Interaction of Liquid Steel with Mould Flux in Continuous Casting Bloom Mould - Numerical Simulations and Industrial Experiences

The device under examination is a mould of a capacity of 0.5 Mg and with inner cross-section of 280×400 mm. The virtual model of the facility under investigation was made using Gambit, DesignModeler and Meshing programs. Computer simulation of the liquid steel flow and mould flux behaviour in turbulent motion conditions was done using the Ansys-Fluent® computer program. On the basis of earlier researches the volume of fluid (VOF) model was applied. Based on computer simulations carried out, steel flow and flux behaviour fields and curves of flux mould entrainment concentration were obtained. The results obtained from numerical simulation were compared with the data obtained during bloom casting under industrial conditions. Based on the obtained information on the interaction of steel with mould flux, the region was determined, in which conditions likely to favour the entrainment of slag portions into the forming bloom exist.