Hydrogen-induced Breakout in Continuous Casting of Non-degassed Steel

Abstract

Hydrogen-induced sticker breakouts in aluminum-killed steel production without a degassing route have often been reported elsewhere, but so far, yet the mechanism has not been thoroughly explained quantitatively. In order to obtain a better understanding of this phenomenon, hydrogen gas evolution from the solidified shell at the early stage of solidification in continuous casting was analyzed, taking into account the δ→γ transformation. It is concluded that lower hydrogen contents, lower casting speeds and higher consumption rates of mold powder are preferable to prevent the hydrogen-induced breakouts of aluminum-killed non-degassed steel.