Projects / Programmes
Microstructure simulation for continous casting of steel with topmost quality
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 2.13.01 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Process engineering |
Multi-phase systems |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| T200 |
Technological sciences |
Thermal engineering, applied thermodynamics |
| T450 |
Technological sciences |
Metal technology, metallurgy, metal products |
Continuous casting of steel, solidification phenomena, integrated modelling, microstructure, phase-field model, cellular automata, optimisation, automation.
Researchers (9)
| no. |
Code |
Name and surname |
Research area |
Role |
Period |
No. of publicationsNo. of publications |
| 1. |
12359 |
PhD Henrik Gjerkeš |
Energy engineering |
Researcher |
2007 - 2009 |
0 |
| 2. |
29096 |
PhD Agnieszka Z. Guštin |
Materials science and technology |
Researcher |
2007 - 2009 |
0 |
| 3. |
28366 |
PhD Gregor Kosec |
Computer science and informatics |
Junior researcher |
2007 |
0 |
| 4. |
25793 |
PhD Igor Kovačević |
Process engineering |
Junior researcher |
2007 |
0 |
| 5. |
21381 |
PhD Miha Kovačič |
Manufacturing technologies and systems |
Researcher |
2009 |
0 |
| 6. |
18788 |
Gojko Manojlović |
Manufacturing technologies and systems |
Researcher |
2007 - 2008 |
0 |
| 7. |
18782 |
PhD Bojan Senčič |
Manufacturing technologies and systems |
Researcher |
2009 |
0 |
| 8. |
04101 |
PhD Božidar Šarler |
Process engineering |
Head |
2007 - 2009 |
0 |
| 9. |
23018 |
PhD Robert Vertnik |
Manufacturing technologies and systems |
Junior researcher in economics |
2007 - 2009 |
0 |
Organisations (2)
Abstract
The origin of this project represents topmost automated continuous casting device for steel billets in Štore-Steel company, successfully outfitted in the framework of the projects L2-5387 Modelling and Optimisation for Competitive Continuous Casting and COST-526 Automatic Process Optimisation in Materials Technology in the years 2003 – 2006, based on the Slovenian knowledge. The simulation system, developed for this device, will be upgraded in the sense of integrated modelling of steel solidification – from the process parameters to cast product properties (distribution of dimensions and orientation of solidified grains, microsegregation, macrosegregation). The simulation system and the equipment of the casting device will enable the optimal (with respect to quality, productivity and safety) adjustment of the specific solidification conditions for each steel grade and format, which is of utmost importance for conservation of global market advantages of the co-funder of the project. The integrated modelling of the solidification will be achieved based on the macroscopic models, which will take into account multi-component turbulent heat and mass transfer with the specifics of the entirely liquid region, the region with floating equiaxed crystals, the mushy region and the entirely solid region. The macroscopic models will be closed with the microscopic models for nucleation and development of solid phases. The physical concept of phase field model will be used on the microscopic scale, and the physical concept of cellular automata on the intermediate scale. The solution procedure will be based on the entirely new adaptive meshless computational technology, developed by the proposer of this project in the last years. Two domestic young researchers and one foreign young researcher (6. framework INSPIRE, mobility) will be trained in the framework of this project. International conference Microstructure Simulation will be organised in Idria under patronage of EUROTHERM organisation and this project.
Significance for science
Although the project is of an applicative nature and is focused on the technical problem of billets microstructure simulation in Štore Steel company, are some of the results of the project, that do not interfere with the competitive advantage of the co-funder, published in the topmost (upper 5%) ranking scientific literature. We see the principal scientific result of the project in the innovative multiscale model for prediction of microstructure growth and macrosegregation, where we coupled the mathematical concept of cellular automata and the new generation of adaptive meshless numerical methods for the first time. The model has been validated based on the infrared thermography and Baumann prints measurements. The model alows for simulation of the microstructure in steel billets.
We have originally developed and applied meshless method for simulation of turbulent flow of the melt in continuous casting based on the k-epsilon model. The developed method is extremely simple, efficient and accurate and allows for implementation of very complicated physical models.
We have formulated the method of cellular automata in meshless sense in original way -
based on discretization with points without polygons between them. This allows for simulation of grains and dendrites indepenedent on the growth direction. With this the main dissadvantage of the cellular automata method has been overcome.
We have coupled the research, traditionally in the domain of mechanical engineering, with the research that is in the domain of computer science and materials.
Significance for the country
Slovenians have a very long and proud tradition in the production of metals and the manufacture of metal products. The first blast furnace under mountain Jelovica was first mentioned in documents from 1422 and the development of nonferrous metallurgy in the south part of Pohorje started in 1825. The year 1950, when copper production in Slovenska Bistrica was changed to aluminium alloys, is regarded as the beginning of the industrial production of aluminium alloys in Slovenia. The industrial production of steel started already in 1869, when the »Kranjska industrijska družba« (»Carniolan Industrial Company«) was founded. The invention of the process for the production of ferromanganese ensured a pioneering role in the history of steel making to this company. The company received several awards at the world exhibition in Vienna in 1894. At the same exhibition, our physicist Jožef Stefan presented the first analytical models of solidification. Next to the French scientists Lame and Clapeyron and the German Neumann, the Slovenian scientist was among the first who started to study moving boundaries, which appear in the phenomena of thawing and freezing, melting and solidification and in chemical reactions. Computational modelling and simulation of these phenomena started in the mid-1950s and developed until today into a scientific discipline with over 5000 bibliographic units. Because of the tremendous importance of continuous casting, computational modelling of the process has an extraordinarily important role in Slovenia and abroad. Since the beginning of Nineties, the industrial co-funders of Laboratory for Multiphase Processes systematically invest into development of in-house knowledge in the field of continous casting. The primary incitement for this investments are relatvely small production capacities and casting of a huge number of different high quality alloys. In-house knowledge is indispensable in manufacturing and materials processing of such products. Slovenian metallurgical industry exports almost a billion Euro of metal products on the established foreign markets, associated with the continuous casting process. 10000 working places depend in Slovenia on this process. This is why the development of numerical simulation tools and automation of these processes plays such and important role in Slovenia. The goals of the described development are better understanding and insight into the processes, better influence and organisation of the processes. The described research contributed to improved productivity and safety of casting devices, improved cast quality and faster and more efficient development of new materials and formats. Without doubt the industrial users have been successful in applying the developed tools, since they have in average for several percents enhanced the productivity of the process and quality of the products as well as independently developed casting of many new alloys.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2008,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2008,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
