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Transient Asymmetric Flow and Bubble Transport Inside a Slab Continuous-Casting Mold

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Abstract

A one third scale water model experiment was conducted to observe the asymmetric flow and vortexing flow inside a slab continuous-casting mold. Dye-injection experiment was used to show the evolution of the transient flow pattern in the liquid pool without and with gas injection. The spread of the dye was not symmetric about the central plane. The flow pattern inside the mold was not stationary. The black sesames were injected into water to visualize the vortexing flow pattern on the top surface. The changes of shape and location of single vortex and two vortices with time had been observed during experiments. Plant ultrasonic testing (UT) of slabs was used to analyze the slab defects distribution, which indicated that the defects are intermittent and asymmetric. A mathematical model has been developed to analyze the time-dependent flow using the realistic geometries, which includes the submerged entry nozzle (SEN), actual mold, and part of the secondary cooling zone. The transient turbulent flow of molten steel inside the mold has been simulated using the large eddy simulation computational approach. Simulation results agree acceptably well with the water model experimentally observed and plant UT results. The oscillating motions of jet and the turbulence naturally promote the asymmetric flow even without the effects of slide gate nozzle or the existence of clogs inside the SEN. The periodic behavior of transient fluid flow in the mold is identified and characterized. The vortexing flow is resulted from asymmetric flow in the liquid pool. The vortices are located at the low-velocity side adjacent to the SEN, and the positions and sizes are different. Finally, the model is applied to investigate the influence of bubble size and casting speed on the time-dependent bubble distribution and removal fraction from the top surface inside the mold.

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Abbreviations

C a :

Added mass force coefficient, dimensionless

C d :

Drag coefficient, dimensionless

C S :

Smagorinsky constant, dimensionless

d :

Distance to the closest wall (m)

d b :

Diameter of bubble (m)

f :

Filtered variable

F a :

Added mass force (N)

F b :

Buoyancy force acting on bubble (N)

F d :

Viscous drag force (N)

F g :

Gravitational force of bubble (N)

F P :

Pressure gradient force (N)

g :

Acceleration due to gravity (m/s2)

G :

Filter function

k :

Von Kármán constant, dimensionless

L S :

Mixing length (m)

N :

Number of vectors

P :

Static pressure (Pa)

Re :

Reynolds numbers, dimensionless

C :

Characteristic filtered rate of strain (1/s)

S ij :

Rate-of-strain tensor for the resolved scale

t :

Time (s)

u b :

Instantaneous velocity of bubble (m/s)

u f :

Instantaneous velocity of fluid (m/s)

u i :

Velocity component (m/s)

V :

Volume (m3)

V′:

Average flow velocity in direction y

W′:

Average flow velocity in direction z

x i :

Coordinate direction (x, y, or z)

α :

Angle of the jet core (deg)

ρ :

Density (kg/m3)

ρ b :

Density of bubble (kg/m3)

ρ f :

Density of fluid (kg/m3)

ν :

Kinematic viscosity of fluid (m2/s)

μ t :

Turbulent viscosity (m2/s)

Δ:

Mesh spacing

∇:

Gradient operator

τ ij :

Sub-grid scale stress (kg·m−1·s−2)

i,j :

Direction (x, y, z)

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Acknowledgment

The authors wish to express their thanks to the National Natural Science Foundation of China. (Grant No. 50934008) for supporting the current study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials and Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Wenhua Road 3-11, Heping District, Shenyang, 110819, P.R. China

    Zhongqiu Liu (Ph.D. Candidate), Baokuan Li (Professor) & Maofa Jiang (Professor)

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  1. Zhongqiu Liu
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  2. Baokuan Li
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  3. Maofa Jiang
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Correspondence to Baokuan Li.

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Manuscript submitted May 23, 2013.

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Liu, Z., Li, B. & Jiang, M. Transient Asymmetric Flow and Bubble Transport Inside a Slab Continuous-Casting Mold. Metall Mater Trans B 45, 675–697 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-013-9972-z

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