

130 130 132.67 2.67 2.60 2.52 2.8 3 55.9 51.7

150 150 176.63 2.01 1.95 1.90 2.3 2.8 51.1 41.6

200 200 314.00 1.13 1.10 1.07 1.3 1.7 50.8 38.5

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 SINOSTEEL MECC Sefid Dasht of Chaharmal Bakhtiari Steelmaking Plant Project

1 . 4 Ca s ti n g Pro ces s D e s cri p ti on

1.4.1 Influ en ce Facto r o f Billet Qualit y and C orrespondi ng M easures
Surface Quality
The billet surface quality mainly exists the following factors.
(1) Corner longitudinal crack and face longitudinal crack
The measures for avoiding such defect is: ensuring stable casting parameters
(liquid steel temperature, casting speed and oscillation, etc.), proper use of
casting powder, mechanical inspection of mold (taper, deformation and
wearing, etc.), avoiding generation of concave defect, avoiding generation of
lateral cave.
(2) Star crack
The reason for star crack is generally mold plating wearing, too high
secondary cooling intensity and bad lubrication of mold.
The measures for overcoming star crack include the following several
factors.
(3) Corner lateral crack and face lateral crack
The counter measures are: proper setting and uniform distribution of
secondary cooling, avoiding excess cooling of corner, use of proper casting
powder, intensifying mold maintenance, ensuring aligning of foot roller and
segment, ensuring flexible rotation of supporting roller, ensuring smooth
oscillation and avoiding too low straightening temperature.
(4) Deep and non-uniform oscillation mark
The problem mainly exists on the oscillator and mold lubrication. We can
select proper oscillation mode, for example, hydraulic oscillation which can
realize sinusoidal and non-sinusoidal oscillation curve, fast and easy
oscillation parameter setting and regulation as well as improvement of mold
lubrication.
(5) Face pin hole and under-skin bubble
Selecting dry refractory material and dummy bar cooling material, with full
protection casting, ensuring stable mold level, controlling oxygen content of
liquid steel to avoid such defect.
(6) Diamond deformation
Non-uniform mold cooling (copper tube deformation, bad lubrication,
non-uniform water slot, bad nozzle aligning, improper cooling water flow
setting), bag aligning of foot roller, not rational secondary cooling parameter
setting, non-uniform cooling, etc.
(7) Bulging
Generally it is because too high liquid steel temperature, too high casting
speed, blocking of nozzle, too large roller gap. Therefore the liquid steel
superheating shall be kept stable to ensure proper casting speed according to

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 SINOSTEEL MECC Sefid Dasht of Chaharmal Bakhtiari Steelmaking Plant Project

different steel grade and section, and the conditions of nozzle and roller gap
shall be inspected from time to time.
Internal Quality
The internal quality of billet mainly exists the following factors.
(1) Center crack, inter-crystal crack and straightening crack
Excess secondary cooling, adopting weak cooling system
Secondary cooling temperature restoring, strict control of liquid steel
composition
Reducing straightening stress (related with liquid steel temperature and
casting speed), adopting proper hot billet pressure
Not aligned roller
(2) Corner crack
Non-uniform mold cooling (taper, deformation and water slot wearing, etc.)
Avoiding billet bulging
Avoiding diamond deformation
(3) Center crack
Excess secondary cooling intensity
Too high billet casting speed
Non aligned end roller
Caused by bad shrinkage
Avoiding billet bulging
(4) Diagonal crack
Non-uniform mold cooling (taper, deformation and water slot wearing)
Too high casting temperature
Avoiding diamond deformation
(5) Segregation line near surface
Along with inter-crystal crack or cooling crack, caused by too high or too
low casting temperature, to be improved with EMS.
(6) Center segregation, center porosity and center shrinkage
Too high secondary cooling intensity
Too high casting temperature
Too high casting speed
Content of carbon and chrome at higher limit
To be improved by adopting EMS and increasing equiaxed crystal zone
Reducing impurity element in steel.
1.4.2 Influ en ce o f El emen t in Steel t o Crack S ensitivit y
The content of elements in steel directly influences the crack sensitivity of
billet so as to increase the casting operation difficulty. Therefore measures
shall be taken from the production process and caster design to reduce the
influence.

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 SINOSTEEL MECC Sefid Dasht of Chaharmal Bakhtiari Steelmaking Plant Project

Influence of element in steel to the crack sensitivity is shown below.

