Numerical analysis of fluid flow and heat transfer in the funnel type mold of a thin slab caster

Abstract

Thin slab casting is an emerging technology offering many economic benefits. In the case of a thin slab caster, the control of fluid flow in a mold is particularly difficult due to the high casting speed and large aspect ratio of the mold. In addition, the knowledge of the transport phenomena is important because melt delivery is directly related to the problems of non-uniform shell growth, surface turbulence and mold powder entrapment. In this study, a 3-dimensional mathematical model has been developed for the coupled analysis of fluid flow, heat transfer and solidification in the funnel type mold using finite volume method based on the body fitted coordinate. The characteristics of transport phenomena in the mold of a thin slab caster were analyzed by numerical simulation. As a result of the simulation, the basic flow pattern could be characterized and the heat transfer calculations could accurately predict the areas where the mold is susceptible to cracking as a result of thermal stress. The predicted shell thickness showed good agreement with the measured thickness at the solidified shell of the break-out products.