Non‐Uniform Thermal Behavior and Shell Growth within Mould for Wide and Thick Slab Continuous Casting

Abstract This work mainly presented two aspects, inverse problem model technique that allowed detailed description of heat transfer behaviors in the mould from simulations of coupled measured temperature. Additionally, shell growth rate defined for discussing irregular shell growth was presented for wide and thick continuous casting slab. As a result, the inverse problem model provided good agreement on prediction of mould temperatures. Furthermore, the model's transient approach could show the non‐uniform characteristics of heat flux and shell thickness. The non‐uniformity of heat transfer was significantly prominent on outside radius face more than that of inside radius face, and the non‐uniformity of shell thickness distribution on narrow face is smaller than that of wide face. It was also able to analyze behavior of initial solidified shell within the mould through the shell growth rate. Shell growth rate reached the maximum in the region of 100–200 mm below meniscus, as well as local heat flux. Effect of casting speed on the non‐uniformity of heat transfer and shell growth rate was also discussed. Although complex in nature, these models likely became part of optimization and control of continuous casting process.