Computational Modeling of Flow, Heat Transfer, and Deformation in the Continuous Casting of Steel

Abstract: Further technology improvements to complex mature processes, such as the continuous casting of steel, require a combination of careful laboratory experiments, plant trials on the commercial process, and advanced computational models. As computer power increases, computational models are able to contribute more to the understanding, design, and control of these complex processes. Fluid flow models can now include phenomena such as transient behavior during steady casting, including particle transport, capture and removal. Heat flow models can include interfacial slag layer heat, mass and momentum balances, and nonequilibrium crystallization behavior, and can predict slag structure and friction within the mold. Stress models can now make quantitative predictions such as ideal mold taper and maximum casting speed to avoid problems such as off-corner longitudinal cracks. This work presents recent examples of these models, and their comparison with experimental measurements.