Macroscopic Simulation Study on Inhomogeneity of Small Billet Continuous Casting Mold

In the steel industry, small billets have become the main type of billet for steel production due to the efficiency of the continuous casting process. However, the segregation that occurs during solidification remains a significant issue affecting billet quality. This study conducted a macroscopic segregation analysis on 172 mm × 172 mm small square billets and investigated the influence of various process parameters on the distribution of carbon within the cast billets. The results showed that an increase in superheat led to a 0.036% rise in the carbon difference and an increase in the central segregation value from 0.357% to 0.364%. Increasing the cooling intensity resulted in a 0.037% rise in the carbon difference and a decrease in the negative segregation value from 0.266% to 0.250%. Higher casting speeds caused the carbon difference to reach a minimum of 0.107% at a speed of 1.6 m·min−1, while the central segregation value reached its lowest point of 0.353% at a casting speed of 2.6 m·min−1.