Water Analog Experimental Method for the Diffusion and Distribution of Alloy Elements in Liquid Steel during Ingot Filling Process

To physically simulate the alloy elements transportation and diffusion in the liquid steel during the making of heavy ingots, a water analogy experimental method is presented. In this method, methylene blue dye is used as solute to simulate the alloy element carbon in the melt steel. And a measurement method is proposed to measure the concentration of the solute, in which the laser reflection intensity detection method is used. The water analogy experiment setup is constructed. The multi-concentration pouring of a 438 t ingot is investigated by this method. The concentration of the ladles decrease with the pouring consequence. The concentration variation curves with time at the tundish outlet and in the mold are acquired and analyzed. The tundish outlet concentration decreases gradually and no fluctuation occurs during the change of ladles. Negative concentration gradient is achieved at the end of pouring, which can be helpful for controlling of the macrosegration usually occurring in the heavy ingot.