Mechanism and reasons of deep surface defect formation on continuously cast slabs of stainless steels with titanium

The paper considers the structure of metal losses in melting stainless steel with titanium and casting the steel in curved-type continuous casting machine. A hypothesis on the mechanism of surface defect formation on continously cast slabs is described and recommendations to decrease the amount of trimming of defects are given. In other authors’ works it was supposed that this defect is caused by rippled surface like in ingot casting of stainless steel by uphill teeming; by sinking into liquid metal of raw slag-metal shells formed by interaction of dissolved titanium with oxygen and chamotte refractory lining of tundish; that there is relation between surface defects and the quality of slag mix for continuous casting machine mould and the character of distribution of metal streams in the mould. Arguments to criticize the versions that decreasing the amount of dissolved nitrogen is the key factor in obtaining better slab surface quality are also presented. Effect of dissolved nitrogen and titanium on trimming level of continuously cast slabs is shown, the ways to decrease this defect are proposed and the factors affecting its appearance are described.