Transient Fluid-Flow Phenomena in the Continuous Steel-Slab Casting Mold and Defect Formation

Phenomena associated with the turbulent flow of molten steel in a continuous casting mold are responsible for many defects in the final product, including surface slivers, frozen meniscus hooks, captured inclusions that enter the mold from upstream, and mold slag entrapment. Animations of some of these transient flow phenomena are presented from Large-Eddy Simulations of a typical slab caster with a 3-port nozzle. The illustrated phenomena include the transport of superheat with the turbulent transient flow of molten steel, surface level fluctuations, and the transport and entrapment of inclusion particles.