Study on Multiphase Flow in a Wide-Width Continuous Casting Mold

Abstract

The multiphase flow in the mold has a significant impact on the surface quality of the slab. In this paper, the multiphase flow in the mold is studied by establishing a one-quarter scale water mold, with the aid of a high-speed camera and particle image velocimetry (PIV). The oil phase will make the liquid surface velocity around the nozzle smaller. The greater the viscosity of the oil, the greater the critical water model casting speed and the shallower the critical immersion depth of submerged entry nozzle (SEN). Blowing will enhance the turbulence of the flow field in the mold and have a suppressing effect on the surface velocity. However, the vertical velocity of the narrow surface does not change significantly. The randomness of the bubble entering the mold from the nozzle can easily cause asymmetry of the instantaneous flow. The number of bubbles with a diameter less than 1 mm increase with the increase in gas flow rate. The larger the bubble size, the more buoyant around the nozzle when it escapes. The larger the diameter of bubble, the closer the vortex center of the upper circulation is to the nozzle and the closer the center of the lower circulation is to the narrow surface.