| Abstract Scope |
In continuous casting, the tundish plays a vital role in determining the quality of steel. Steel cleanliness depends on non-metallic inclusions in the final product, which is often problematic during ladle exchanges. During a ladle exchange, the incoming flow rates, temperature, bath height, and flow behaviour all vary significantly, which greatly influences inclusion transport in the tundish. In this study, a coupled multiphase transient model is developed to study turbulent fluid flow, heat transfer, inclusion transport & removal or capture. A simulation of three successive heats was conducted to investigate the effect of incoming flow and superheat on flow behaivour in the tundish for realistic plant conditions. Results are compared with plant measurements of temperature variation, inclusion size, composition, and location in as-cast slabs to provide new understanding of flow and cleanliness issues during ladle exchanges. |