Fluid Dynamics of Vortex Formation in Tundish Operations: Mathematical Modelling

A mathematical model was developed to study the significance of the fluid dynamics of vortex formation in tundish operations. The aim is to contribute to the fundamental understanding of vortex formation and related phenomena. For this purpose a typical slab tundish was employed; the mathematical model was solved using FLUENT® commercial software capable to simulate highly turbulent flows. The well known k‐? turbulence model was applied to compute this effect in the process. The mathematical simulations confirmed the results from a water analogue model. The vortex formation is directly related to the highly turbulent flows present in the reactor. Great changes in velocity fields during short times and large distances between the upper edge of the dam and the free surface of the bath enhance the formation of vortex flows.     

Fluid Dynamics of Vortex Formation in Tundish Operations: Physical Modelling

The present study focuses on the fluid dynamics of vortex formation in tundish operations using a physical water analogue model and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements. The aim is to get fundamental knowledge of the nature of vortex formation that clearly represents this flow phenomenon. The results indicate that vortex formation is directly related to the highly turbulent flows present in the tundish. Great changes of velocity fields during short times and large distances between the upper edge of the dam and the free surface of the bath enhance the formation of vortex flows. Therefore, increasing tundish capacity does not guarantee steel cleanliness through long residence times if the dam height is not adjusted to the new level of liquid in the tundish.     

板坯连铸中间包挡坝结构优化的数学与物理模拟

通过几何相似比0.4的中间包水模型和Fluent数学模型对钢厂60 t二流板坯中间包不同结构挡坝下的钢液流动形态进行了分析。结果表明,中间包使用原结构-200 mm高无孔挡坝时钢液贴底流严重,且挡坝较低,对钢液提升作用不明显,不利于夹杂物上浮去除,浇注区形成较大死区。挡坝开向上15°两圆孔且高度增加至270 mm后,中间包内钢液滞止时间提高12.5%,死区减少36%,钢液在浇注区向钢液面流动,浇注区的死区和钢液温度分层现象基本消失。     

长水口插入深度对连铸中间包流体流动影响的研究

长水口插入深度对中间包钢液的流动状态有重要影响。以相似原理为基础,进行水模实验,测定了有无控流装置时中间包钢液的停留时间分布曲线（RTD）;采用Fluent软件和数学模拟的方法,仿真计算获得了实际中间包内钢液的流动状态,分析比较了钢液流动的速度矢量图和流线图。从而确定了合理的长水口插入深度。研究结果表明,有、无控流装置时,建议长水口插入深度为110 mm左右。     

单辊法薄带连铸铸口包中钢液流动的数学模拟

建立了单辊法薄带连铸铸口包内钢液流动的数学模型 ,通过模拟计算 ,分析了不同结构的铸口包内钢液流动状态的变化     

板坯连铸结晶器内非对称涡流的水模拟研究

利用水模拟研究连铸操作工艺对板坯结晶器液面涡流的影响规律。在实验室进行了不同工艺参数下的试验,分析不同工艺参数对涡流的影响。结果表明,结晶器液面形成涡流的原因主要来自于表面液流的湍动性所导致的水口两侧表面液流动能瞬时的不对称,以及浇注工艺所导致的水口两侧出流及表面液流不对称。在结晶器液面,涡流出现形式分为水口一侧单涡流,一侧双涡流和对角双涡流等情况。上述现象与水口周围液流流态有关,涡流的"强度"(文中用涡流直径和长度表征)以及其出现的频度均随表面液流的动量增大而增加,加大水口浸入深度或增大出流角度有利于减小涡流强度和出现频度。     

Transient Fluid Flow in a Continuous Casting Tundish during Ladle Change and Steady‐state Casting

Transient effects occur during both steady‐state casting as well as transient casting, e.g. a ladle change. These effects are caused by transient boundary conditions at the inlet of the tundish. A time‐dependent inlet temperature causes a free convection flow during steady‐state casting. During transient casting, such as during a ladle change, the mass flow at the inlet is time‐dependent and thus a transient flow develops. In general, transient flow is unwanted because transient flow means a change of conditions for the separation of non‐metallic particles. The analysis of the flow in the tundish is carried out by numerical as well as physical simulations. In this case experimental investigations are carried out on a water model. The results of laser optical investigations using Laser Doppler Anemometry (LDA) and Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV) serve as a validation of the numerical results. The numerical results are then used for the investigation of the thermal melt flow. The effects caused by a changing bath level during transient casting (ladle change) are investigated using the Volume‐of‐Fluid (VoF) model. Beyond this, the interaction between the melt and slag is taken into account, by using the three phase system melt‐slag‐air. In addition to the classical methods a new zonal approach is introduced in this paper. The integral balance localises high turbulence mixing regions as well as the development and intensity of back flows. The levelling of the momentum flux between the inlet and the outlet can also be described.     

