Effect of Direct Current Electric Field on the Clogging Behavior of Submerged Entry Nozzle During Casting of UltraLow-Carbon Steel

The clogging of the submerged entry nozzle (SEN), as an important device to connect the tundish and the mold, has been widely concerned. However, until now, the clogging of the SEN cannot be eliminated during the casting. Herein, the clogging behavior of the SEN during the casting of ultralow-carbon steel is studied using an external DC electric field. The findings demonstrate that the DC electric field inhibits the growth of the clogging on the outlet and the thickness of the clogging layer is small, which ensures the integrity of the profile of the outlet. After DC treatment, the interface of the clogging is clear and the density is increased, which reduces the pollution to molten steel. At the same time, the fluctuation of the mold level is significantly improved, and the defect rate of cold rolling is effectively reduced to 30% of the original level, which is beneficial to the overall performance of the slab.