Full-scale Water Modeling on Flow Field of Continuous Casting Mold

In the continuous casting process of aluminum killed steel grades,nozzle clogging is a common problem.Argon is usually injected into the casting channel through stoppers or nozzles to minimize clogs;however,complex two-phase flow regimes appear,and the flow in the mold might deteriorate.This could result in a higher defect rate in the cast product and should be avoided as much as possible.Therefore,it is important to understand the interaction between process conditions and the refractory products used and their impact on the flow pattern in the mold.In this study,a full-scale water model was established to simulate the slab casting process.Three nozzle shapes and three immersion depths were applied to investigate the flow behavior and liquid level fluctuations by the full-scale water model.The relationship between the flow behavior and continuous casting parameters was evaluated.The results provide guidance for the design and production of the refractory nozzle and the operation of the continuous casting plant.