单流板坯连铸中间包流场的物理模拟

通过对不锈钢连铸矩形连铸中间包水模型试验,分析其结构的合理性,针对流场存在的问题,就影响流场的因素,采用正交试验的方法对中间包内部控流元件进行优化验证。结果表明,下挡墙开口大小是影响流场的最关键因素。保持中间包液面稳定,在水口插入深度180 mm,拉速1.2 m/m in的情况下,综合考虑RTD曲线与流场显示,最佳的方案为上挡墙位置375 mm、上挡墙高208 mm、上下挡墙之间距离575 mm、下挡墙高100 mm、下挡墙开口0 mm。与原型中间包对比,能够很大程度地优化中间包流场,延长平均停留时间,减小死区比例,改善短路流现象,有效地均匀钢液和促进夹杂物聚集上浮。工业试验结果表明,采用优化挡墙组合控流中间包,能够较大程度提高铸坯纯净度,降低冷轧板废品率。     

薄带连铸布流器数学物理模拟研究

按照相似理论的原则,采用宝钢自主开发的布流器系统,建立了薄带连铸1：1的水模型。应用中科院DJ800系统测定了在不同的水口插入深度情况下的熔池内液面波动情况;与此同时,应用连续性方程、N-S方程及湍流k-ε方程对该模型进行了流体数值计算,得出了水模型内部的流场分布,对比数值计算的结果与水模型试验结果,两者吻合较好。     

薄板坯连铸中间包控流装置的数理模拟

采用水力学数理模拟的方法,研究了不同尺寸和安装位置的控流装置对马钢薄板坯连铸中间 包流动特性的影响。结果表明：中间包在无流动控制时,存在明显的短路流及较大死区;西马克公司提供的控 流装置其平均停留时间小,死区较大,实验效果并非最佳;改进后的优化方案使中间包内示踪剂开始响应时间 为无控流装置下的2倍多,平均停留时间由264.0s 增加到301.4 s,死区由无控流装置的25.54%降低到 15.39%,中间包的冶金性能有了明显改进。     

五流大方坯中间包控流装置优化的数值和物理模拟

针对280 mm×350 mm五流连铸35 t中间包第3流铸坯质量探伤不合格率较高的问题,采用数值模拟和几何相似比1:3水模型模拟,研究了控流装置对中间包钢液流动特性的影响,优化中间包流场。结果表明,原型中间包控流装置结构不合理,各流一致性差,尤其第3流短路流明显;采用中墙开两孔的2~#挡墙+圆形加檐的B型湍流控制器后,各流一致性明显改善,第3流短路流消除,其平均停留时间延长了242.1 s,同时中间包活塞区体积增加了5.7%,死区体积减小了1.1%,冲击区钢液流动平稳。     

带过滤器63t中间包钢液流场的物理和数学模拟

通过采用几何相似比0.29:1的水模型和数学模型分别对(a)湍流抑制器和挡墙+坝(原结构),(b)湍流抑制器,挡墙+坝和过滤器,以及(c)湍流抑制器,挡墙和过滤器3种结构两流板坯连铸中间包钢液流场、温度场和夹杂物运动轨迹进行模拟研究。结果表明,原中间包结构(a)活塞区体积偏小,死区体积偏大;加入通道式钢液过滤器(b)后短路流基本消失,中间包死区减小6.83%,钢液的平均停留时间由287.04 s延长至373.76 s,有利于夹杂物的上浮去除,且过滤器的加入对钢液的温降影响不大;用钢液过滤器代替挡坝(c)后优化效果最为明显,中间包钢液平均停留时间由287.04 s延长至404.26 s,峰值时间由原来的95,4 s延长至190.8 s,死区体积由36.10%减小至8.76%。     

Modeling Study of the Vortex and Short Circuit Flow Effect on Inclusion Removal in a Slab Tundish

A mathematical model was developed to study effects of the vortex and the short circuit flow phenomena during tundish operation on the inclusion removal for a wide range of particle diameters. The model was solved using FLUENT® commercial software; for the particle tracking the Lagrangian discrete phase model was employed. Even when the vortexes drag about 50% of the inclusions, the most detrimental phenomenon for inclusion removal is the short circuit flow. It is important to stress that for the global inclusion behavior the removal rate decreases as the tundish level increases. It can be concluded that when increasing the tundish capacity without any flow control device adjustment, the steel cleanliness is deteriorated significantly.     

