Differences Between Physical Water Models and Steel Continuous Casters: A Theoretical Evaluation

Nonoptimal fluid flow patterns in the mold cause level fluctuations and excessive surface velocities at the top surface, which shears off and emulsifies liquid slag, leading to inclusions and other defects in the steel product. Physical water models are often used to investigate these phenomena. However of the solidifying shell, and the top-surface slag layer leads to significant differences in the flow behavior, relative to the real steel caster. Trying to include these effects presents other difficulties. Constructing smaller, scaled-down water models introduce further differences. These differences are investigated using computational models of both the water models and real casters. The Froude similarity criterion reasonably reproduces overall flow features for different scale models, so long as the flow regime stays fully turbulent. Flow in small scale water models behaves differently, if the flow regime becomes laminar. Neglecting the surface slag layer causes excessive surface velocities in a water model. Neglecting the solidifying shell causes unrealistic lower surface velocities and surface waves in the water model, especially for thinner cross sections. Thus, water models of thin slab casters may become unreliable