Microalloying element Nb in low carbon steels produced by compact strip production (CSP) process plays an important role in inhibiting recrystallization, decreasing the transformation temperature and grain refinement. With decreasing the rolling temperature, dislocations can be pinned by carbonitrides and the strength is increased. Based on the two sublattice model, with metal atom sublattice and interstitial atom sublattice, a thermodynamic model for carbonitride was established to calculate the equilibrium between matrix and carbonitride. In the steel produced by CSP, the calculation results showed that the starting temperature of precipitation of Ti and Nb are 1340℃and 1040℃, respectively. In the range of 890-950℃, Nb rapidly precipitated. And the maximum of the atomic fraction of Nb in carbonitride was about 0.68. The morphologies and energy spectrum of the precipitates showed that (NbTi) (CN) precipitated near the dislocations. The experiment results show that Nb rapidly precipitated when the temperature was lower than 970℃, and the atomic fraction of Nb in carbonitride was about 60%-80%. The calculation results are in agreement with the experiment data. Therefore the thermodynamic model can be a useful assistant tool in the research on the precipitates in the low carbon steels produced by CSP. Microalloying element Nb in low carbon steels produced by compact strip production (CSP) process plays an important role in inhibiting recrystallization, decreasing the transition temperature and grain refinement. With decreasing the rolling temperature, dislocations can be pinned by carbonitrides and the strength is increased. Based on the two sublattice model, with metal atom sublattice and interstitial atom sublattice, a thermodynamic model for carbonitride was established to calculate the equilibrium between matrix and carbonitride. In the steel produced by CSP, the calculation results showed that the starting temperature of precipitation The maximum of the atomic fraction of Nb in carbonitride was about 0.68. The morphologies and energy spectrum of the precipitates showed that that Ti and Nb are 1340 ° C. and 1040 ° C., respectively. In the range of 890-950 ° C., Nb precipitated rapidly. (NbTi) (CN) precipitated near the dislocations. The experiment results show that Nb rapidly pre cipitated when the temperature was lower than 970 ° C, and the atomic fraction of Nb in carbonitride was about 60% -80%. The calculation results are in agreement with the experiment data. Therefore the thermodynamic model can be a helpful assistant tool in the research on the precipitates in the low carbon steels produced by CSP.