Integrated Computational Framework for Prediction of Porosity during Continuous Casting of Copper
摘要
Porosity in copper rods limits their ability to draw them into finer wires for high-quality applications. An integrated computational framework for modeling porosity in continuous casting of copper is developed, predicting the formation and distribution of pores in a cast bar. Temperature evolution in the cast bar is modeled by sweeping a 2-D section along the length of the caster using a finite element analysis-based thermal-solidification model. The temperature and solidification profiles obtained are further used to predict the formation of porosity. A bubble transport model is used to predict macroporosity due to evolution of air bubbles, and a gas pressure-based model is used to predict microporosity by calculating the volume of hydrogen release during solidification due to shrinkage. The framework is validated with measured data for three different casting conditions in a production plant. The present framework can be used to obtain a feasible processing window to achieve desired cast bar quality in a twin-belt continuous casting.