Analysis of the Coupled Turbulent Flow and Heat Transfer in a Wedge-Shaped Pool According to Feed Type of Molten Steel

Abstract

The proper choice of nozzle in a twin-roll strip casting process is important to achieve the stabilization of the molten steel and free surface, and the uniform temperature distribution, in a wedge -shaped pool, which depend on the transport phenomena of the pool. In this study, the numerical investigation of turbulent flow and heat transfer was performed for two patterns of the feed of molten steel through the nozzle. In addition, the patterns of the removal of superheat for different gap thicknesses were analyzed using local Nusselt number along the roll surface. The turbulent characteristics of the flow were considered using a low-Reynolds-number κ-e turbulence model of Launder and Sharma. The results show that the use of submerged nozzle may be beneficial to the stabilization of the free surface zone. The increased gap thickness yielded the increased local Nusselt number in the downstream section of the wedge-shaped pool where the cross-sectional area of flow is reduced.