Continuous casting of steel is the predominant means of producing steel slabs, billets, blooms and rods. The process involves a wide range of operational parameters, such as steel grade, required and available superheats, casting speed and cross-section, presence of any electro-magnetic stirring (EMS), mold-water temperature, flow-rate and distribution, and the effectiveness of spray cooling zone. Because this wide set of important process parameters interacts in a non-linear manner, process control is highly susceptible to instabilities, leading to various defects and sometimes even breakout.

CFD simulation mold flow and tracer dispersion studies: Courtesy NKK Steel

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is very effectively used to study the mold flow, solidification, mush formation, design of submerged entry nozzle (SEN), analysis of mold powder performance, effects of turbulence, EMS, argon purging around the SEN and EMS. Design optimization of the spray cooling zone can also be accomplished using CFD. Finally, more in-depth studies can be performed to assess macro- and micro-segregation due to thermo-solutal buoyancy.

Design optimization of submerged entry nozzle (SEN): Courtesy NKK Steel

Learn more about CFD in continuous casting from Arcelor