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Blowing and stirring the steel water in the continuous caster
Steel water is the liquid metal that is poured from the ladle into the tundish and then from the tundish into the mould during the casting process at the continuous caster. This water is made of molten steel, which will eventually turn into semi-finished or finished products depending on the requirements of each application. In order to provide an even flow of molten steel, the steel water must be mixed and agitated. To achieve proper mixing and agitation of the steel water, the continuous caster uses a combination of blowing and stirring techniques.
Blowing is a process whereby pressurized air is forced through a manifold into the steel water. This pressurized air acts as a momentary disturbance, which helps to agitate the liquid metal in order to make sure that the liquid is homogeneous and free of lumps or foreign particles. The manifold has perforations that spread the pressurized air into the steel water and provide an even dispersion of the air. The air is supplied to the manifold at high pressures, usually between 5 and 10 bar (75 to 150 psi).
The stirring process is a rotating action, where paddles or arms within the steel water are used to stir and mix the liquid metal. The stirring arms rotate at high speed and provide a churning action to the steel water. This stirring action helps to create a more uniform mix of the liquid metal. The agitation of the steel water also helps to remove any trapped bubbles or foreign particles, ensuring a better final product quality.
The combination of blowing and stirring helps to ensure that the steel water is homogeneous and free from any defects. This ensures a better overall product quality and also improves the efficiency of the casting process. The use of stirring and blowing technology in the continuous caster also helps to save energy, as it reduces the amount of time needed for stirring and mixing. Furthermore, the combination of the two technologies provides a more consistent physical state of the steel water, which helps to minimize defects by ensuring that the steel forms a single, continuous layer.
In summary, the continuous caster uses a combination of blowing and stirring techniques to mix and agitate the steel water in order to produce an even, homogeneous flow of liquid metal. The process helps to ensure a better overall product quality, as well as improving efficiency and reducing energy consumption. Furthermore, this process also helps to minimize defects by creating a single, continuous layer of steel in order to provide a more consistent physical state.