重钢5流方坯连铸中间包控流装置的数理研究

对重钢24t中间包控流装置进行水力学模型试验和数值模拟,通过测定停留时间分布(RTD)曲线和夹杂物的排除量,研究了不同尺寸湍流控制器对中间包流体流动特性的影响。研究结果表明,使用合适的湍流控制器和现有挡墙设置组合,可以延长水口响应时间及平均停留时间,提高活塞流区体积分数30%及降低死区体积分数50%,中间包内流体流动特性得到改善。     

Physical Simulation of Nozzle Electromagnetic Brake in Twin‐Roll Strip Casting

This paper presents the Nozzle Electromagnetic Brake (N‐EMBR) technology for twin‐roll strip continuous casting. N‐EMBR consists of imposing a stationary magnetic field coupled with direct current inside the nozzle to control the flow and suppress the free surface fluctuation. A low melting point metal model was set up to examine the magnetic field and additional current effect on the velocity near the meniscus and free surface fluctuation. The experimental results showed that the velocity near the meniscus, the amplitude and main frequency of the free surface fluctuation were all decreased with the N‐EMBR technology. It was found that the N‐EMBR technique can be applied successfully in twin‐roll strip casting to suppress the flow near the meniscus and free fluctuation.     

小方坯连铸中间包流场温度场的数值模拟研究

采用湍流理论,建立中间包温度场的数学模型,计算获得了昆钢7^#小方坯连铸中间包耦合的流场及温度场,并研究了中间包在设置挡墙前后钢液流动及传热行为的变化。流场计算表明,使用合适的挡墙,钢液在中间包的停留时间变长,各水口处钢液的流动模式趋于一致;温度计算表明,设置挡墙后,各流钢液温度差异明显缩小。     

预防中间包尾坯浇注过程中钢液卷渣的数学模拟和工艺优化效果

为降低中间包尾坯判废率,预防中间包尾坯降拉速过程钢液卷渣,应用流体力学软件FLUENT,对尾坯降拉速过程进行优化,研究尾坯拉坯过程的拉速变化对钢厂3^#板坯连铸机80 t中间包钢液紊流卷渣的影响。通过每次降拉速后的停留时间历程的湍动能时间跟踪曲线分析,确定了中间包尾坯降拉速优化方案。该方案在原方案基础上,将8 t铸余增加到10 t,缩短了各拉速下的持续拉坯时间,并将封顶操作从0.1 m/min提高到0.2 m/min,可减小尾坯卷渣的可能性和降低了生产成本,节约中间包尾坯降拉速总时间266.8 s和节约钢水量5.08 t。300mm×2000 mm 3^#板坯连铸机采用优化操作后,每月尾坯废品总量从576.4 t降低到139.1t。     

Investigation of Flow Characteristics in a Six‐Strand CC Tundish Combining Plant Measurements,Physical and Mathematical Modeling

The tundish plays a major role in the continuous casting process. The flow in a tundish has a very substantial effect on the quality of the final product and on efficient casting conditions. Efforts are being made worldwide to obtain the most favourable shape of tundish interior by using dams, weirs and gas curtains. The aim of these flow control devices is to reduce the dead zone areas and improve the conditions for the separation of non‐metallic inclusions. Numerous model studies are being carried out to explain the effect of the tundish working space shape and steel flow conditions on the inclusions floating processes. The presented article shows the results of investigations performed to obtain the mass exchange characteristics in the investigated tundish. The measurements were done directly at the steel plant during normal working conditions. By controlling the changing content of manganese in steel, the residence time distribution (RTD) characteristics were acquired. The RTD characteristics are also obtained with a water model of the tundish with dimensional scale of 1:3. Parallel to the water model, numerical simulation based on mathematical modelling of fluid flow, relying on the system of differential equations, is employed in the research work. Numerical simulations were carried out with the finite‐volume commercial code FLUENT using the standard k‐ε turbulence model. The primary purpose of the investigations carried out is to present the characteristics describing the transitory zone in a six‐strand tundish. It is shown that the F‐curve, describing the transitory zone, can be obtained by using different measurement techniques. Tracer concentration characteristics for the model of tundish obtained from both modelling techniques ‐ physical as well as numerical ‐ are very similar.