Advances in Ladle Shroud as A Functional Device in Tundish Metallurgy: A Review

Ladle shroud is a small but significant device in tundish metallurgy to facilitate both production process and steel quality. Past decades have witnessed its evolution from a simply shrouding tube to a multi-functional device in continuous casting processes. Advances in the functions of ladle shroud in tundish metallurgy have been reviewed in this work, including shrouding the teeming stream, fluid flow control, slag carry-over detection, and the potentials of heating and additive feeding. The features of various commercialized and novel ladle shrouds are discussed. The effect of practical operations, such as argon injection and misalignment, on the performance of ladle shrouds is also analyzed in this review.