Table 1-8 Influence of element in steel
Increase Non influence Decrease
C: 15~2560 C: 1525~60 Mo: 25
S: 25 Al: 25~50
Mn/S: 20
Cr: 300
Si: 50
Mn: 100
P: 30
Ni: 100
Al: 50
H: 4ppm

1.4.3 Measu res fo r Im prov ing Bill et Qualit y

Liquid Steel Supply Requirement
The liquid steel composition and temperature supplied to caster will be
controlled with the following requirement.
(1) Control of superheating
Liquid steel superheating is important factor influencing casting operation
and bad control will directly influence the billet quality even leading to
break out. Generally the superheating of liquid steel in tundish is controlled
as follows.
Low alloy steel pipe and high quality steel: 30C5C.
High quality steel grade: 25C5C
(2) Control of temperature fluctuation
At the beginning and ending of casting of each heat of liquid steel, casting
speed shall be adjusted according to the variation of liquid steel superheating
in tundish to ensure heat balance of caster production and the for alloy steel,
the highest / lowest temperature difference shall be controlled with 15C.
Therefore, besides supply of liquid steel with homogeneous temperature and
control of liquid steel casting time, the temperature preservation shall be
made to the liquid steel in ladle and tundish to reduce temperature loss and
the main measures are as follows.
- Complete preheating for the ladle and tundish lining and the preheating
temperature shall be higher than 1000C and the time shall be more than
60 min.
- Adopting ladle covering device and tundish covering device.
- The liquid steel level of ladle and tundish shall adopt temperature
preservation agent.

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 SINOSTEEL MECC Sefid Dasht of Chaharmal Bakhtiari Steelmaking Plant Project

(3) Control of impurity element

Except the alloy element which must be required for alloy steel composition,
in order to reduce billet crack sensitivity and reduce impurity concentration
so as to improve the operational performance of casting production and
improve billet quality, the following requirement is raised for the liquid steel
composition of alloy steel.
- [Cu] + 10[Sn] = 0.30% (0.40% for carbon structural steel)
- [P] 0.035% (to be decided separ ately for steel grade with stricter
requirement)
- [S] 0.030% (to be decided separately for steel grade with stricter
requirement)
- [P] + [S]0.05% ( 0.03% for alloy steel)
- [AL] 0.006% (subject to steel grade, except aluminum killed steel)
- Mn/S 30
- Mn/Si 2.5 (except silicon spring steel)
- [O] 30ppm ( 20 ppm for alloy steel)
- [N] 90ppm ( 70 ppm for alloy steel)
- [H] 3.0ppm ( 2 ppm for alloy steel)

Avoiding Secondary Contamination of Liquid Steel

(1) Large capacity tundish
- Working liquid level not lower than 800 mm.
- With T-shape tundish to increase residence time of liquid steel in
tundish.
- Slag retaining wall is adopted to prevent ladle slag from contamination
- The above tundish shape can ensure uniform temperature distribution of
liquid steel in tundish and increase the stay time of liquid steel, for up
floating of inclusion and preventing slag from contamination.
(2) High quality tundish lining material
Working layer adopts alkali magnesium gunning material or heat
insulation board, featuring high temperature resistance drying, corrosion
resistance and less contamination, etc. For the steel grades which have
higher requirement to content of impurity, magnesium heat insulation
board shall be adopted, which features smooth surface to prevent very
fine refractory material particle from coming into liquid steel. The
magnesium calcium lining has certain absorption function to the Al2O3
impurity in liquid steel.
(3) Protection casting
Full process protection casting process is adopted to prevent secondary
oxidization of liquid steel and air suction.

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 SINOSTEEL MECC Sefid Dasht of Chaharmal Bakhtiari Steelmaking Plant Project

- Ladle flow protection shroud and argon sealing device are adopted
- Submerged nozzle is adopted for protection casting
- The surface of liquid steel in tundish and ladle shall be protected with
casting powder for heat insulation and prevention of oxidization and
absorption of inclusions.

Proper Cooling Control Mode

- The billet cooling mode adopts forced cooling method (Full water
cooling).
- The pressure of mold cooling water reaches 1.0MPa and the water slot
velocity reaches 16 m/s. The secondary cooling water adopts high
pressure and full water spray cooling and the water supply pressure is
over 1.2 MPa and the specific water flow is 2.5 l/kg.
- The concept is to make the billet cooled fast, and the element at front
edge of solidification and liquid phase solidification has no time for
spreading so as to obtain solidification structure as uniform composition
without composition segregation. The crystallizing structure will be
mainly dense equiaxed crystal at billet surface and internally developed
column shape crystal. The branch crystal is much developed, and the
crystallizing speed is fast, the liquid steel between branch crystal has no
time for flowing and shrinkage, therefore it will not generate large center
shrinkage, and the center porosity of billet is relatively uniform within
the allowed range by quality.

