Projects
Research projects conducted by the Continuous Casting Center, spanning fundamental investigations and applied engineering studies.
Current Projects
- CCC Research
Transient Turbulent Flow Phenomena
Slide-gate and stopper-rod movement induce asymmetric flow, meniscus level fluctuations and slag entrapment. A semi-analytical model predicts nozzle flow rate from recorded gate position, and transient 3-D CFD — validated against water-model surface velocities and unfiltered plant mold-level data — shows how defects form under transient conditions.
- CCC Research
Entrapment of Bubbles and Inclusions during Flow in the Nozzle and Mold
Inclusion particles and argon bubbles carried through the nozzle and mold pool cause serious surface and internal defects. Three-dimensional turbulent flow models quantify their transport and entrapment at the solidifying dendritic interface, validated against water-model studies, metallography and plant trials at POSCO and elsewhere.
- CCC Research
Thermal Stress Analysis of Solidifying Steel Shell
A coupled two-dimensional transient finite-element model predicts temperature, shrinkage and stress in the solidifying shell, including phase-transformation volume change, ferrostatic pressure, creep plasticity, and the effect of shrinkage on heat transfer across the mold-shell gap. It is being extended to beam-blank taper and to crack formation in funnel-mold thin slabs.
- CCC Research
Optimization of Coil Scheduling
Scheduling coil orders into heats, casting sequences and rolling schedules must balance order dates, furnace and refining capacity, the cost of grade changes, and caster and rolling-mill constraints. An integer-based optimization model builds coil-to-coil schedules for realistic order sequences — an NP-hard problem given the number of variables and constraints involved.
- CCC Research
Taper Design of Funnel Molds for Thin Slab Casting
Funnel-shaped molds need different taper to accommodate the changing perimeter down the mold, and the funnel itself adds stress and strain that promote longitudinal facial cracks. Models of heat transfer, stress and hot-tear crack formation are used to investigate funnel shapes and narrow-face tapers that reduce crack incidence.
Completed Projects
NSF Grant
(NSF) High Fidelity Numerical Investigations of Tailored Magnetic Fields for Defect Reduction in Continuous Casting of Steel
Study of magnetic field applications to reduce defects in steel casting.
(NSF) Transient Flow Structures and Heat Transfer in the Continuous Casting Mold
Analysis of transient flow patterns and heat transfer mechanisms.
(NSF) Presidential Young Investigator Award: Mathematical Modeling of Continuous Casting Processing
The NSF Presidential Young Investigator award, which funded the group's first decade of mathematical model development for continuous casting.
(NSF) Research Initiation: Fluid Flow and Heat Flow Modeling of Continuous Casting Processes
The center's first NSF grant: initial models of fluid flow and heat flow in the continuous casting process.
NSF GOALI Grant
(NSF) GOALI: Turbulent Flow Modeling of Gas Injection to Minimize Surface Defects in Continuous-Cast Steel
Modeling of argon gas injection and the resulting multiphase turbulent flow, to find operating windows that avoid the bubble-related surface defects it can cause. Awarded at Illinois and continued at the Colorado School of Mines when the center moved.
(NSF) GOALI: Operational Reconfigurability of Constrained Moving-Boundary Processes through Agile Motion Planning with Application to Steel Continuous Casting
Research on agile motion planning for steel continuous casting processes.
(NSF) GOALI: Hybrid Control of Continuous Casting for Whale and Crack Prevention
Hybrid control methods to prevent whales and cracks in continuous casting.
(NSF) GOALI: Online Dynamic Control of Cooling in Continuous Casting of Thin Steel Slabs
Dynamic cooling control strategies for thin slab casting.
(NSF) GOALI: Flow Dynamics and Inclusion Transport in Continuous Casting of Steel
Research on flow dynamics and inclusion transport mechanisms.
NSF Collaborative Research
(NSF) Collaborative Research: Planning Grant: I/UCRC: Center for Solidification Processing
Planning grant toward an NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for solidification processing.
(NSF) Collaborative Research: Manipulating the Contacting and Solidification of Molten Metal in Continuous Casting
Research on molten metal contact and solidification control.
(NSF) Collaborative Research: Contacting and Solidification in Casting-by-Design
Research on contact and solidification optimization in casting design.
NSF SIRG Grant
(NSF) SIRG/Collaborative Research: Distributed Subwavelength Photonic Sensors for In-situ High Spatial and Temporal Resolution Monitoring in Manufacturing Environments
Development of photonic sensors for manufacturing monitoring.
CCC Research
Flow Dynamics and Electromagnetic Effects in Continuous Casting of Steel
Investigation of flow dynamics and electromagnetic field effects in casting.
Thermal Stress and Surface Crack Formation in Continuous Casting
Analysis of thermal stress mechanisms leading to surface cracks.
Fluid flow, Heat Transfer and Interfacial Phenomena in Nozzle Refractories
Study of fluid dynamics and heat transfer in nozzle refractory systems.
Modeling of Clogging and Erosion of Nozzle Refractories in Steel Casting
Development of models predicting nozzle refractory clogging and erosion.
Initial Solidification and Meniscus Hook Formation in Continuous Slab Casting
Research on initial solidification phenomena and meniscus hook development.
Meniscus Solidification, Oscillation Marks, and Depression Formation
Analysis of meniscus behavior including oscillation marks and depressions.
Interface Heat Transfer and Friction in Continuous Casting
Examination of interface heat transfer and friction phenomena.
CON1D: Heat Transfer Model of Mold, Interface and Shell
Development of one-dimensional heat transfer modeling tool.
CON2D: Coupled Thermal Stress Model of Continuous Casting
Creation of coupled thermal stress analysis model.
Bulging Between Rolls in Continuous Casting
Investigation of bulging phenomena occurring between casting rolls.
Distortion and Cracking of Thin-Slab Continuous-Casting Molds
Study of mold distortion and crack formation in thin-slab casting.
Segregation and Microstructure in Solidifying Steel
Research on segregation phenomena and microstructural development.
Flow and Clogging in Continuous Casting Tundish Nozzles
Investigation of flow behavior and clogging in tundish nozzle systems.
Two-Phase Fluid Flow in Continuous Casting Nozzles
Analysis of two-phase flow dynamics in nozzle systems.
Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in the Liquid Pool
Investigation of pool dynamics and heat transfer behavior.
NSERC Research
Investigation of Flow-Related Defects in Thin-Slab Casting
Study of flow-related defect formation in thin-slab casting.
Related Research
Investigation of Steel Cleanliness during Ingot Teeming
Study of steel cleanliness maintenance during ingot casting.
Development of a Process to Continuously Melt, Refine, and Cast High-Quality Steel
Process development for high-quality steel production.
Thermo-Mechanical Phenomena in High-Speed Billet and Thin-Slab Casting
Analysis of thermo-mechanical behavior at high casting speeds.
Mathematical Model of Thin Strip Casting
Development of mathematical modeling for thin strip casting.
Thermal-Mechanical Behavior of ITER (Fusion Reactor) First Wall
Analysis of thermal and mechanical behavior in fusion reactor components.