Investigation of inclusion re entrainmen

The mechanism of inclusion elimination from continuous steel casting is investigated at the steel-slag interface. The study focuses on the energy balance that dictates whether inclusions are retained at the interface or can be assimilated into the slag. Factors such as the properties of inclusions, slag, and steel, alongside inclusion impact velocities, are analyzed. The findings indicate that lower interfacial tension between the slag and the inclusion allows for effective passage into the slag layer, while turbulent boundary layers can re-entrain inclusions back into the steel. A removal criterion based on shear stress is presented, leading to calculated removal rates from the turbulent burst theory. Results show that smaller diameter inclusions are more likely to remain trapped at the interface, whereas larger inclusions are more susceptible to removal by lift forces. High slag viscosity is also highlighted as beneficial, making the re-entrainment of inclusions into the final casting more challenging. This investigation contributes to understanding the dynamics of inclusion behavior at the steel-slag interface during continuous casting, emphasizing the importance of manipulation of material properties to improve steel quality.