Comparison of Different Multi-Strand Tundishes

Abstract

A computational study was carried out to optimize the positions of outlet strands and to compare the operating parameters of two-strand, four-strand and six-strand tundishes. This involved adoption of an Euler-Lagrangian approach to track spherical particles in a steady, three-dimensional flow field obtained by the numerical solutions of Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes and energy equations. The standard k-e model and random walk model were used for modeling the turbulence in flow field and paths of inclusions, respectively. For comparison of different tundishes, two methodologies were adopted, first with equal mass flow rate of liquid steel at the inlet gate for all the tundishes considered (i.e., same capacity) and the second with equal mass flow rate of liquid steel leaving through each outlet strand for all the tundishes. It was found that for different tundishes with the same capacity, a change in the number of outlet strands does not have any significant effect on the operating parameters of the tundishes. For the tundishes with the same flow rate at each strand, the removal efficiency of two strand tundish was found to be more compared to that of four-strand and six-strand tundishes