Numerical Simulation of Steel Flow and Behaviour of Non-Metallic Inclusions in the Six-Strand Tundish with Stopper Rod System

Abstract

The numerical modelling technique is successfully used for simulation of steel flow and behaviour of non-metallic inclusions in the tundish. The CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamic) method allows information on steel motion, flow, flow turbulence and steel temperature distribution in the tundish to be obtained. In the continuous steel casting process, where the tundish performs the function of a device batching steel to the mould, the monitoring of steel flow is very essential because steel flow has influence on the behaviour of non-metallic inclusions. The paper presents the results of computing simulation steel flow and flotation of non-metallic inclusions in the six-strand tundish with stopper rod system. The subject of simulation was a six-strand tundish unprovided with flow control devices. The tundish is used in the polish steel mill to process of continuous casting billets. The Fluent program was used for solved mathematical model of casting process. The numerical simulation of steel flow was performed for whole test facility without the “symmetry” boundary condition. As a results of numerical simulation maps of directions flow and temperature of steel, Residence Time Distributions curve type of (F) and (E) and distributions of non-metallic inclusions between slag phase and particular tundish outlets has been obtained.