Journal Article

Some Current Issues in the Theory and Practice of Solidification of Structural Steels

Dub, V. S, Strizhov, M. A, Ivanov, I. A, Malginov, A. N, Tokhtamyshev, A. N, Solov’eva, M. S

2025

Overview

The stage of steel crystallization is one of the most critical in the metallurgical production process as far as arise of the future product imperfections is concerned. This paper investigates some promising directions for the development of metallurgy concerning the casting and solidification of steel ingots to be used in the production of critically important items (i.e. items with enhanced reability) for power and heavy engineering industry. The authors consider, from the standpoint of cluster growth theory, the possibility of managing the crystallization process by supplying additional external energy. In particular, the authors pointed out that electroslag heating of the hot top of the ingot which is used to increase the metal utilization factor, can be applied not only as a way to minimize the effects of shrinkage phenomena (formation of physical heterogeneity), but also as a means of managing the crystallization process and thus managing the formation of other types of heterogeneity (chemical, structural) through external electromagnetic field. The factors affecting the chemical heterogeneity of the ingot and the susceptibility of steel to segregation are described. The importance of developing an ingot technological summary that provides detailed description of the physical, chemical and structural heterogeneities throughout the ingot’s cross-section, and its application in actual production is emphasized. The authors outline ways of using such a technological summary as a source of additional information about the ingot for the subsequent processing stages (i.e. forging, heat treatment) which would help to achieve the required quality of the finished product while minimizing its cost. The considered development directions are directly related to the issue of increasing the production capabilities and reducing the costs of produced metallurgical outputs.

• Publisher: Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Asymmetry / Atoms & subatomic particles / Continuous casting / Crystallization / Electromagnetic fields / Electroslag casting / Energy / Heat treatment / Heterogeneity / Ingot casting / Ingots / Magnetic fields / Metallurgy / Slag resistance heating / Solidification / Steel / Structural steels