Study On Flow Control Devices And Metallurgical Effect In A 5-Strand Billet Caster Tundish At Chonggang

In order to improve the continuous casting (CC) efficiency and meet the requirement of high qualitative products, In recent years, the metallurgist have taken a serious action on strengthening and enlarging the tundish metallurgical function. One of the important measures was that the appropriate flow control devices were installed to form the reasonable flow pattern, which not only made the inclusions well floated but also created the advantageous condition to uniform the liquid steel temperature and composition.In this paper, according to the fact of a 5-strand billet CC tundish at Chongqing Iron and Steel Company, the mathematical and physical simulation method were used to make certain the best flow control device. The experiment model, which was 1/3 of the prototype and was made of Plexiglas, was built and the experiments were done based on the Froude similarity by similarity principle. The mathematical model, describing the flow phenomena in the tundish, was established according as the continuity equation and momentum equation, meanwhile the Phoenics commercial software was used to calculate.It was found that the control flow devices had an important effect on the flow pattern in a 5-strand tundish by mathematical and physical simulation. The reasonable flow pattern was come into being and the metallurgical effect was fully exerted by setting the right control flow device. In the all of the flow control devices, the number 10 is the best one, which can effectively control inclusions motion and remove them to top surface, and uniform the temperature distribution for each strand. When the cost considered, it was necessary that the parallel flow control device was set in front of the middle outlet to uniform the temperature distribution for each strand and to eliminate short flow and recirculation flow, which ensured the good CC operation.It was seen that the application of the above mentioned flow control devices made the temperature distribution uniformed and realized the good CC operation from the industrial experiment results. The liquid steel was distributed to the each outlet with the excellent flow pattern in the tundish, which tested the rationality of the flow control devices. The inclusions were obviously decreased, when liquid steel passing the flow control devices, the liquid steel residence time was prolonged and the inclusions were well floated through using the number 10. All of these validated the rationality of the shape and the design of the flow control devices, enhanced the liquid steel cleanness degree and improved the quality.Each kind of index was reached or exceeded the former ones, during the application of this year, and much high quality steel had been developed.