Experienced Process Operation Parameters

The process parameters of caster include the followings.
- Initial casting speed of caster
- Requirement of liquidus and superheating of different steel grades
- Mold water flow and pressure control for different section and different
casting period
- Oscillation parameters of different section (amplitude and frequency and
negative slipping time, etc.)
- Casting speed corresponding to different section, steel grade and casting
temperature
- Control of tundish level
- Selection of secondary cooling zone, circuit control equipment and
secondary cooling nozzle
- Distribution of cooling water of each zone and secondary cooling
intensity
- Hot billet pressure of withdrawal-straightener

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 SINOSTEEL MECC Sefid Dasht of Chaharmal Bakhtiari Steelmaking Plant Project

Perfect Equipment Configuration

(1) Ladle weighing system, tundish weighing system is adopted for
monitoring of liquid steel weight in ladle and tundish to stabilize the
tundish level
(2) Ladle and tundish hydraulic lifting device is adopted.
(3) Ladle protection shroud manipulator is adopted for protected casting.
(4) Automatic mold level control technology is adopted for constant speed
casting operation to ensure the thermal stability of caster production to
avoid inclusion of non-metal inclusions and occurrence of surface crack
and reduce possibility of break out so as to ensure billet outline size and
improve the billet surface quality and productivity.
(5) High efficiency parabolic mold is adopted for better meeting
requirement of billet shrinkage characteristics, improving cooling
efficiency and billet quality.
(6) Secondary cooling automatic water distribution model is adopted to
improve homogeneous cooling of billet, improving production
reliability and improve billet quality.
(7) Non-sinusoid hydraulic oscillation is adopted. Frequency, amplitude
and wave shape is online adjustable, and proper oscillation parameters
are optimized to improve the quality of the billet.
(8) 5-roller integral frame withdrawal-straightener is adopted for
continuous straightening to prevent straightening crack.
(9) Self-adaptive rigid dummy bar and storage device is adopted.
(10) Passive clamping type torch cutting device is used.
(11) Discharging system includes: roller table, tilting machine, transfer car
and turnover cold bedbillet collecting table, transfer roll table.
(12) Whole line of caster adopts computer automation control for optimizing
process parameters and fault free rate of billet.
(13) Spray type of marking machine is applied (option)

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 SINOSTEEL MECC Sefid Dasht of Chaharmal Bakhtiari Steelmaking Plant Project

1.4.4 Process Flow of Bill et CCM

Qualified liquid steel

Ladle covering Lifting type ladle Ladle weighing

turret

Ladle shroud Argon sealing

Stopper rod auto control Lifting type tundish Tundish weighing

mechanism(reserved) car

Submerged nozzle (reserved) Quick change device of sizing nozzle

Mold level auto control Mold

Hydraulic Oscillator

Auto secondary cooling water Secondary cooling and spray device

distribution and guide section

Withdrawal- straightener

Dummy bar and storage

Roller table before cutting

Torch cutting machine

Transfer and billet discharging roller

table and tilting machine

Turnover cold bed/collecting stand

discharging transfer roller table/collecting table

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 SINOSTEEL MECC Sefid Dasht of Chaharmal Bakhtiari Steelmaking Plant Project

1 . 5 Ma i n T ech n i cal Pa ra met ers an d I n d ex of Cas ter

Table 1-9 Main Technical Parameters

No. Item Unit Index Remarks
1 Quantity set 1
Full curved type, continuous
2 Type
straightening
3 Basic radius m R9
4 Strand distance mm 1250
5 Strand number strand 6
6 Mold copper tube length mm 900
Working level 700mm
7 Tundish capacity t Max.~26t
Overflow level 800mm
Caster metallurgical To start point of cutting
8 m ~21.5
length machine
9 Billet section size mm 130130, 160160, 200200
10 Cut to length m 69 and 12
Speed of withdrawal -
11 m/min 0.5~4.0
straightener
Working casting speed
12 m/min Refer to table1 1-6, 1-7
range
13 Ladle liquid steel weight t Avg. 140t, max. 140t
14 Single heat casting time min/heat 70 (60 future)
15 Casting preparation time min 35
Hydraulic lifting type, with Emergency hydraulic
16 Ladle turret type
weighing system motor
17 Tundish car type hydraulic lifting/shifting Tundish weighing
18 Oscillation type 4-lever hydraulic oscillation
19 Dummy bar type Rigid dummy bar
20 Secondary cooling type Full-spray water cooling
21 Billet cutting Torch cutting machine
22 Auto level control Cs137
23 Auto cut to length Auto camera cut to length
Billet turnover machine, transfer
24 Billet discharging
car, turnover cooling bed
Sequence casting heat
25 Heat/times 25
number
26 Liquid steel yield % 98.5
Effective availability of
27 % 85
caster
28 Billet qualification rate % 99

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 SINOSTEEL MECC Sefid Dasht of Chaharmal Bakhtiari Steelmaking Plant Project

No. Item Unit Index Remarks

Caster annual production
29 t/a 86.2 (in future 100)
capacity

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