Effect of Casting Parameters on the Flow Pattern in a Steel Continuous Casting Slab Mold: Numerical Simulation and Industrial Trials

Abstract

Herein, multiphase flow patterns in a continuous casting slab strand are studied using a 3D numerical model and nail board measurement. The motion and turbulence of the argon gas and molten steel are simulated using the Euler–Euler approach and the realizable κ–ϵ turbulence model, respectively. Casting parameters for a 1435 mm × 200 mm mold are optimized by both the simulation and the capillary number. The capillary number is calculated by the measured velocity and used to evaluate the capability of the slag entrainment by the turbulent flow. The optimized values of the casting speed and the gas flow under the current specific continuous casting condition are 1.4 m min−1 and 8 NL min−1, respectively. Slag entrainment might occur near the narrow face under a casting speed of 1.6 m min−1 and near the SEN under a gas flow rate of 15 NL min−1. Meanwhile, effects of casting speed and argon flow rate on the transformation of flow patterns inside the mold with different dimensions are analyzed. A software incorporated by a Graphical User Interface is developed to predict the flow pattern inside the mold for a given steel grade and casting parameters.